And they even took into the streets people who were ill, and put them on beds, so that when Peter went by, some of them might be in his shade.

And the multitude also of the cities round about came together to Jerusalem, bringing sick persons and persons beset by unclean spirits, who were all healed.

Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,

Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

When the chief priest of all and the ruler of the temple and the high priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;

and said to them: Men of Israel, consider well with yourselves what you are about to do to these men.

For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God.

And all day in the temple, and from house to house, they ceased not teaching and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.

Then the Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching about God to handle financial matters.

Look out therefore, brethren, from among yourselves seven men, well reported of, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we will establish over this business:

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

[Then] they presented these men to the apostles, who prayed for them while placing their hands on them [to signify their appointment].

But some men who belonged to the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), as well as some Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and began to debate with Stephen.

And they provoked and incited the people, as well as the elders and the scribes, and they came up to Stephen and seized him and brought him before the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court).

They had arranged for the false witnesses to say, "This man will not stop speaking against the Temple and the law of Moses,

for we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will tear down this place and will change the traditions and customs which Moses handed down to us.”

And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

So he said, "Men--brothers and fathers--listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham [while he] was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,

and said to him, Go out of thy land and out of thy kindred, and come into the land which I will shew thee.

But he did not give him any inheritance in it, not even a foot of the land. All be did was to promise that he would give it as a possession to him and to his offspring after him (he at the time being childless).

And God spake on this wise, that his seed should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and treat them ill, 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.

"[And when] these patriarchs, [still living in Canaan as young men], became jealous of [their brother] Joseph, they sold him [as a slave to traveling merchants who took him] to Egypt. But God was with him [during all that time],

And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

now while the time was approaching to accomplish what God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew numerous in Egypt,

The same dealt craftily with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, that they should cast out their babes to the end they might not live.

During which time Moses was born (and he was well-formed by God) who was reared three months in his father's house.

And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

But when he was well-nigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

Seeing one of them wrongfully treated he took his part, and secured justice for the ill-treated man by striking down the Egyptian.

And on the following day, he made an appearance to them [while they] were fighting and was attempting to reconcile them in peace, saying, 'Men [and] brothers, why are you doing wrong to one another?'

But the man who was ill-treating his fellow workman pushed Moses aside saying--'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?

Will you put me to death as you did the Egyptian yesterday?

I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.

This is the Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your countrymen.’

saying to Aaron, 'Make us gods who will go on before us! For this Moses, who led us out from the land of Egypt--we do not know what has happened to him!'

So God turned from them and left them to the worship of the Starry Host, as is written in the Book of the Prophets--'Did you offer victims and sacrifices to me, O House of Israel, all those forty years in the Desert?

Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

Howbeit, he that is highest of all dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as saith the prophet,

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?

"You people, stubborn in will, heathenish in hearts and ears, you are always resisting the Holy Spirit, as your forefathers did, too.

And, while they were hearing these things, they were being pierced in their hearts, and began gnashing their teeth against him.

But with loud cries, and stopping their ears, they made an attack on him all together,

They continued stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive and accept and welcome my spirit!”

And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice: Lord, let not this sin stand against them. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was well pleased with his death.

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 Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Now the disciples, who had become scattered all over, went everywhere preaching the message [of God].

while Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ there.

And all the people gave attention to the words which Philip said, when they saw the signs which he did.

For unclean spirits came out from those who had them, crying with a loud voice; and a number of those who were ill and broken in body were made well.

A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and astounded the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great.

To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

"Give me too," he said, "that power, so that every one on whom I place my hands will receive the Holy Spirit."

But Peter said to him, "You and your money will both be destroyed for thinking you could buy the gift from God with money.

You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart (motive, purpose) is not right before God.

Repent, therefore, from this thy baseness, and entreat of the Lord - whether, after all, the purpose of thy heart shall be forgiven thee;

But Simon answered [and] said, "You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me."

And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

And Philip ran up, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Well, but dost thou understand what thou art reading?

And he said, "So how could I, unless someone will guide me?" And he invited Philip to come up [and] sit with him.

Now the place in the book where he was reading was this: He was taken, like a sheep, to be put to death; and as a lamb is quiet when its wool is being cut, so he made no sound:

In His humiliation justice was denied Him.
Who will describe His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.

then Philip enter'd upon the subject, and show'd how the whole passage was applicable to Jesus.

And while they were going on their way, they came to some water, and the Ethiopian said, See, here is water; why may I not have baptism?

And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

And while he was journeying, he came near Damascus; and suddenly he saw a light from heaven shining round him;

And Saul said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,

now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

the mean while the men who accompany'd him, remain'd astonish'd, hearing a voice, but seeing no one.

The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to Straight Street and ask for a person named Saul, from Tarsus, at the home of Judas; you will find him [there] praying."

"But, Lord," Ananias answered, "many people have told me about all the mischief this man has done to thy saints at Jerusalem!

And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

But the Lord said to him, "Go; I have chosen him to be the means of bringing my Name before the Gentiles and their kings as well as before the sons of Israel.

For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

All at once something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again.

He lost no time in preaching throughout the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God ??21 to the amazement of all his hearers, who said, "Is this not the man who in Jerusalem harried those who invoke this Name, the man who came here for the express purpose of carrying them all in chains to the high priests?"

But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

But Saul increased in strength more and more, and continued to perplex the Jews who lived in Damascus by examining [theological evidence] and proving [with Scripture] that this Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

And after a good while, the Jews took counsel together among themselves, to kill him.

Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

So, Barnabas brought him to the [other] apostles and explained to them how he had seen the Lord [while] traveling on the road [to Damascus] and how he had boldly preached in the name of Jesus in that city.

Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.

And he found there a certain man named Eneas, who had kept his bed eight years, being ill of a palsy.

And Peter said unto him, AEneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.

And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.