Berean
06-15-2008, 07:22 PM
Acts 5:1-42
1 However, a certain man, An·a·ni´as by name, together with Sap·phi´ra his wife, sold a possession 2 and secretly held back some of the price, his wife also knowing about it, and he brought just a part and deposited it at the feet of the apostles. 3 But Peter said: “An·a·ni´as, why has Satan emboldened you to play false to the holy spirit and to hold back secretly some of the price of the field? 4 As long as it remained with you did it not remain yours, and after it was sold did it not continue in your control? Why was it that you purposed such a deed as this in your heart? You have played false, not to men, but to God.” 5 On hearing these words An·a·ni´as fell down and expired. And great fear came over all those hearing of it. 6 But the younger men rose, wrapped him in cloths, and carried him out and buried him.
7 Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter said to her: “Tell me, did YOU [two] sell the field for so much?” She said: “Yes, for so much.” 9 So Peter said to her: “Why was it agreed upon between YOU [two] to make a test of the spirit of Jehovah? Look! The feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Instantly she fell down at his feet and expired. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her alongside her husband. 11 Consequently great fear came over the whole congregation and over all those hearing about these things.
12 Moreover, through the hands of the apostles many signs and portents continued to occur among the people; and they were all with one accord in Sol´o·mon’s colonnade. 13 True, not a one of the others had the courage to join himself to them; nevertheless, the people were extolling them. 14 More than that, believers in the Lord kept on being added, multitudes both of men and of women; 15 so that they brought the sick out even into the broad ways and laid them there upon little beds and cots, in order that, as Peter would go by, at least his shadow might fall upon some one of them. 16 Also, the multitude from the cities around Jerusalem kept coming together, bearing sick people and those troubled with unclean spirits, and they would one and all be cured.
17 But the high priest and all those with him, the then existing sect of the Sadducees, rose and became filled with jealousy, 18 and they laid hands upon the apostles and put them in the public place of custody. 19 But during the night Jehovah’s angel opened the doors of the prison, brought them out and said: 20 “Be on YOUR way, and, having taken a stand in the temple, keep on speaking to the people all the sayings about this life.” 21 After hearing this, they entered into the temple at daybreak and began to teach.
Now when the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the San´he·drin and all the assembly of older men of the sons of Israel, and they sent out to the jail to have them brought. 22 But when the officers got there they did not find them in the prison. So they returned and made report, 23 saying: “The jail we found locked with all security and the guards standing at the doors, but on opening up we found no one inside.” 24 Well, when both the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they fell into a quandary over these matters as to what this would come to. 25 But a certain man arrived and reported to them: “Look! The men YOU put in the prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain went off with his officers and proceeded to bring them, but without violence, as they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
27 So they brought them and stood them in the San´he·drin hall. And the high priest questioned them 28 and said: “We positively ordered YOU not to keep teaching upon the basis of this name, and yet, look! YOU have filled Jerusalem with YOUR teaching, and YOU are determined to bring the blood of this man upon us.” 29 In answer Peter and the [other] apostles said: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men. 30 The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus, whom YOU slew, hanging him upon a stake. 31 God exalted this one as Chief Agent and Savior to his right hand, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses of these matters, and so is the holy spirit, which God has given to those obeying him as ruler.”
33 When they heard this, they felt deeply cut and were wanting to do away with them. 34 But a certain man rose in the San´he·drin, a Pharisee named Ga·ma´li·el, a Law teacher esteemed by all the people, and gave the command to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them: “Men of Israel, pay attention to yourselves as to what YOU intend to do respecting these men. 36 For instance, before these days Theu´das rose, saying he himself was somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined his party. But he was done away with, and all those who were obeying him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Gal·i·le´an rose in the days of the registration, and he drew off people after him. And yet that man perished, and all those who were obeying him were scattered abroad. 38 And so, under the present circumstances, I say to YOU, Do not meddle with these men, but let them alone; (because, if this scheme or this work is from men, it will be overthrown; 39 but if it is from God, YOU will not be able to overthrow them;) otherwise, YOU may perhaps be found fighters actually against God.” 40 At this they gave heed to him, and they summoned the apostles, flogged them, and ordered them to stop speaking upon the basis of Jesus’ name, and let them go.
41 These, therefore, went their way from before the San´he·drin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of his name. 42 And every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.
Acts 6:1-15
1 Now in these days, when the disciples were increasing, a murmuring arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebrew-speaking Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. 2 So the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them and said: “It is not pleasing for us to leave the word of God to distribute [food] to tables. 3 So, brothers, search out for yourselves seven certified men from among YOU, full of spirit and wisdom, that we may appoint them over this necessary business; 4 but we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And the thing spoken was pleasing to the whole multitude, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and holy spirit, and Philip and Proch´o·rus and Ni·ca´nor and Ti´mon and Par´me·nas and Nic·o·la´us, a proselyte of Antioch; 6 and they placed them before the apostles, and, after having prayed, these laid their hands upon them.
7 Consequently the word of God went on growing, and the number of the disciples kept multiplying in Jerusalem very much; and a great crowd of priests began to be obedient to the faith.
8 Now Stephen, full of graciousness and power, was performing great portents and signs among the people. 9 But certain men rose up of those from the so-called Synagogue of the Freedmen, and of the Cy·re´ni·ans and Alexandrians and of those from Ci·li´cia and Asia, to dispute with Stephen; 10 and yet they could not hold their own against the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say: “We have heard him speaking blasphemous sayings against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the older men and the scribes, and, coming upon him suddenly, they took him by force and led him to the San´he·drin. 13 And they brought forward false witnesses, who said: “This man does not stop speaking things against this holy place and against the Law. 14 For instance, we have heard him say that this Jesus the Naz·a·rene´ will throw down this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
15 And as all those sitting in the San´he·drin gazed at him, they saw that his face was as an angel’s face.
Acts 7:1-60
1 But the high priest said: “Are these things so?” 2 He said: “Men, brothers and fathers, hear. The God of glory appeared to our forefather Abraham while he was in Mes·o·po·ta´mi·a, before he took up residence in Ha´ran, 3 and he said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your relatives and come on into the land I shall show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chal·de´ans and took up residence in Ha´ran. And from there, after his father died, [God] caused him to change his residence to this land in which YOU now dwell. 5 And yet he did not give him any inheritable possession in it, no, not a footbreadth; but he promised to give it to him as a possession, and after him to his seed, while as yet he had no child. 6 Moreover, God spoke to this effect, that his seed would be alien residents in a foreign land and [the people] would enslave them and afflict [them] for four hundred years. 7 ‘And that nation for which they will slave I shall judge,’ God said, ‘and after these things they will come out and will render sacred service to me in this place.’
8 “He also gave him a covenant of circumcision; and thus he became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve family heads. 9 And the family heads became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. But God was with him, 10 and he delivered him out of all his tribulations and gave him graciousness and wisdom in the sight of Phar´aoh king of Egypt. And he appointed him to govern Egypt and his whole house. 11 But a famine came upon the whole of Egypt and Ca´naan, even a great tribulation; and our forefathers were not finding any provisions. 12 But Jacob heard there were foodstuffs in Egypt and he sent our forefathers out the first time. 13 And during the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers; and the family stock of Joseph became manifest to Phar´aoh. 14 So Joseph sent out and called Jacob his father and all his relatives from that place, to the number of seventy-five souls. 15 Jacob went down into Egypt. And he deceased; and so did our forefathers, 16 and they were transferred to She´chem and were laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a price with silver money from the sons of Ha´mor in She´chem.
17 “Just as the time was approaching for [fulfillment of] the promise that God had openly declared to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 until there rose a different king over Egypt, who did not know of Joseph. 19 This one used statecraft against our race and wrongfully forced the fathers to expose their infants, that they might not be preserved alive. 20 In that particular time Moses was born, and he was divinely beautiful. And he was nursed three months in [his] father’s home. 21 But when he was exposed, the daughter of Phar´aoh picked him up and brought him up as her own son. 22 Consequently Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. In fact, he was powerful in his words and deeds.
23 “Now when the time of his fortieth year was being fulfilled, it came into his heart to make an inspection of his brothers, the sons of Israel. 24 And when he caught sight of a certain one being unjustly treated, he defended him and executed vengeance for the one being abused by striking the Egyptian down. 25 He was supposing his brothers would grasp that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not grasp [it]. 26 And the next day he appeared to them as they were fighting, and he tried to bring them together again in peace, saying, ‘Men, YOU are brothers. Why do YOU treat each other unjustly?’ 27 But the one that was treating his neighbor unjustly thrust him away, saying, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? 28 You do not want to do away with me in the same manner that you did away with the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ 29 At this speech Moses took to flight and became an alien resident in the land of Mid´i·an, where he became the father of two sons.
30 “And when forty years were fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Si´nai an angel in the fiery flame of a thornbush. 31 Now when Moses saw it he marveled at the sight. But as he was approaching to investigate, Jehovah’s voice came, 32 ‘I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ Seized with trembling, Moses did not dare to investigate further. 33 Jehovah said to him, ‘Take the sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have certainly seen the wrongful treatment of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you off to Egypt.’ 35 This Moses, whom they disowned, saying, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge?’ this man God sent off as both ruler and deliverer by the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the thornbush. 36 This man led them out after doing portents and signs in Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.
37 “This is the Moses that said to the sons of Israel, ‘God will raise up for YOU from among YOUR brothers a prophet like me.’ 38 This is he that came to be among the congregation in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Si´nai and with our forefathers, and he received living sacred pronouncements to give YOU. 39 To him our forefathers refused to become obedient, but they thrust him aside and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make gods for us to go ahead of us. For this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’ 41 So they made a calf in those days and brought up a sacrifice to the idol and began to enjoy themselves in the works of their hands. 42 So God turned and handed them over to render sacred service to the army of heaven, just as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘It was not to me that YOU offered victims and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel? 43 But it was the tent of Mo´loch and the star of the god Re´phan that YOU took up, the figures which YOU made to worship them. Consequently I will deport YOU beyond Babylon.’
44 “Our forefathers had the tent of the witness in the wilderness, just as he gave orders when speaking to Moses to make it according to the pattern he had seen. 45 And our forefathers who succeeded to it also brought it in with Joshua into the land possessed by the nations, whom God thrust out from before our forefathers. Here it remained until the days of David. 46 He found favor in the sight of God and asked for [the privilege of] providing a habitation for the God of Jacob. 47 However, Sol´o·mon built a house for him. 48 Nevertheless, the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands; just as the prophet says, 49 ‘The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What sort of house will YOU build for me? Jehovah says. Or what is the place for my resting? 50 My hand made all these things, did it not?’
51 “Obstinate men and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, YOU are always resisting the holy spirit; as YOUR forefathers did, so YOU do. 52 Which one of the prophets did YOUR forefathers not persecute? Yes, they killed those who made announcement in advance concerning the coming of the righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers YOU have now become, 53 YOU who received the Law as transmitted by angels but have not kept it.”
54 Well, at hearing these things they felt cut to their hearts and began to gnash their teeth at him. 55 But he, being full of holy spirit, gazed into heaven and caught sight of God’s glory and of Jesus standing at God’s right hand, 56 and he said: “Look! I behold the heavens opened up and the Son of man standing at God’s right hand.” 57 At this they cried out at the top of the voice and put their hands over their ears and rushed upon him with one accord. 58 And after throwing him outside the city, they began casting stones at him. And the witnesses laid down their outer garments at the feet of a young man called Saul. 59 And they went on casting stones at Stephen as he made appeal and said: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then, bending his knees, he cried out with a strong voice: “Jehovah, do not charge this sin against them.” And after saying this he fell asleep [in death].
1 However, a certain man, An·a·ni´as by name, together with Sap·phi´ra his wife, sold a possession 2 and secretly held back some of the price, his wife also knowing about it, and he brought just a part and deposited it at the feet of the apostles. 3 But Peter said: “An·a·ni´as, why has Satan emboldened you to play false to the holy spirit and to hold back secretly some of the price of the field? 4 As long as it remained with you did it not remain yours, and after it was sold did it not continue in your control? Why was it that you purposed such a deed as this in your heart? You have played false, not to men, but to God.” 5 On hearing these words An·a·ni´as fell down and expired. And great fear came over all those hearing of it. 6 But the younger men rose, wrapped him in cloths, and carried him out and buried him.
7 Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter said to her: “Tell me, did YOU [two] sell the field for so much?” She said: “Yes, for so much.” 9 So Peter said to her: “Why was it agreed upon between YOU [two] to make a test of the spirit of Jehovah? Look! The feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Instantly she fell down at his feet and expired. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her alongside her husband. 11 Consequently great fear came over the whole congregation and over all those hearing about these things.
12 Moreover, through the hands of the apostles many signs and portents continued to occur among the people; and they were all with one accord in Sol´o·mon’s colonnade. 13 True, not a one of the others had the courage to join himself to them; nevertheless, the people were extolling them. 14 More than that, believers in the Lord kept on being added, multitudes both of men and of women; 15 so that they brought the sick out even into the broad ways and laid them there upon little beds and cots, in order that, as Peter would go by, at least his shadow might fall upon some one of them. 16 Also, the multitude from the cities around Jerusalem kept coming together, bearing sick people and those troubled with unclean spirits, and they would one and all be cured.
17 But the high priest and all those with him, the then existing sect of the Sadducees, rose and became filled with jealousy, 18 and they laid hands upon the apostles and put them in the public place of custody. 19 But during the night Jehovah’s angel opened the doors of the prison, brought them out and said: 20 “Be on YOUR way, and, having taken a stand in the temple, keep on speaking to the people all the sayings about this life.” 21 After hearing this, they entered into the temple at daybreak and began to teach.
Now when the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the San´he·drin and all the assembly of older men of the sons of Israel, and they sent out to the jail to have them brought. 22 But when the officers got there they did not find them in the prison. So they returned and made report, 23 saying: “The jail we found locked with all security and the guards standing at the doors, but on opening up we found no one inside.” 24 Well, when both the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they fell into a quandary over these matters as to what this would come to. 25 But a certain man arrived and reported to them: “Look! The men YOU put in the prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain went off with his officers and proceeded to bring them, but without violence, as they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
27 So they brought them and stood them in the San´he·drin hall. And the high priest questioned them 28 and said: “We positively ordered YOU not to keep teaching upon the basis of this name, and yet, look! YOU have filled Jerusalem with YOUR teaching, and YOU are determined to bring the blood of this man upon us.” 29 In answer Peter and the [other] apostles said: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men. 30 The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus, whom YOU slew, hanging him upon a stake. 31 God exalted this one as Chief Agent and Savior to his right hand, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses of these matters, and so is the holy spirit, which God has given to those obeying him as ruler.”
33 When they heard this, they felt deeply cut and were wanting to do away with them. 34 But a certain man rose in the San´he·drin, a Pharisee named Ga·ma´li·el, a Law teacher esteemed by all the people, and gave the command to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them: “Men of Israel, pay attention to yourselves as to what YOU intend to do respecting these men. 36 For instance, before these days Theu´das rose, saying he himself was somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined his party. But he was done away with, and all those who were obeying him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Gal·i·le´an rose in the days of the registration, and he drew off people after him. And yet that man perished, and all those who were obeying him were scattered abroad. 38 And so, under the present circumstances, I say to YOU, Do not meddle with these men, but let them alone; (because, if this scheme or this work is from men, it will be overthrown; 39 but if it is from God, YOU will not be able to overthrow them;) otherwise, YOU may perhaps be found fighters actually against God.” 40 At this they gave heed to him, and they summoned the apostles, flogged them, and ordered them to stop speaking upon the basis of Jesus’ name, and let them go.
41 These, therefore, went their way from before the San´he·drin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of his name. 42 And every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.
Acts 6:1-15
1 Now in these days, when the disciples were increasing, a murmuring arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebrew-speaking Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. 2 So the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them and said: “It is not pleasing for us to leave the word of God to distribute [food] to tables. 3 So, brothers, search out for yourselves seven certified men from among YOU, full of spirit and wisdom, that we may appoint them over this necessary business; 4 but we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And the thing spoken was pleasing to the whole multitude, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and holy spirit, and Philip and Proch´o·rus and Ni·ca´nor and Ti´mon and Par´me·nas and Nic·o·la´us, a proselyte of Antioch; 6 and they placed them before the apostles, and, after having prayed, these laid their hands upon them.
7 Consequently the word of God went on growing, and the number of the disciples kept multiplying in Jerusalem very much; and a great crowd of priests began to be obedient to the faith.
8 Now Stephen, full of graciousness and power, was performing great portents and signs among the people. 9 But certain men rose up of those from the so-called Synagogue of the Freedmen, and of the Cy·re´ni·ans and Alexandrians and of those from Ci·li´cia and Asia, to dispute with Stephen; 10 and yet they could not hold their own against the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say: “We have heard him speaking blasphemous sayings against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the older men and the scribes, and, coming upon him suddenly, they took him by force and led him to the San´he·drin. 13 And they brought forward false witnesses, who said: “This man does not stop speaking things against this holy place and against the Law. 14 For instance, we have heard him say that this Jesus the Naz·a·rene´ will throw down this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
15 And as all those sitting in the San´he·drin gazed at him, they saw that his face was as an angel’s face.
Acts 7:1-60
1 But the high priest said: “Are these things so?” 2 He said: “Men, brothers and fathers, hear. The God of glory appeared to our forefather Abraham while he was in Mes·o·po·ta´mi·a, before he took up residence in Ha´ran, 3 and he said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your relatives and come on into the land I shall show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chal·de´ans and took up residence in Ha´ran. And from there, after his father died, [God] caused him to change his residence to this land in which YOU now dwell. 5 And yet he did not give him any inheritable possession in it, no, not a footbreadth; but he promised to give it to him as a possession, and after him to his seed, while as yet he had no child. 6 Moreover, God spoke to this effect, that his seed would be alien residents in a foreign land and [the people] would enslave them and afflict [them] for four hundred years. 7 ‘And that nation for which they will slave I shall judge,’ God said, ‘and after these things they will come out and will render sacred service to me in this place.’
8 “He also gave him a covenant of circumcision; and thus he became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve family heads. 9 And the family heads became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. But God was with him, 10 and he delivered him out of all his tribulations and gave him graciousness and wisdom in the sight of Phar´aoh king of Egypt. And he appointed him to govern Egypt and his whole house. 11 But a famine came upon the whole of Egypt and Ca´naan, even a great tribulation; and our forefathers were not finding any provisions. 12 But Jacob heard there were foodstuffs in Egypt and he sent our forefathers out the first time. 13 And during the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers; and the family stock of Joseph became manifest to Phar´aoh. 14 So Joseph sent out and called Jacob his father and all his relatives from that place, to the number of seventy-five souls. 15 Jacob went down into Egypt. And he deceased; and so did our forefathers, 16 and they were transferred to She´chem and were laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a price with silver money from the sons of Ha´mor in She´chem.
17 “Just as the time was approaching for [fulfillment of] the promise that God had openly declared to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 until there rose a different king over Egypt, who did not know of Joseph. 19 This one used statecraft against our race and wrongfully forced the fathers to expose their infants, that they might not be preserved alive. 20 In that particular time Moses was born, and he was divinely beautiful. And he was nursed three months in [his] father’s home. 21 But when he was exposed, the daughter of Phar´aoh picked him up and brought him up as her own son. 22 Consequently Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. In fact, he was powerful in his words and deeds.
23 “Now when the time of his fortieth year was being fulfilled, it came into his heart to make an inspection of his brothers, the sons of Israel. 24 And when he caught sight of a certain one being unjustly treated, he defended him and executed vengeance for the one being abused by striking the Egyptian down. 25 He was supposing his brothers would grasp that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not grasp [it]. 26 And the next day he appeared to them as they were fighting, and he tried to bring them together again in peace, saying, ‘Men, YOU are brothers. Why do YOU treat each other unjustly?’ 27 But the one that was treating his neighbor unjustly thrust him away, saying, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? 28 You do not want to do away with me in the same manner that you did away with the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ 29 At this speech Moses took to flight and became an alien resident in the land of Mid´i·an, where he became the father of two sons.
30 “And when forty years were fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Si´nai an angel in the fiery flame of a thornbush. 31 Now when Moses saw it he marveled at the sight. But as he was approaching to investigate, Jehovah’s voice came, 32 ‘I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ Seized with trembling, Moses did not dare to investigate further. 33 Jehovah said to him, ‘Take the sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have certainly seen the wrongful treatment of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you off to Egypt.’ 35 This Moses, whom they disowned, saying, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge?’ this man God sent off as both ruler and deliverer by the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the thornbush. 36 This man led them out after doing portents and signs in Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.
37 “This is the Moses that said to the sons of Israel, ‘God will raise up for YOU from among YOUR brothers a prophet like me.’ 38 This is he that came to be among the congregation in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Si´nai and with our forefathers, and he received living sacred pronouncements to give YOU. 39 To him our forefathers refused to become obedient, but they thrust him aside and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make gods for us to go ahead of us. For this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’ 41 So they made a calf in those days and brought up a sacrifice to the idol and began to enjoy themselves in the works of their hands. 42 So God turned and handed them over to render sacred service to the army of heaven, just as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘It was not to me that YOU offered victims and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel? 43 But it was the tent of Mo´loch and the star of the god Re´phan that YOU took up, the figures which YOU made to worship them. Consequently I will deport YOU beyond Babylon.’
44 “Our forefathers had the tent of the witness in the wilderness, just as he gave orders when speaking to Moses to make it according to the pattern he had seen. 45 And our forefathers who succeeded to it also brought it in with Joshua into the land possessed by the nations, whom God thrust out from before our forefathers. Here it remained until the days of David. 46 He found favor in the sight of God and asked for [the privilege of] providing a habitation for the God of Jacob. 47 However, Sol´o·mon built a house for him. 48 Nevertheless, the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands; just as the prophet says, 49 ‘The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What sort of house will YOU build for me? Jehovah says. Or what is the place for my resting? 50 My hand made all these things, did it not?’
51 “Obstinate men and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, YOU are always resisting the holy spirit; as YOUR forefathers did, so YOU do. 52 Which one of the prophets did YOUR forefathers not persecute? Yes, they killed those who made announcement in advance concerning the coming of the righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers YOU have now become, 53 YOU who received the Law as transmitted by angels but have not kept it.”
54 Well, at hearing these things they felt cut to their hearts and began to gnash their teeth at him. 55 But he, being full of holy spirit, gazed into heaven and caught sight of God’s glory and of Jesus standing at God’s right hand, 56 and he said: “Look! I behold the heavens opened up and the Son of man standing at God’s right hand.” 57 At this they cried out at the top of the voice and put their hands over their ears and rushed upon him with one accord. 58 And after throwing him outside the city, they began casting stones at him. And the witnesses laid down their outer garments at the feet of a young man called Saul. 59 And they went on casting stones at Stephen as he made appeal and said: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then, bending his knees, he cried out with a strong voice: “Jehovah, do not charge this sin against them.” And after saying this he fell asleep [in death].