19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison-doors, and brought them forth, and said,

20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.5

21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,

no man within.

30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slow, and hanged on a tree:

31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law,10 had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;

35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.

36 For before these days rose up Theu'das, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves; who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors; but, when we had opened, we found 37 After this man arose up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the taxing, 24 Now when the high priest, and and drew away much people after the captain of the temple, and the him; he also perished; and all, even chief priests, heard these things, they as many as obeyed him, were disdoubted of them whereunto this would persed. grow.6

25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence; (for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned ;) 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council; and the high priest asked them,

38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply12 ye be found even to fight against God.

40 And to him they agreed; and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

28 Saying, Did not we straitly" com- 41 And they departed from the 'mand you that ye should not teach in presence of the council, rejoicing that this name ? and, behold, ye have filled they were counted worthy to suffer Jerusalem with your doctrine, and in-shame for his name. tend to bring this man's blood upon us.9 29 T Then Peter and the other apostles answered, and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

42 And daily in the temple, and in every houce, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Questions. Who kept back a part of the price of their possessions?

How were they punished?

What miracles were wrought by Peter! What was done by the high priest and the Sadducees?

10 Doctor of the law, one learned in the Jewish scriptures.

11 For if this counsel, which they take, or this work, which they perform, be of men, &c. 12 Haply, perhaps.

How were the apostles released?

[said, We have heard him speak blasWhat answer did the apostles make? v. 29. phemous words against Moses, and

How were their enemies affected?
What was the advice of Gamaliel ?

CHAP. VI.

1 The apostles' care for the poor, and preaching of the word. 5 Deacons chosen.

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:

AND in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians' against the Hebrews,2 because 14 For we have heard him say, That their widows were neglected in the this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy daily ministration.3 this place, and shall change the cus

2 Then the twelve called the multi-toms, which Moses delivered us. tude of the disciples unto them, and 15 And all that sat in the council, said, It is not reason that we should looking stedfastly on him saw his face leave the word of God, and serve ta- as it had been the face of an angel. bles.4

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.

4 But we will give ourselves conti-1 nually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Questions. Who were the first deacons ?
How were they consecrated? v. 6.
Of what was Stephen accused!

How did his countenance appear to the council?

CHAP. VII.

Stephen answereth to his accusation: 54 they stone him to death.' THEN said the high priest, Ara these things so?

5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude ; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the 2 And he said,' Men, brethren, and Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Proch'o- Fathers, hearken; The God of glory rus, and Nicanor, and Ti'mon, and appeared unto our father Abraham, Par menas, and Nicolas a proselytes when he was Mesopota mia, before he dwelt in Char'ran,2

of An'tioch:

6 Whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

8 And Stephen full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

of thy country, and from thy kindred, 3 And said unto him, Get thee out and come into the land which I shall

shew thee.

the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Char4 Then came he out of the land of ran; and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

in it, no, not so much as to set his foot 5 And he gave him none inheritance on; yet he promised that he would his seed after him, when as yet he had give it to him for a possession, and to

9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Lib'ertines, and Cyre'neans, and Alexan'drians, and of them no child. of Cili'cia, and of Asia, disputing with Ste'phen.

10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

11 Then they suborned"

1 Grecian converts.

2 Hebrew or Jewish converts.

men, which

3 Ministration, distribution of charity. 4 Serve tables, spend our time concerning what each one should receive as his portion at

table.

5 Proselyte, one converted to a new religion. 6 Libertines, the descendants of such Jews as had been prisoners or slaves at Rome, and afterwards released.

7 Suborn, to procure by false means.

his seed should sojourn in a strange 6 And God spake on this wise, That land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God; and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.

8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begat

1 He said, Stephen said.

2 Karl-ran.

3 That the inhabitants of the strange land should bring the seed or posterity of Abraham into bondage.

Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth would have understood, how that God day; and Isaac begut Jacob; and Ja-by his hand would deliver them; but cob begat the twelve patriarchs. they understood not.

9 And the patriarchs, moved with 26 And the next day he shewed envy, sold Joseph into Egypt; but God was with him,

10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt, and all his house.

11 Now there came a dearth4 over all the land of Egypt and Cha'naan, and great affliction; and our fathers found no sustenance.

12 But when Jacob heard, that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.

himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?

27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday?

29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Ma'dian, where he begat two sons.

30 And when forty years were ex13 And at the second time Joseph pired, there appeared to him, in the was made known to his brethren; and wilderness of mount Si'na, an angel Joseph's kindred was made known of the Lord in a flame of fire in a unto Pha'raoh.

bush.

14 Then sent Joseph, and called his 31 When Moses saw it, he wonderfather Jacob to him, and all his kin-ed at the sight; and, as he drew near dred, threescore and fifteen souls. to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,

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 Em'mor, the father of Sy'chem.

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.

33 Then said the Lord to him, Put 17 But when the time of the pro- off thy shoes from thy feet; for the mise drew nigh, which God had sworn place where thou standest is holy to Abraham, the people grew and mul-ground. tiplied in Egypt,

34 I have seen, I have seen the af18 Till another king arose, which fliction of my people which is in Egypt, 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,6

and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now, come, I will send thee into Egypt.

35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a 20 In which time Moses was born, ruler and a deliverer by the hand of and was exceeding fair, and nourished the angel which appeared to him in up in his father's house three months: the bush.

21 And when he was cast out, Pha- 36 He brought them out, after that raoh's daughter took him up, and he shewed wonders and signs in the nourished him for her own son.

22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty 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.

24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:

25 For he supposed his brethren

land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in 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.

38 This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel, which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers; who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

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

7 Set them at one again, would have pacified and made them friends.

in their hearts turned back again into 53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels,12 and have not kept it.

death. And at that time there was a AND Saul' was consenting unto his great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they 51 Ye stiff-necked, and uncircum- were all scattered abroad throughout cised in heart and ears, ye do always the regions of Judea and Samaria, resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers except the apostles. did, so do ye.

3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison.

4 Therefore they that were scating the word. tered abroad went every where preach

5 Then Philip went down to the

12 Disposition of angels. Through the ministration of the messengers of God.

1 Sau, the same who is hereafter called Paul.

2 Hâling, seizing and dragging.

city of Sama'ria, and preached Christ that on whomsoever I lay hands, he unto them.

16 (For as yet he was fallen upon 30 And Philip ran thither to him, none of them; only they were baptiz-and heard him read the prophet Esaied in the name of the Lord Jesus.) as, and said, Understandest thou what 17 Then laid they their hands on thou readest? them, and they received the Holy Ghost.