so much, Then Peter said to her, How is it that you have conspired together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of those who have been burying your husband are at the door, and they shall carry you out. And, immediately, she fell down at his feet, and expired: and the young men coming in, found her dead, and carried her out, and buried her by her husband. And great fear came on all the assembly, and on all that heard these things.

12. And many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the Apostles, (and they were all unanimously in Solomon's portico; and not one of the rest presumed to join himself to them, but the people magnified them: and believers were more and more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women:) insomuch that along the streets they brought out the sick, and laid them on beds, and couches, that even the shadow of Peter, coming by, might overshadow some of them. And multitudes also out of the cities round about, came together to Jerusalem, bringing the sick, and those that were troubled with unclean spirits, who were all healed.

17. But the high priest arising, and all they that were with him, being the sect of the Sadducess, were filled with zeal, and laid their hands on the Apostles, and put them into the common prison. But a messenger of the Lord by night opened the doors of the prison, and bringing them out, said, Go, and presenting yourselves in the temple, speak to the people all the words of this life. And hearing this, they went very early into the temple, and taught. But the high priest being come, and they that were with him, they called together the Sanhedrim, even the whole Senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came, they found them not in the prison. Returning, therefore, they made their report, saying, We found, indeed, the prison shut with all safety, and the keepers standing before the doors; but having opened them, we found no one within. Now when the high priest, and the captain of the temple guard, and the chief priests, heard these words, they doubted concerning them, what this could be. But one came, and told them, Behold, the men whom you put in prison, are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. Then the captain went, with the officers, and brought them, (not by violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned:) and when they had brought them, they set them before the Sanhedrim. And the high priest asked them, saying, Did we not strictly charge you, that you should not teach in this name? and behold you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and would bring this man's blood on us. But Peter and the other Apostles answered, and said, It is necessary to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers has raised up Jesus, whom you slew, hanging him on

a tree: HIM has God exalted at his right hand a Prince and Saviour, to give reformation to Israel, and remission of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things, and the Holy Spirit also, whom God has given to them, who submit to his govern

ment.

33. And when they heard this, they were enraged, and consulted to put them to death. But a certain Pharisee in the Sanhedrim, whose name was Gamaliel, a doctor of law, in great esteem among all the people, rose up, and commanded the Apostles to be taken out for a little while: and he said to them, Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you are about to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas arose, pretending himself to be a person of note: to whom a number of men, about four hundred, adhered, who was slain; and all who hearkened to him were scattered, and came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean arose, in the days of the enrolment, and drew a multitude of people after him, and he was destroyed; and all who hearkened to him were dispersed. And now, in the present case, I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone; lest perhaps you be found fighters against God: for if this design and work be of men, it will be defeated; but if it be of God, you cannot defeat them. And they yielded to him; and having called in the Apostles, and scourged them, they charge them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. And they departed from the presence of the Sanhedrim, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be exposed to infamy for the sake of his name. And daily in the temple, and from house to house, they ceased not to teach and declare the good news, that Jesus is the Messiab.

SECTION V.

The Appointment of Seven Persons to attend to the Poor of the Congregation in Jerusalem, and the Martyrdom of Stephen.

VI. NOW in these days, the number of the disciples being multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Hellenists* against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. And the twelve, having called the multitude of the disciples together, said, It is by no means agreeable, that we should leave the word of God to attend tables; therefore, brethren, look out from among yourselves, seven men of an attested character, full of spirit and wisdom, whom we may set over this business; but we will constantly attend to prayer, and to the ministry of the

* i. c. Jews who used the Greek language.

word. And the speech was pleasing to all the multitude, and they elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nichanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicholas, a proselyte of Antioch; whom they presented before the Apostles; and they, having prayed, laid hands on them. And the word of God grew; and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem was greatly multiplied; and a great multitude of priests became obedient to the faith.

8.-And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought, many miracles, and great signs among the people. Then there arose some of the synagogue, which is called that of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke. Then they suborned men to say, We heard him speak reproachful words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and setting upon him, they dragged him away with them, and brought him to the Sanhedrim. And they set up false witnesses, who said, This man is incessantly speaking against this holy place, and the law: for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change its customs, which Moses delivered to us. And all that sat in the Sanhedrim, fixing their eyes on him, saw his countenance like the countenance of an angel.

VII.—Then the high priest said, Are these things indeed thus? And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken: the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran; and said to him, "Depart from your country and from your kindred, and come into a land which I will show you." Then departing from the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Charrant and from thence, after his father died, he caused him to remove his habitation into the land, in which you now dwell. And he gave him no inheritance in it, not so much as the breadth of his foot: nevertheless he promised to give it for a possession to him, even to his seed after him, when he had no child. And God spoke thus, that his seed should "sojourn in a foreign land, and that they should enslave and abuse them four hundred years. And the nation to which they are enslaved, (said God,) I will judge; and afterwards they shall come out, and serve me in this place." And he gave him the institution of circumcision; and so he begot Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day: and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: nevertheless God was with him, and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he constituted him ruler over Egypt and all his house. And a famine came upon all

the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction; and our fathers did not find sustenance. But Jacob hearing that there was corn in Egypt, sent our fathers first; and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and the family of Joseph was made known to Pharaoh. And Joseph sent, and invited his father Jacob, and all his kindred, amounting to seventy-five souls.

15. So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he and our fathers: and they were carried over to Sychem, and were laid in the sepulchre, which Abraham purchased, for a sum of money, of the sons of Emmor, the father of Sychem. And as the time of the promise drew near, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew, and multiplied in Egypt; till another king arose, who knew not Joseph. He forming crafty designs against our kindred, treated our fathers injuriously, by causing their infants to be exposed, that their race might perish. In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly beautiful; and he was bred up for three months in his father's house: and being exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and nourished him for her own son: and Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his speeches and actions. But when he was arrived at the full age of forty years, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. And beholding one of them injured, he defended him; and smiting the Egyptian, he avenged him that was oppressed. And he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would give them salvation by his hand: but they did not understand. And the next day he showed himself to them, as they were quarrelling, and would have persuaded them to peace, saying, Men you are brethren, why do you injure one another? But he that injured his neighbor, thrust him away, saying, Who has made you a ruler and a judge over us? Will you kill me, as you did the Egyptian yesterday? Then Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian; where he begot two sons. And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. And Moses seeing it, admired the vision: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came to him saying, "I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses trembled, and did not dare to behold it. And the Lord said to him, "Loose your shoes from your feet; for the place, in which you stand, is holy ground. have surely seen the evil treatment of my people, which are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and I am come down t deliver them: and now come, I will send you into Egypt." Thi very Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who has constitute you a ruler and a judge, God sent to be a ruler and a delivere by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

H

led them forth, doing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness, for forty years.

37.-This is that Moses that said to the children of Israel, "A Prophet, like me, shall the Lord God raise up to you from among your brethren; him shall you hear." This is he, who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai; and with our fathers, who received the lively oracles, to give to us. To whom our fathers would not be obedient; but thrust him from them, and in their hearts returned back again to Egypt; saying to Aaron, Make us gods, who may march before us; for as for this Moses, who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. So God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, "O house of Israel, did you offer victims and sacrifices to me for forty years in the wilderness? And you have since taken up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your God Remphan; figures which you have made to worship: and, therefore, I will carry you away beyond Babylon." The tabernacle of testimony was with our fathers in the wilderness, as he had appointed, who spoke to Moses to make it according to the model, which he had seen: which also our fathers receiving, brought in with Joshua into the possession of the heathen; whom God drove out from before the face of our fathers, till the days of David; who found favor before God, and made it his petition to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built him a house. Yet the Most High dwells not in temples made with hands: as says the prophet, "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what house will you build for me, says the Lord; or, what is the place of my rest? Has not my hand made all these things?"

51.-Oh! stiff necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? yes, they slew those who spoke before of the coming of that Righteous One; of whom you have now become the betrayers and murderers. Who have received the law, through ranks of messengers, and have not kept it. And hearing these things, they were cut to the heart; and they gnashed their teeth at him. But he being full of the Holy Spirit, looking up steadfastly towards heaven; saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. But crying out with a loud voice, they stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord. And casting him out of the city, they stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a