gainst the Lord, and a-sessors of lands or houses gainst his Christ.

27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of

sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made un[to every man according as he had need.

36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

1

CHAPTER V.

After that Ananias and Sap

phira his wife for their hypocrisy at Peter's rebuke had fallen down dead, 12 and that the rest of the apostles had wrought many miracles, 14 to the increase of the faith: 17 the apostles 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 be kept alive, 40 and are but beaten:" for which they glorify God, and cease no day from preaching.

UT a certain man

Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

them that ought of the Bnamed Ananias, with things which he possess ed was his own; but they had all things common. 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were pos

2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

8 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled

H

7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing 16 There came also a what was done, came in. multitude out of the cities 8 And Peter answered round about unto Jerusaunto her, Tell me whe-lem, bringing sick folks, ther ye sold the land for and them which were vexso much? And she said, ed with unclean spirits: Yea, for so much. and they were healed every one.

ple all the words of this life.

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,

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 no man within.

24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. 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,

28 Saying, Did not we

straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew 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, 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 Theudas, 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

37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

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 haply 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.

41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

CHAPTER VI. 1 The apostles, desirous to have the poor regarded for their bodily sustenance, as also careful them selves to dispense the word of God, the food of the soul, 3 appoint the office of deaconship to seren chosen men. 5 of whom Stephen, a man full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost, is one. 12 Who is taken of those, whom he con

founded in disputing, 18 and after falsely accused of blasphemy against the law and the temple. ND in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word 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. 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parnenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 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.

9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

nacle and temple were built: 87 that Moses himself wil essed of Christ: 44 and that all ou!ward ceremonies were ordained according to the heavenly pat tern, to last but for a time: 51 reprehending their rebellion, and murdering of Christ, the Just One, whom the prophets forelold should come into the world. 54 Whereupon they stone him to death, who commendeth his soul to Jesus, and humbly prayeth for them.

T

BO?

10 And they were not ableHEN said the high to resist the wisdom and the priest, Are these things 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:

2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory ap-peared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

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

4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, where

14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Na-in ye now dwell. zareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that 15 And all that sat in the he would give it to him council, looking stedfast-for a possession, and to his ly on him, saw his face as seed after him, when as it had been the face of an yet he had no child. angel.

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

CHAPTER VII. 1 Stephen, permitted to answer to the accusation of blasphemy, 2 sheweth that Abraham worship ped God rightly, and how God chose the fathers 20 before Moses was born, and before the taber-dred years.