Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



then Peter and the other apostles made answer, we ought to obey God rather than men. the God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, and hanged on a tree. him hath God rais'd by his power to be the author of salvation, by giving repentance to Israel, and the remission of their sins. read more.
and we are his witnesses in what we say, and so is the holy spirit, whom God hath given to those that obey him.

so they called them in, and commanded them not to speak or teach upon any account, in the name of Jesus. but Peter and John made answer, do you yourselves judge, whether it be right in the sight of God, to obey you rather than God. for we cannot avoid publishing what we have seen and heard.


the chief priests continuing to accuse him with much clamour, Pilate spake to him again, and said, will you make no defence for your self? don't you hear what they urge against you? but Jesus still made no answer; so that Pilate was much amaz'd.

then Peter filled with the holy spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people, and senators of Israel, since we are this day to be examined about the cure of a cripple, and by what means he was recovered; be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you entirely recover'd. read more.
this is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but is become the chief of the angle. salvation is not to be had by any other: for there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we can be saved.

Then said the high priest, are these things so? Stephen answer'd, my brethren, and you my fathers, lend your attention. The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said to him, quit your country, and your kindred, to go to the land which I shall shew thee. read more.
thereupon he went out of Chaldea, and dwelt in Charran: from thence, after his father's death, he removed him to this very country where you now dwell. he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of land: yet he promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his posterity after him, tho' he had then no child. God declar'd likewise, "that his posterity should sojourn in a strange land, where they should be enslaved and abused four hundred years. and the nation to whom they shall be in bondage, will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place." at length he gave him the covenant of circumcision: accordingly Abraham circumcised his son Isaac eight days after he was born, Isaac was father of Jacob, who was father of the twelve patriarchs. the patriarchs being jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt: but God was with him, he delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him wisdom to become acceptable to Pharaoh king of Egypt; who made him governor of Egypt, and all his houshold. in the mean time a famine spread over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, so that our fathers did not know where to get provisions. but when Jacob heard there was corn in Egypt, he sent our fathers there. at the second voyage Joseph discover'd himself to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred were made known to Pharaoh. after this, Joseph sent to invite his father Jacob to come with all his kindred, being threescore and fifteen persons. so Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he and our fathers, and were transported to Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. now while the time was approaching to accomplish what God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew numerous in Egypt, till another king arose who knew not Joseph. this prince employ'd all his arts against our nation, and persecuted our fathers, by obliging them to expose their young children, in order to extirpate the race. in which time Moses was born, who was exceeding fair, and nourished in his father's house three months: and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter caused him to be taken up, and maintain'd for her adopted son. at length Moses was instructed in all the sciences of the Egyptians, and had great influence by his counsels and actions. when he was full forty years old, he took the resolution to visit his brethren the children of Israel. and seeing one of them abus'd, he defended him, and avenged the injury by killing the Egyptian: for he supposed his brethren would have perceiv'd by this, that God design'd to make him the instrument of their deliverance; but they did not perceive it. the next day seeing some that were fighting, he would have persuaded them to agree, saying, sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye injure one another? but he that did his neighbour the injury repelled Moses, saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? will you kill me as you kill'd the Egyptian yesterday? at these words Moses fled, and went to reside in the land of Madian, where he became the father of two sons. when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina, an angel of the Lord in a flaming bush. Moses was astonished at this vision: and as he drew near to observe it, he heard the voice of the Lord, which said to him, "I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." and Moses trembled so, he durst not observe any longer. then said the Lord to him, "put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground. I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt; I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. come immediately, and I will send you into Egypt." this Moses whom they refused, saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge? the very same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hands of the angel that appeared to him in the bush. he it was, who delivered them by doing prodigies and miracles in the land of Egypt, in the red sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. this is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, "a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear." 'twas he that was in the assembly with our fathers in the wilderness, and with the angel that spoke to him on mount Sina: and delivered the oracles to him by word of mouth for our use. him our fathers would not obey, but rejected him, and they return'd to their Egyptian disposition. "make us gods, said they to Aaron, to be our guides: for as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him." 'twas then they made a calf, and offered sacrifice to the idol, triumphing in the works of their own hands. then God left them, and abandon'd them to the worship of the celestial army; as it is written in the book of the prophets, "O ye house of Israel, is it to me that ye have offered victims, and sacrifices, for the space of forty years in the wilderness? on the contrary, ye carried the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: wherefore I will transport you beyond Babylon." our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, ordering Moses to make it according to the model that he had seen. which our fathers and Joshua having receiv'd, they carry'd it into the territory of those nations whom God drove out upon their arrival: where it staid to the time of David, who was favoured by God, and desired to have a settled tabernacle for the God of Jacob. it was Solomon however that built him a temple. altho' the most high does not dwell in temples made with hands; as the prophet said, "heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? hath not my hand made all these things?" stubborn people, whose hearts and ears like the uncircumcised, are always averse to the holy spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. was there ever any prophet whom your fathers did not persecute? have they not slain those who predicted the coming of that just person whom you have so lately betrayed and murder'd? you, I say, who received the law by the administration of angels, but have not however observ'd it. When they heard these things, they were transported with rage, and gnashed their teeth against him. but he, full of the holy spirit, fix'd his eyes towards heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. and he said, there I see the heavens open, and the son of man standing on the right hand of God.

Then Paul directing himself to the council, thus said, "hitherto I have liv'd strictly conscientious, as God knows." at which the high priest Ananias order'd those that were near him to strike him on the face: which made Paul say, "may God strike thee, thou plaister'd wall: you sit to judge me according to law, and in defiance of the law you order me to be struck!" read more.
what, said the standers-by, do you revile the high priest of God? Paul replied, I did not consider, brethren, that he was the high priest. it is indeed written, "thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people." But as Paul knew that one part of the Sanhedrim were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out, my brethren, "I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, and I am now prosecuted for believing the resurrection of the dead." at these words the Pharisees and the Sadducees were all in confusion, the whole assembly being divided:


As soon as it was day, all the chief priests and senators of the people consulted measures against Jesus how they might put him to death. and when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor of Judea.

When Jesus appear'd before the governor, the governor asked him, art thou the king of the Jews? and Jesus answer'd yes. but when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he return'd no answer. whereupon Pilate said to him, don't you hear how many things they lay to your charge? read more.
but he made no answer to any thing he said, so that the governor was very much surpriz'd.

Early in the morning the chief priests, the rulers, and Scribes, even the whole council, after having deliberated together, caus'd Jesus to be bound, then led him away and deliver'd him to Pilate. Pilate therefore ask'd him, art thou the king of the Jews? and he made answer, yes. the chief priests continuing to accuse him with much clamour, read more.
Pilate spake to him again, and said, will you make no defence for your self? don't you hear what they urge against you? but Jesus still made no answer; so that Pilate was much amaz'd.

At length the whole assembly broke up, and Jesus was conducted to Pilate: and thus they began their charge, we found this man subverting our nation, opposing the giving tribute to Cesar, asserting that he himself is Christ the king. then Pilate ask'd him, art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answer'd him, 'tis as you say. read more.
at last Pilate said to the chief priests, and to the people, I don't find any crime in this man. but they were the more vehement, saying, he promotes sedition by speading such doctrine thro' all Judea, from Galilee to this place.

Then they led Jesus early in the morning from Caiaphas, to the Pretorium: but the Jews themselves did not enter into the Pretorium, lest they should be defiled: and so not be in a condition to eat the passover. Pilate therefore went out to them, and said, what crime do you object to this man? they answered him, if he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him to you. read more.
Pilate then said to them, take him your selves, and judge him according to your law. but the Jews said to him, it is not lawful for us to put any man to death. so that what Jesus had said, to signify the death he should die, was actually accomplished. Then Pilate entred into the Pretorium, and addressing himself to Jesus, said to him, are not you the king of the Jews? Jesus answered him, is it your opinion that I am, or did others give it you as theirs? Pilate answered, am I a Jew? your own nation, and the chief priests have delivered thee up to me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, I should have had my guards to prevent my falling into the hands of the Jews: whereas my kingdom is of another nature. upon this Pilate said to him, you are then a king? Jesus answered, you say right, for I am a king. to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, to persuade mankind of the truth. every one that loves truth is observant of my directions. what is truth? said Pilate. and upon saying this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, I don't find he is guilty of any crime.


said to them, said to them, doth our law condemn any man before he is heard, without knowing the fact?

Then the governour sign'd to Paul to reply; who said, I enter upon my defence with the greater confidence, by considering you have govern'd this nation several years: possibly you are appriz'd, that it is not above twelve days since, that I went to Jerusalem to worship. they neither found me in conference with any one in the temple, nor working up the people either in the assemblies or in the streets: read more.
so far are they from proving what they lay to my charge. I do indeed own, that I serve the God of our nation according to the discipline they call sect: and believe whatever is written in the law and in the prophets. I have the same expectations from the DEITY, which they themselves entertain, that of the resurrection both of the just and of the unjust. and 'tis my endeavour to preserve a conscience free from reproach both with respect to God, and with respect to men. after several years absence I came to Jerusalem, with contributions for my brethren, and oblations for the temple: there religiously employ'd some Asiatic Jews found me, without crowd or tumult: and here they ought to have appear'd, if they had any thing to object against me. or let these now declare, if they could convict me of any misdemeanor, when I was brought before the Sanhedrim: unless it be, that I did indeed break out into this expression, it "is for the resurrection of the dead, that I am now call'd into question."

When Jesus appear'd before the governor, the governor asked him, art thou the king of the Jews? and Jesus answer'd yes. but when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he return'd no answer. whereupon Pilate said to him, don't you hear how many things they lay to your charge? read more.
but he made no answer to any thing he said, so that the governor was very much surpriz'd.

then Pilate ask'd him, art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answer'd him, 'tis as you say.

Pilate therefore ask'd him, art thou the king of the Jews? and he made answer, yes. the chief priests continuing to accuse him with much clamour, Pilate spake to him again, and said, will you make no defence for your self? don't you hear what they urge against you? read more.
but Jesus still made no answer; so that Pilate was much amaz'd.

Now when they heard this, their hearts were struck with remorse, and they said to Peter, and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? Peter replied, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the holy spirit. for the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. read more.
and with many other discourses did he conjure and exhort them, to save themselves from that depraved generation.