What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: 50 Did not my hand make all these things? 51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52 Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them which shewed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers; 53 ye who received the law 1as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not. 54 Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named a Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 And he 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. 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. 1 Or, as the ordinance of angels Gr. unto ordinances of angels. a Acts 22: 3. I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day. a Phil. 3:5, 6. Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. a Acts 23 6. Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees: touching the hope of the resurrection of the dead I am called in question. a Acts 26: 4, 5. My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation, and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 5 having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, how that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. a Gal. 1 14. And I advanced in the Jews' religion beyond many of mine own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. a1 Tim. I 13. Though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. a Acts 23 16. But Paul's sister's son. . . . a Acts 22:27, 28. And the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea. 28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am a Roman born. a Acts 18: 3. And because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they wrought; for by their trade they were tentmakers. a See also under § 16. bActs 22 20. And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him. PART II. THE CHURCH SCATTERED ABROAD AND PREACHING THE WORD. FROM THE DEATH OF STEPHEN UNTIL THE SENDING OUT OF MISSIONARIES FROM ANTIOCH. CHAPTER V. THE WORK OF PHILIP THE EVANGELIST. §16. THE SCATTERING OF THE CHURCH BY PERSECUTION. ACTS 8:16-3[4]. AND there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. 3 But a Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. [4 They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word.] a Acts 22:4, 5. And I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders. a Acts 26:9-11. I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. IO And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my vote against them. II And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities. Gal. 1:13. For ye have heard of my manner of life in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and made havock of it. §17. THE PLANTING OF THE CHURCH IN THE CITY OF SAMARIA. ACTS 8:4-25. 4 They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word. 5 And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed unto them the Christ. 6 And the multitudes gave heed with one accord unto the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he did. 71For from many of those which had unclean spirits, they came out, crying with a loud voice: and many that were palsied, and that were lame, were healed. 8 And there was much joy in that city. 9 But there was a certain man, Simon by name, which beforetime in the city used sorcery, and amazed the 2 people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: Io to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is called Great. II And they gave heed to him, because that of long time he had amazed them with his sorceries. 12 But when they believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 And Simon also himself believed: and being baptized, he continued with Philip; and beholding signs and great miracles wrought, he was amazed. 14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: 15 who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 for as yet he was fallen upon none of them only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. 18 Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 20 But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money. 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this 5 matter: for thy heart is not right before God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee. 23 For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. 24 And Simon answered and said, Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of the things which ye have spoken come upon me. 25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. 1 Or, For many of those which had unclean spirits that cried with a loud voice came forth Gr. nation. 3 Gr. powers. Some ancient authorities omit Holy. 5 Gr. word. Or, wilt become gall (or, a gall root) of bitterness and a bond of iniquity §18. PHILIP AND THE ETHIOPIAN TREASURER. ACTS 8: 26-40. 26 But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go 1 toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem for to worship; 28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the place of the scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgement was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other? 35 And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this scripture, preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 2 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea. Philip 1 Or, at noon 2 Some ancient authorities insert, wholly or in part, ver. 37 And said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. CHAPTER VI. THE EARLY CHRISTIAN LIFE OF SAUL. §19. THE CONVERSION OF SAUL.a ACTS 9:1-19a. [ACTS 22:5-16.] I But Saul, yet 5 As also the high priest breathing threatening doth bear me witness, and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven: 4 and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, 1 Or, on which errand [ACTS 26: 12-18.] and all the estate of a I Cor. 9:1. Am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? a I Cor. 15: 8. And last of all, as unto one born out of due time, he appeared to me also. a Gal. 1:15-17. But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother's womb, and called me through his grace, 16 to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood; 17 neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me: but went away into Arabia; and again I returned unto Damascus. a Phil. 3:7-11. Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may gain Christ, 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: IO that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death; 11 if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead. |