Then went the captain with the officers, and brought the apostles…. And…set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, saying, "Did not we strictly command you that you should not teach in this name? And, look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us."

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, "We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed and hanged on a tree. Him has God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to them that obey him." When the council heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to kill them.

Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, held in honor among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles out a little space; And said unto the council, "You men of Israel, take care to yourselves what you intend to do against these men. …Let them alone: for if this purpose or this work be of men, it will come to nothing: But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it; lest perhaps you be found even to fight against God."

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

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue…disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke. 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, and set up false witnesses, which said, "This man ceases not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law."

Then said the high priest, "Are these things so?"

And Stephen said, "Men, brethren, and fathers, listen; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia…and said unto him, ‘Get…out of your country, and from your relatives, and come into the land which I shall show you.’ Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and…moved him into this land, in which you now live.

And God gave Abraham no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

And God spoke in this manner, that Abraham’s seed should reside in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and treat them evil four hundred years. And when the time of the promise drew near, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt…. In which time Moses was born…. This Moses…did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.

"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 you hear." This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spoke to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the living words of God to give unto us: To whom our fathers would not obey….

"You stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have killed them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers."

When the council heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they ground…their teeth. But Stephen, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, "Look, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one passion, and threw him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

And Stephen kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was consenting unto his death.

And at that time there was a great persecution against the church, which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and dragging out men and women, committing them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. …And when they believed Philip…they were baptized, both men and women.

…When the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

And Saul, yet breathing out threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went…and as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, "Saul, Saul, why persecute you me?"

And he said, "Who are you, Lord?"

And the Lord said, "I am Jesus whom you persecute…."

And Saul trembling and astonished said, "Lord, what will you have me to do?"

And the Lord said unto him, "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do." And Saul arose…and the men that were with him led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision…,"Arise…and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, look, he prays, and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Go…for he is a chosen instrument unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel."

And Ananias went…and entered into the house; and putting his hands on Saul said, "Brother Saul…receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately Saul received sight…and arose, and was baptized. And at once he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God…and confounded the Jews, which lived at Damascus, proving that Jesus is Christ the Messiah. And after…many days…the Jews took counsel to kill him….

Then the disciples took Saul by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. And when Saul was come to Jerusalem…he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to kill him. Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him…to Tarsus.

Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were strengthened; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, were multiplied.

And it came to pass…. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion…. Cornelius saw in a vision…an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him…,"Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter…he shall tell you what you ought to do." And…Cornelius called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier…and…sent them to Joppa.

…The next day, as the three…drew near unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray…and…the Spirit said unto him, "Look, three men seek you. Arise therefore, and…go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them."

Then Peter went down to the men, whom were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, "Look, I am he whom you seek…." And…the next day Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa….

REFERENCES

Acts 5:26-35, 38-42; Acts 6:7-10, 12-13; Acts 7:1-6, 17,20,35,37-39a, 51-53. Acts: 7:54-58,60; Acts 8:1,3-5,12, 14, 25; Acts 9:1a,3-6,8-12, 15, 17-18, 20, 22b-23, 25-26a, 29-31; Acts 10:1a,3b-4a, 5, 6b-9, 15a, 19b-21, 23b.

CHAPTER 93