with them, they had nothing the chief priests and elders had said to them: to reply: 15 and commanding them to go out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, What shall we do to these men? for it is, indeed, manifest to all who dwell in Jerusalem, that a notable miracle hath been wrought by them, and we cannot deny it; 17 but, that it be no further spread among the people, let us warn them, with threats, not to speak any more to any man in that name: 18 and calling them, they charged them not to speak, nor teach, at all, in the name of Jesus : 19 but Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken to you rather than to God, judge ye: 20 for, it is not possible for us not to speak the things which we have seen and heard. 21 But they, again threatening them, let them go, finding no way by which they could punish them, on account of the people; because all glorified God for that which had been done: 22 for the man was more than forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was wrought. 23 And when they were released, they went to their own friends, and reported all that 24 and when they had heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, O Lord, thou art the God who madest the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all that is in them: 25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of thy servant David, hast said, "Why Ps. ii. 1. did the heathen rage, and the 'people imagine vain things? 26"the kings of the earth "stood up, and the rulers were "gathered together, against the "Lord and against his Christ:" 27 for, of a truth, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and people of Israel, were gathered together in this City, against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed; 28 to do whatsoever thy hand and counsel foreordained to be done: 29 and now, Lord, behold their threatenings; and grant to thy servants, to speak thy word with all boldness; 30 by stretching forth thy hand to heal, and causing signs and wonders to be done through the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spake the word of God with boldness. 32 And the whole number of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: nor did any one call any of his goods his own; but all things were common among them: 33 and, with great power, the apostles rendered testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 34 And great grace was upon them all for no one among them was in need; 35 for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that had been sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet: 36 and distribution was made to every one, according as he had need: 37 and Joses, who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas, (which, being interpreted, is, Son of consolation,) a Levite, a Cyprian by birth, having a farm, sold it; and brought the money, and laid it at the feet of the apostles. A CHAPTER V. ND a certain man, by name Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession; 2 but 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: why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back a part of the price of the land? 4 whilst it remained with thee, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was not the money in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? thou hast not lied to men only, but to God: 5 and as soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell down and expired; and great fear came on all that heard it: 6 and the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7 And it came to pass, about three hours after, that his wife came in, not knowing what had been done : 8 and Peter said to her, Tell me, whether ye sold the land for so much? and she said, Yea, for so much: 9 then Peter said to her, Why is it that ye have conspired together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out: 10 and immediately she fell down at his feet, and expired: and when the young meu came in again, they found her dead, and carried her out, and buried 3 and Peter said, Ananias, her by her husband: 11 and great fear came upon all the church, and upon all that heard these things: 12 and many signs and wonders were wrought among the people, by the hands of the apostles. 13 And they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch; but none of the rest dared to join himself to them, though the people magnified them : 14 nevertheless, believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and of women: 15 so that they brought out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that even the shadow of Peter passing by, might fall on some of them: 16 and all from the surrounding towns came together to Jerusalem, bringing their sick, and such as were vexed with unclean spirits; and they were all healed. 17 But the high priest rose up, and all that were with him, (who were the sect of the Sadducees,) and they were filled with indignation; 18 and laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison: 19 but the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison by night, and brought them out; and said, and speak to the people all the words of that life : 21 and when they had heard these words, they went into the temple early in the morning, and taught. 22 And when the high priest was come, and they that were with him, they called together the council, and all the elders of the children of Israel; and sent to the prison to have them brought: 23 but when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, 24 saying, We found the prison locked, with all security, and the guards standing before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one within. 25 And when the high priest, and the captain of the temple, and the chief priests, heard these things, they doubted concerning them, what this could be: 26 but one came and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in the prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people : 27 then the captain went with the officers and brought them, but not with violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned: 28 and when they had brought 20 Go, stand in the temple, them, they set them before the council and the high priest asked them, 29 saying, Did we not strictly charge you not to teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and desire to bring upon us the blood of this man. 30 Then Peter, and the other apostles, answered and said; It behoves us to obey God, rather than men : 31 the God of our fathers hath raised up that Jesus, on whom ye laid violent hands, and hanged him on a tree: 32 him God hath exalted, by his right hand, to be a Leader and a Saviour, to give to Israel repentance, and forgiveness of sins: 33 and we are his witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him. 34 When they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them: 35 but a certain Pharisee in the council, named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honoured by all the people, rose up and gave order to put the apostles out for a little while : 36 and he said to them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye do, respecting these men; 37 for, before these days arose Theudas, boasting himself to be some one, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves, who was slain; and all who obeyed him were scattered, and came to nought: 38 after him arose Judas of Galilee, in the days of the enrolment, and drew away many people after him: and he also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed: 39 and now I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for, if this counsel, or this work, be from men, it will fall to pieces; 40 but if it be from God, ye cannot overthrow them; take heed, therefore, lest ye be found fighting even against God : 41 and they assented to him: and having called in the apostles, and scourged them, they enjoined them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them : 42 and they went out from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they had been accounted worthy to suffer dishonour for that name : cons, or ciples was multiplied, a murmuring arose against the Hebrews, on the part of the Greek converts, that their widows were neglected in the daily distribution: 2 then the twelve called the wholę number of the disciples to them, and said, It is not fitting that we should leave the word of God, to minister at tables; 3 but, let us look out among called dea- you, brethren, for seven men, ministers. testified to be full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 and we will apply ourselves wholly to prayer, and to the ministry of the word, 5 And the saying pleased the whole number: and they chose Stephen, (a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,) and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, 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 greatly in Jerusalem; and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith: 8 and Stephen, full of grace and power, did great won ders and miracles among the people. 9 And some of the synagogue called the synagogue of the Libertines, and of Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen; 10 but they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he spake : 11 then they suborned men, who said, We heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God: 12 and they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, and seized him, and brought him to the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against the holy place, and the law: 14 for we heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us: 15 and as all who sat in the council looked steadfastly on him, they beheld his face as it had been the face of an angel. |