Stephen falsely accused:

THE ACTS.

His answer in his defence. 42 And daily in the temple, and infunto our father Abraham when he was in every house, they ceased not to teach and Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, preach Jesus Christ. CHAP. VI.

ND

3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come A in those days, when the number into the land which I shall shew thee. of the disciples was multiplied, there 4 Then came he out of the land of the arose a murmuring of the Grecians against Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran. And the Hebrews, because their widows were from thence, when his father was dead, he neglected in the daily ministration. removed him into this land wherein ye

2 Then the twelve called the multitude now dwell. of the disciples unto them, and said, It is And he gave him none inheritance in not reason that we should leave the word it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet

of God, and serve tables.

3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bond

4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. age, and entreat them evil four hundred 5 And the saying pleased the whole years.

multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man 7 And the nation to whom they shall be full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and in bondage will I judge, said God: and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and after that shall they come forth, and serve Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a me in this place.

proselyte of Antioch,

8 And he gave him the covenant of

6 Whom they set before the apostles: circumcision. And so Abraham begat and when they had prayed, they laid their Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth hands on them. day; and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob

7 And the word of God increased; and begat the twelve patriarchs. the number of the disciples multiplied in 9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, Jerusalem greatly, and a great company sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with of the priests were obedient to the faith. him,

8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, 10 And delivered him out of all his afdid great wonders and miracles among the flictions, and gave him favour and wisdom people. in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and

9 Then there arose certain of the he made him governor over Egypt, and all synagogue, which is called the synagogue his house. of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and 11 Now there came a dearth over all Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia, and the land of Egypt and Chanaan, hanaan, and great of Asia, disputing with Stephen. affliction; and our fathers found no sus

10 And they were not able to resist the tenance.

wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. 11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. 12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,

13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

15 And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. CHAP. VII.

THEN said the high priest, Are these things so?

THEN

2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared

12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren: and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh. 14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,

16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor, the father of Sychem.

17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.

19 The same dealt subtilely with our kindred, and evil-entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

:

Stephen declares the

CHAP. VII.

history of Israel.

20 In which time Moses was born, and 38 This is he, that was in the church in was exceeding fair, and nourished up in the wilderness with the angel which spake his father's house three months:

to him in the mount Sina, and with our

21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's fathers: who received the lively oracles daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.

to give unto us:

39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in

22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty their hearts turned back again into Egypt, in words and in deeds.

23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: joiced in the works of their own hands.

41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and re

25 For he supposed his brethren would 42 Then God turned, and gave them up have understood how that God by his to worship the host of heaven; as it is hand would deliver them: but they un- written in the book of the prophets, O ye derstood not. house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain

26 And the next day he shewed himself beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty unto them as they strove, and would have years in the wilderness? set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye 43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of are brethren; why do ye wrong one to an- Moloch, and the star of your god Remother? phan, figures which ye made to worship

27 But he that did his neighbour wrong, them: and I will carry you away beyond thrust him away, saying, Who made thee Babylon.

a ruler and a judge over us?

44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of

28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou didst the witness in the wilderness, as he had apEgyptian yesterday? pointed, speaking unto Moses, that he

that he had seen.

29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and should make it according to the fashion was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina, an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.

31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight; and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,

32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

45 Which also our fathers, that came after, brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;

46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

47 But Solomon built him a house. 48 Howbeit, the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off 49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is thy shoes from thy feet: for the place my footstool: what house will ye build where thou standest is holy ground. me? saith the Lord: or what is the place

34 I have seen, I have seen the afflic- of my rest?

tion of my people which is in Egypt, and 50 Hath not my hand made all these I have heard their groaning, and am come things? down to deliver them. And now come, I 51 Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumwill send thee into Egypt. cised in heart and ears, ye do always re

35 This Moses, whom they refused, sist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a so do ye.

judge? the same did God send to be a 52 Which of the prophets have not your ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the fathers persecuted? and they have slain angel which appeared to him in the bush. them which shewed before of the coming

36 He brought them out, after that he of the Just One; of whom ye have been had shewed wonders and signs in the land now the betrayers and murderers; of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the 53 Who have received the law by the wilderness forty years.

37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

disposition of angels, and have not kept it. 54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and

The church planted in Samaria. THE ACTS.

The eunuch and Philip.

saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing with Philip, and wondered, beholding the on the right hand of God, miracles and signs which were done. 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens 14 Now when the apostles which were opened, and the Son of man standing on at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had rethe right right hand of God.

ceived the word of God, they sent unto

57 Then they cried out with a loud them Peter and John: voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

60 And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

A

ND Saul

CHAP. VIII.

15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased

was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were with money. all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

2 And devout men carried Stephen to 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickhis burial, and made great lamentation edness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven

over him.

3 As for Saul, he made havock of the thee. church, entering into every house, and 23 For I perceive that thou art in the haling men and women, committed them

to prison.

4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the

word.

5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he

did.

gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

25 And they, when they had testiñed and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. 26 And the angel of the Lord spake 7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward voice, came out of many that were pos-the south, unto the way that goeth down sessed with them: and many taken with from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. palsies, and that were lame, were healed. 27 And he arose, and went: and be 8 And there was great joy in that city. hold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of 9 But there was a certain man, called great authority under Candace queen of Simon, which beforetime in the same city the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all used sorcery, and bewitched the people of her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem Samaria, giving out that himself was some for to worship,

great one:

10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them

with sorceries.

28 Was returning; and sitting in his chariot, read Esaias the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31. And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he de

12 But when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, sired Philip that he would come up, and they were baptized both men and women. sit with him.

13 Then Simon himself believed also: 32 The place of the scripture which he and when he was baptized, he continued read was this, He was led as a sheep to

!

:

:

CHAP. IX.

Saul is converted. He is baptized and preaches. the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb be- 10 And there was a certain disciple fore his shearer, so opened he nothis mouth: at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him 33 In his humiliation his judgment was said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And taken away: and who shall declare his he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. generation? for his life is taken from the 11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, earth. and go into the street which is called

34 And the eunuch answered Philip, Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh for one called Saul of Tarsus: for behold, the prophet this? of himself, or of some he prayeth, other man?

12 And hath seen in a vision a man

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and named Ananias, coming in, and putting his began at the same scripture, and preached hand on him, that he might receive his sight. unto him Jesus. 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I 36 And as they went on their way, they have heard by many of this man, how came unto a certain water: and the eunuch much evil Le hath done to thy saints at said, See, here is water; what doth hinder Jerusalem:

me to be baptized?

14 And here he hath authority from the

37 And Philip said, If thou believest chief priests, to bind all that call on thy with all thy heart, thou mayest. And name. he answered and said, I believe that Jesus 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy Christ is the Son of God.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through, he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cesarea. CHAP. IX.

A

ND Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.

16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house: and putting his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord (even Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest) hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

2 And desired of him letters to Da- 19 And when he had received meat, he mascus to the synagogues, that if he found was strengthened. Then was Saul certain any of this way, whether they were men days with the disciples which were at or women, he might bring them bound Damascus.

unto Jerusalem.

20 And straightway he preached Christ 3 And as he journeyed, he came near in the synagogues, that he is the Son of Damascus: and suddenly there shined God. round about him a light from heaven:

21 But all that heard him were amazed, 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a and said, said, Is not this he that destroyed voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that

persecutest thou me?

5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? he might bring them bound unto the chief And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou priests? persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick 22 But Saul increased the more in against the pricks. strength, and confounded the Jews which

6 And he trembling, and astonished, dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? very Christ. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go 23 And after that many days were into the city, and it shall be told thee fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. what thou must do. 24 But their laying wait was known of

7 And the men which journeyed with Saul. And they watched the gates day him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but and night to kill him.

seeing no man.

25 Then the disciples took him by

8 And Saul arose from the earth; and night, and let him down by the wall in a when his eyes were opened, he saw no basket. man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

(

TH

Cornelius sends to Peter.

CHAP. X.

HERE was a
called Cornelius, a centurion of the

certain man in Cesarea,

27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in 2 A devout man, and one that feared the name of Jesus.

28 And he was with them coming in

and going out at Jerusalem.

band called the Italian band,

God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God al

ways.

29 And he spake boldly in the name of 3 He saw in a vision evidently, about the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God Grecians: but they went about to slay him. coming in to him, and saying unto him,

30 Which when the brethrenknew, they Cornelius. brought him down to Cesarea, and sent 4 And when he looked on him, he was him forth to Tarsus. afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And

31 Then had the churches rest through- he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine out all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, almsare come up for a memorial before God. and were edified: and walking in the 5 And now send men to Joppa, and call fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: Holy Ghost, were multiplied. 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, 32 And it came to pass, as Peter whose house is by the sea-side: he shall passed throughout all quarters, he came tell thee what thou oughtest to do. down also to the saints which dwelt at

Lydda.

7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of

33 And there he found a certain man his household servants, and a devout solnamed Eneas, which had kept his bed dier of them that waited on him continually; eight years, and was sick of the palsy. 8 And when he had declared all these

34 And Peter said unto him, Eneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.

things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. 9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, 10 And he became very hungry, and

35 And all that dwelt in Lydda and about the sixth hour: Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.

36 Now there was at Joppa a certain would have eaten: but while they made disciple named Tabitha, which by inter-ready, he fell into a trance, pretation is called Dorcas; this woman 11 And saw heaven opened, and a cer was full of good works and alms-deeds tain vessel descending unto him, as it had which she did. been a great sheet knit at the four corners,

37 And it came to pass in those days, and let down to the earth: that she was sick, and died: whom when 12 Wherein were all manner of fourthey had washed, they laid her in an up-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts. per chamber.

38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay

to come to them.

and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common

or unclean.

39 Then Peter arose, and went with 15 And the voice spake unto him again them. When he was come, they brought the second time, What God hath cleansed, him into the upper chamber: and all the that call not thou common. widows stood by him weeping, and shew- 16 This was done thrice: and the resing the coats and garments which Dorcas sel was received up again into heaven. made, while she was with them.

17 Now, while Peter doubted in himseli

40 But Peter put them all forth, and what this vision which he had seen should kneeled down, and prayed; and turning mean, behold, the men which were sent him to the body, said, Tabitha, arise. from Cornelius had made inquiry for Si And she opened her eyes: and when she mon's house, and stood before the the gate, saw Peter, she sat up. 18 And called, and asked whether Si

41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted mon, which was surnamed Peter, were her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

42 And it was known throughout all Joppa: and many believed in the Lord. 43 And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a

lodged there.

19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three wen seek thee.

20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for