26. The KINGS of the Earth ftood up, and the RUL ERS were gathered together against the LORD, and against his CHRIST.

27. For of a Truth against thy holy Child Jefus, whom thou haft anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the People of Ifrael, were gathered together,

28. For to do whatfoever thy Hand and thy Counsel determined before to be done.

29. And now, Lord, behold their Threatnings: And grant unto thy Servants, that with all BOLDNESS they may fpeak thy Word,

30. By ftretching forth thine Hand to HEAL: and that Signs and Wonders may be done by the Name of thy holy Child Fefus.

31. And when they had PRAYED, the Place was SHAKEN where they were affembled together, and they were all filled with the HOLY GHOST, and they fpake the Word of God with Boldness.

32. And the Multitude of them that believed, were of ONE HEART, and of ONE SOUL: Neither faid any of them, that ought of the Things which he poffetfed, was his own, but they had all Things COMMON.

33. And with great POWER gave the Apostles witnefs of 'the Refurrection of the Lord Fefus, and great GRACE was upon them all.

34. Neither was there any among them that lacked: For as many as were Poffeffors of Lands, or Houfes, fold them, and brought the Price of the Things that were soid,

35. And laid them down at the Apostles Feet: and Diftribution was made unto every Man according as he had need.

36. And Jofes, who by the Apostles was firnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, the Son of Confolation) a Levite, and of the Country of Cyprus,

37. Having Land, fold it, and brought the Money, and laid it at the Apostles Feet.

After that Ananias and Sapphira his Wife, for their Hypocrify, at Peter's Rebuke, had fallen down dead,

12. ans

12. and that the rest of the Apoftles had wrought many Miracles, 14. to the Increase of their Faith: 17. The Apofties are again imprisoned, 19. but delivered by an Angel, bidding them to preach openly to all: 21. When, after their Teaching accordingly in the Temple, 29. and before the Council, 33. they are in danger to be killed; through the Advice of Gamaliel, a great Counsellor among the Jews, they are kept alive, 40. and were only beaten For which they glorified God, and ceafed no Day from preaching.

Ver. 1.BUT a certain Man named Ananias, with Sapphira his Wife, fold a Poffeffion,

2. And kept back part of the Price, his Wife alfo being privy to it, and brought a certain Part, and laid it at the Apoftles Feet.

3. But Peter faid, Ananias, Why hath Satan filled thine Heart to LYE to the HOLY GHOST, and to keep back part of the Price of the Land?

4. Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was fold, was it not in thine own Power? Why hast thou conceived this Thing in thine Heart? Thou haft not LYED unto MEN, but unto God.

5. And Ananias hearing thefe Words, fell down and gave up the Ghoft: And great Fear came on all them that heard thefe Things.

6. And the young Men arofe, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

7. And it was about the Space of three Hours after, when his Wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

8. And Peter anfwered unto her, Tell me whether ye fold the Land for fo much; and fhe faid, Yea, for fo much :

9. Then Peter faid unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together, to TEMPT the SPIRIT of the LORD? Behold, the Feet of them which have buried thy Husband are at the Door, and fhall carry thee out.

10. Then fell fhe down ftraightway at his Feet, and yielded up the Ghoft: And the young Men came in and found her dead, and carrying her forth, buried her by her Husband.

11. And great Fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard thefe Things.

12. And by the HANDS of the APOSTLES were many SIGNS and WONDERS wrought among the People; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.

13. And of the reft durft no Man join himself to them; but the People magnified them.

14. And BELIEVERS were the more added to the Lord, MULTITUDES both of Men and Women)

15. Infomuch that they brought forth the SICK into the Streets, and laid them on Beds and Couches, that at the leaft, the SHADOW of Peter's paffing by, might overfhadow fome of them.

16. There came alfo a Multitude out of the Cities round about unto Jerufalem, bringing SICK FOLKS, and them which were vexed with UNCLEAN SPIRITS: and they were healed every one.

17. Then the High Prieft rofe up, and all they that were with him (which is the Sect of the Sadducees) and were filled with Indignation,

18. And laid their Hands on the Apoftles, and put them in the common Prifon.

19. But the ANGEL of the Lord by Night opened the Prifon doors, and brought them forth, and faid,

20. Go, ftand and SPEAK in the Temple to the People, all the WORDS of this LIFE.

21. And when they heard that, they entred into the Temple early in the Morning, and taught. But the High Prieff came, and they that were with him, and called the Council together, and all the Senate of the Children of Ifrael, and fent to the Prifon to have them brought.

22. But when the Officers came, and found them not in the Prifon, they returned and told,

23. Saying, The Prison truly found we fhut with all Safety, and the Keepers ftanding without before the Doors: but when we had opened, we found no Man within.

24. Now when the High Prieft and the Captain of the Temple, and the Chief Priefts heard thefe Things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

25. Then came one and told them, faying, Behold, the Men whom ye put in Prifon, 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 Peʊple, leit they should have been ftoned)

27. And

27. And when they had brought them, they fet them before the Council: And the High Priest afked them,

28. Saying, Did not we ftraightly command you, that you fhould not teach in this Name ? And behold ye have FILLED Jerufalem with your Doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's Blood upon us.

29. Then Peter and the other Apoftles anfwered and faid, We ought to OBEY GOD, rather than Men.

30. The God of our Fathers RAISED up Jefus, whom ye flew, 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 Ifrael, and Forgivenefs of SINS.

32. And we are his Witneffes of thefe Things; and fo is alfo 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 Counfel to flay them.

34. Then flood there up one in the Council, a Pharifee, named Gamaliel, a Doctor of Law, had in Reputation among all the People, and commanded to put the Apoftles forth a little Space,

35. And faid unto them, Ye Men of Ifracl, take heed to your felves, what ye intend to do as touching these Men. 36. For before thefe Days rofe up Theudas, boafting himself to be Somebody, to whom a number of Men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was flain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were fcattered and brought to nought.

37. After this Man rofe up Judas of Galilee, in the Days of the Taxing, and drew away much People after him: He alfo perifhed, and all, even as many as obeyed him, were difperfed.

38. And now I fay unto you, Refrain from these Men, and let them alone: For if this Counfel, or this Work, be of MEN, it will come to NOUGHT:

39. But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; left haply ye be found even to FIGHT AGAINST GOD.

40. And to him they agreed: And when they had cal led the Apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jefus, and let them

go.

41. And they departed from the Prefence of the Council, Ddd 2

RE

REJOICING that they were counted worthy to SUFFER SHAME for his Name.

42. And daily in the Temple, and in every House, they ceafed not to teach and preach Jefus Chrift.

**

CHAP. VI.

1. The Apostles, defirous to have the Poor regarded for their bodily Sustenance, as also careful themselves to difpence the Word of God, the Food of the Soul; 3. appoint the Office of Deaconfpip to seven chofen Men: 5. Of whom Stephen, a Man full of Faith, and of the Holy Ghoft, is one: 12. Who is taken of thofe whom be confounded in difputing, 13. and afterwards falfly accufed of Blafphemy against the Law, and the Temple.

I.

Ver. 1. AND in thofe Days, when the Number of the Difciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, becaufe their Widows were neglected in the daily Miniftration.

2. Then the Twelve called the Multitude of the Difciples unto them, and faid, It is not Reafon that we should leave the Word of God, and ferve Tables.

3. Wherefore Brethren, look ye out among you feven Men of honeft Report, FULL of the HOLY GHOST and WISDOM, whom we may appoint over this Bulinefs.

4. But we will give our felves continually to PRAYER, and to the MINISTRY of the WORD.

5. And the Saying pleafed the whole Multitude: And they chofe Stephen, a Man FULL of FAITH, and of the HOLY GHOST, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a Profelite of Antioch.

6. Whom they fet before the Apostles: And when they had prayed, they laid their Hands on them.

7. And the Word of God increafed; and the Number of the Difciples multiplied in Jerufalem greatly; and a great Company of the Pricfts were obedient to the FAITH.

8. And Stephen, FULL of FAITH and POWER, did great Wonders and Miracles among the People.

9. Then there arofe certain of the Synagogue, which is called