Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Angels » Called » Angel of the lord
And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending out of heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.
But the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Rise up and go southward on the way which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza: the same is desert.
but while he pondered on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, fear not to take to thee Mary, thy wife, for that which is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Now, they having departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph, saying, Arise, take to thee the little child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I shall tell thee; for Herod will seek the little child to destroy it.
But Herod having died, behold, an angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
But an angel of the Lord during the night opened the doors of the prison, and leading them out, said,
And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give the glory to God, and he expired, eaten of worms.
But Joseph, having awoke up from his sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had enjoined him, and took to him his wife,
And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar of incense.
And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire of a bush.
This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him did God send to be a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
And lo, an angel of the Lord came there, and a light shone in the prison: and having smitten the side of Peter, he roused him up, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off his hands.
Call » To special religious duty » moses
And the Angel of Jehovah appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a thorn-bush: and he looked, and behold, the thorn-bush burned with fire, and the thorn-bush was not being consumed.
And Jehovah saw that he turned aside to see, and God called to him out of the midst of the thorn-bush and said, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here am I.
And now come, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
And Moses answered and said, But behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, Jehovah has not appeared to thee. And Jehovah said to him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A staff. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. read more.
And Jehovah said to Moses, Stretch out thy hand and take it by the tail and he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand -- that they may believe that Jehovah, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. And Jehovah said moreover to him, Put now thy hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom, and took it out, and behold, his hand was leprous, as snow. And he said, Put thy hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again, and took it out of his bosom, and behold, it was turned again as his flesh. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the other sign. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also those two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it on the dry land; and the water that thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land. And Moses said to Jehovah, Ah Lord! I am not eloquent, neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken to thy servant, for I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue. And Jehovah said to him, Who gave man a mouth? or who maketh dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? have not I, Jehovah? And now go, and I will be with thy mouth, and will teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, Ah Lord! send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. Then the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also behold, he goeth out to meet thee; and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall speak for thee unto the people; and it shall come to pass that he shall be to thee for a mouth, and thou shalt be to him for God.
And Jehovah said to Moses, Stretch out thy hand and take it by the tail and he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand -- that they may believe that Jehovah, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. And Jehovah said moreover to him, Put now thy hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom, and took it out, and behold, his hand was leprous, as snow. And he said, Put thy hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again, and took it out of his bosom, and behold, it was turned again as his flesh. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the other sign. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also those two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it on the dry land; and the water that thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land. And Moses said to Jehovah, Ah Lord! I am not eloquent, neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken to thy servant, for I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue. And Jehovah said to him, Who gave man a mouth? or who maketh dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? have not I, Jehovah? And now go, and I will be with thy mouth, and will teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, Ah Lord! send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. Then the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also behold, he goeth out to meet thee; and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall speak for thee unto the people; and it shall come to pass that he shall be to thee for a mouth, and thou shalt be to him for God.
I have surely seen the ill treatment of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groan, and have come down to take them out of it; and now, come, I will send thee to Egypt. This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him did God send to be a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
Church of israel » Established by God
This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him did God send to be a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
See, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as Jehovah my God commanded me, that ye may do so in the land into which ye enter to possess it. And ye shall keep and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding before the eyes of the peoples that shall hear all these statutes, and say, Verily this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what great nation is there that hath God near to them as Jehovah our God is in everything we call upon him for? read more.
And what great nation is there that hath righteous statutes and ordinances, as all this law which I set before you this day? Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things that thine eyes have seen (and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but thou shalt make them known to thy sons and to thy sons' sons), the day that thou stoodest before Jehovah thy God in Horeb, when Jehovah said to me, Gather me the people together, that I may cause them to hear my words, that they may learn them, and fear me all the days that they live upon the earth, and teach them to their children. And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and obscurity. And Jehovah spoke to you from the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but ye saw no form; only ye heard a voice. And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to do, the ten words; and he wrote them on two tables of stone. And Jehovah commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that ye might do them in the land whither ye are passing over to possess it.
And what great nation is there that hath righteous statutes and ordinances, as all this law which I set before you this day? Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things that thine eyes have seen (and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but thou shalt make them known to thy sons and to thy sons' sons), the day that thou stoodest before Jehovah thy God in Horeb, when Jehovah said to me, Gather me the people together, that I may cause them to hear my words, that they may learn them, and fear me all the days that they live upon the earth, and teach them to their children. And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and obscurity. And Jehovah spoke to you from the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but ye saw no form; only ye heard a voice. And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to do, the ten words; and he wrote them on two tables of stone. And Jehovah commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that ye might do them in the land whither ye are passing over to possess it.
and Jehovah hath accepted thee this day to be a people of possession to him, as he hath told thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments,
This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received living oracles to give to us;
Court » Accused spoke in his own defense
But Peter answering, and the apostles, said, God must be obeyed rather than men. The God of our fathers has raised up Jesus, whom ye have slain, having hanged on a cross. Him has God exalted by his right hand as leader and saviour, to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins. read more.
And we are his witnesses of these things, and the Holy Spirit also, which God has given to those that obey him.
And we are his witnesses of these things, and the Holy Spirit also, which God has given to those that obey him.
And having called them, they charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answering said to them, If it be righteous before God to listen to you rather than to God, judge ye; for as for us we cannot refrain from speaking of the things which we have seen and heard.
And the priests and the prophets spoke unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die, for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears. And Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and to all the people, saying, Jehovah sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard. And now, amend your ways and your doings, and hearken to the voice of Jehovah your God; and Jehovah will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you. read more.
But as for me, behold, I am in your hand; do unto me as seemeth good and right in your eyes: only know for certain that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof; for of a truth Jehovah hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears. And the princes and all the people said unto the priests and to the prophets, This man is not worthy to die; for he hath spoken to us in the name of Jehovah our God.
But as for me, behold, I am in your hand; do unto me as seemeth good and right in your eyes: only know for certain that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof; for of a truth Jehovah hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears. And the princes and all the people said unto the priests and to the prophets, This man is not worthy to die; for he hath spoken to us in the name of Jehovah our God.
And the chief priests accused him urgently. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? See of how many things they bear witness against thee. But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marvelled.
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day are called upon to answer as to the good deed done to the infirm man, how he has been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazaraean, whom ye have crucified, whom God has raised from among the dead, by him this man stands here before you sound in body. read more.
He is the stone which has been set at nought by you the builders, which is become the corner stone. And salvation is in none other, for neither is there another name under heaven which is given among men by which we must be saved.
He is the stone which has been set at nought by you the builders, which is become the corner stone. And salvation is in none other, for neither is there another name under heaven which is given among men by which we must be saved.
And the high priest said, Are these things then so? And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said to him, Go out of thy land and out of thy kindred, and come into the land which I will shew thee. read more.
Then going out of the land of the Chaldeans he dwelt in Charran, and thence, after his father died, he removed him into this land in which ye now dwell. And he did not give him an inheritance in it, not even what his foot could stand on; and promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he had no child. And God spoke thus: His seed shall be a sojourner in a strange land, and they shall enslave them and evil entreat them four hundred years; and the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and serve me in this place. And he gave to him the covenant of circumcision; and thus he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, envying Joseph, sold him away into Egypt. And God was with him, and delivered him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he appointed him chief over Egypt and all his house. But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food. But Jacob, having heard of there being corn in Egypt, sent out our fathers first; and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh. And Joseph sent and called down to him his father Jacob and all his kindred, seventy-five souls. And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers, and were carried over to Sychem and placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. But as the time of promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until another king over Egypt arose who did not know Joseph. He dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that they might not live. In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly lovely, who was nourished three months in the house of his father. And when he was cast out, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself to be for a son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. And when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it came into his heart to look upon his brethren, the sons of Israel; and seeing a certain one wronged, he defended him, and avenged him that was being oppressed, smiting the Egyptian. For he thought that his brethren would understand that God by his hand was giving them deliverance. But they understood not. And on the morrow he shewed himself to them as they were contending, and compelled them to peace, saying, Ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one another? But he that was wronging his neighbour thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us? Dost thou wish to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Madiam, where he begat two sons. And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire of a bush. And Moses seeing it wondered at the vision; and as he went up to consider it, there was a voice of the Lord, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not consider it. And the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place on which thou standest is holy ground. I have surely seen the ill treatment of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groan, and have come down to take them out of it; and now, come, I will send thee to Egypt. This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him did God send to be a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out, having wrought wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up to you out of your brethren like me him shall ye hear. This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received living oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers would not be subject, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us; for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has happened to him. And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. But God turned and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Have ye offered me victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? Yea, ye took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the forms which ye made to do homage to them; and I will transport you beyond Babylon. Our fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the model which he had seen; which also our fathers, receiving from their predecessors, brought in with Joshua when they entered into possession of the lands of the nations, whom God drove out from the face of our fathers, until the days of David; who found favour before God, and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; but Solomon built him a house. But the Most High dwells not in places made with hands; as says the prophet, The heaven is my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord, or where is the place of my rest? has not my hand made all these things? O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain those who announced beforehand concerning the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have now become deliverers up and murderers! who have received the law as ordained by the ministry of angels, and have not kept it. And hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him. But being full of the Holy Spirit, having fixed his eyes on heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.
Then going out of the land of the Chaldeans he dwelt in Charran, and thence, after his father died, he removed him into this land in which ye now dwell. And he did not give him an inheritance in it, not even what his foot could stand on; and promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he had no child. And God spoke thus: His seed shall be a sojourner in a strange land, and they shall enslave them and evil entreat them four hundred years; and the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and serve me in this place. And he gave to him the covenant of circumcision; and thus he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, envying Joseph, sold him away into Egypt. And God was with him, and delivered him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he appointed him chief over Egypt and all his house. But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food. But Jacob, having heard of there being corn in Egypt, sent out our fathers first; and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh. And Joseph sent and called down to him his father Jacob and all his kindred, seventy-five souls. And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers, and were carried over to Sychem and placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. But as the time of promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until another king over Egypt arose who did not know Joseph. He dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that they might not live. In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly lovely, who was nourished three months in the house of his father. And when he was cast out, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself to be for a son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. And when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it came into his heart to look upon his brethren, the sons of Israel; and seeing a certain one wronged, he defended him, and avenged him that was being oppressed, smiting the Egyptian. For he thought that his brethren would understand that God by his hand was giving them deliverance. But they understood not. And on the morrow he shewed himself to them as they were contending, and compelled them to peace, saying, Ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one another? But he that was wronging his neighbour thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us? Dost thou wish to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Madiam, where he begat two sons. And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire of a bush. And Moses seeing it wondered at the vision; and as he went up to consider it, there was a voice of the Lord, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not consider it. And the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place on which thou standest is holy ground. I have surely seen the ill treatment of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groan, and have come down to take them out of it; and now, come, I will send thee to Egypt. This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him did God send to be a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out, having wrought wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up to you out of your brethren like me him shall ye hear. This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received living oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers would not be subject, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us; for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has happened to him. And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. But God turned and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Have ye offered me victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? Yea, ye took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the forms which ye made to do homage to them; and I will transport you beyond Babylon. Our fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the model which he had seen; which also our fathers, receiving from their predecessors, brought in with Joshua when they entered into possession of the lands of the nations, whom God drove out from the face of our fathers, until the days of David; who found favour before God, and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; but Solomon built him a house. But the Most High dwells not in places made with hands; as says the prophet, The heaven is my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord, or where is the place of my rest? has not my hand made all these things? O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain those who announced beforehand concerning the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have now become deliverers up and murderers! who have received the law as ordained by the ministry of angels, and have not kept it. And hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him. But being full of the Holy Spirit, having fixed his eyes on heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.
And Paul, fixing his eyes on the council, said, Brethren, I have walked in all good conscience with God unto this day. But the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by him to smite his mouth. Then Paul said to him, God will smite thee, whited wall. And thou, dost thou sit judging me according to the law, and breaking the law commandest me to be smitten? read more.
And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest of God? And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people. But Paul, knowing that the one part of them were of the Sadducees and the other of the Pharisees, cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, son of Pharisees: I am judged concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead. And when he had spoken this, there was a tumult of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.
And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest of God? And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people. But Paul, knowing that the one part of them were of the Sadducees and the other of the Pharisees, cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, son of Pharisees: I am judged concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead. And when he had spoken this, there was a tumult of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.
Government » Mosaic » Constitutes, with priests and scribes, a court for the trial of both civil and ecclesiastical causes
And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and of the chief priests and of the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
And when it was morning all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus so that they might put him to death. And having bound him they led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
And when he came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, saying, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
And immediately in the morning the chief priests, having taken counsel with the elders and scribes and the whole sanhedrim, bound Jesus and carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate.
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together to the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas, and took counsel together in order that they might seize Jesus by subtlety and kill him; but they said, Not in the feast, that there be not a tumult among the people.
Now they that had seized Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. And Peter followed him at a distance, even to the palace of the high priest, and entering in sat with the officers to see the end. And the chief priests and the elders and the whole sanhedrim sought false witness against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. read more.
And they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. But at the last two false witnesses came forward and said, He said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and in three days build it. And the high priest standing up said to him, Answerest thou nothing? What do these witness against thee? But Jesus was silent. And the high priest answering said to him, I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us if thou art the Christ the Son of God. Jesus says to him, Thou hast said. Moreover, I say to you, From henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has blasphemed: what need have we any more of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard the blasphemy. What think ye? And they answering said, He is liable to the penalty of death. Then they spit in his face, and buffeted him, and some struck him with the palms of their hand, saying, Prophesy to us, Christ, Who is it who struck thee?
And they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. But at the last two false witnesses came forward and said, He said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and in three days build it. And the high priest standing up said to him, Answerest thou nothing? What do these witness against thee? But Jesus was silent. And the high priest answering said to him, I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us if thou art the Christ the Son of God. Jesus says to him, Thou hast said. Moreover, I say to you, From henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has blasphemed: what need have we any more of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard the blasphemy. What think ye? And they answering said, He is liable to the penalty of death. Then they spit in his face, and buffeted him, and some struck him with the palms of their hand, saying, Prophesy to us, Christ, Who is it who struck thee?
And immediately, while he was yet speaking, Judas comes up, being one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd, with swords and sticks, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now he that delivered him up had given them a sign between them, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; seize him, and lead him away safely. And being come, straightway coming up to him, he says, Rabbi, Rabbi; and he covered him with kisses. read more.
And they laid their hands upon him and seized him. But a certain one of those who stood by, having drawn his sword, struck the bondman of the high priest, and took off his ear. And Jesus answering said to them, Are ye come out as against a robber, with swords and sticks to take me? I was daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye did not seize me; but it is that the scriptures may be fulfilled. And all left him and fled. And a certain young man followed him with a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men seize him; but he, leaving the linen cloth behind him, fled from them naked. And they led away Jesus to the high priest. And there come together to him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. And Peter followed him at a distance, till he was within the court of the high priest's palace; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself in the light of the fire. And the chief priests and the whole sanhedrim sought testimony against Jesus to cause him to be put to death, and did not find any. For many bore false witness against him, and their testimony did not agree. And certain persons rose up and bore false witness against him, saying, We heard him saying, I will destroy this temple which is made with hands, and in the course of three days I will build another not made with hands. And neither thus did their testimony agree. And the high priest, rising up before them all, asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What do these testify against thee? But he was silent, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and says to him, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am, and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. And the high priest, having rent his clothes, says, What need have we any more of witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy; what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit upon him, and cover up his face, and buffet him, and say to him, Prophesy; and the officers struck him with the palms of their hands.
And they laid their hands upon him and seized him. But a certain one of those who stood by, having drawn his sword, struck the bondman of the high priest, and took off his ear. And Jesus answering said to them, Are ye come out as against a robber, with swords and sticks to take me? I was daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye did not seize me; but it is that the scriptures may be fulfilled. And all left him and fled. And a certain young man followed him with a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men seize him; but he, leaving the linen cloth behind him, fled from them naked. And they led away Jesus to the high priest. And there come together to him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. And Peter followed him at a distance, till he was within the court of the high priest's palace; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself in the light of the fire. And the chief priests and the whole sanhedrim sought testimony against Jesus to cause him to be put to death, and did not find any. For many bore false witness against him, and their testimony did not agree. And certain persons rose up and bore false witness against him, saying, We heard him saying, I will destroy this temple which is made with hands, and in the course of three days I will build another not made with hands. And neither thus did their testimony agree. And the high priest, rising up before them all, asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What do these testify against thee? But he was silent, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and says to him, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am, and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. And the high priest, having rent his clothes, says, What need have we any more of witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy; what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit upon him, and cover up his face, and buffet him, and say to him, Prophesy; and the officers struck him with the palms of their hands.
And Jesus said to the chief priests and captains of the temple and elders, who were come against him, Have ye come out as against a robber with swords and sticks? When I was day by day with you in the temple ye did not stretch out your hands against me; but this is your hour and the power of darkness. And having laid hold on him, they led him away, and they led him into the house of the high priest. And Peter followed afar off. read more.
And they having lit a fire in the midst of the court and sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain maid, having seen him sitting by the light, and having fixed her eyes upon him, said, And this man was with him. But he denied him, saying, Woman, I do not know him. And after a short time another seeing him said, And thou art of them. But Peter said, Man, I am not. And after the lapse of about one hour another stoutly maintained it, saying, In truth this man also was with him, for also he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he was yet speaking, the cock crew. And the Lord, turning round, looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said to him, Before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter, going forth without, wept bitterly. And the men who held him mocked him, beating him; and covering him up, asked him saying, Prophesy, who is it that struck thee? And they said many other injurious things to him. And when it was day, the elderhood of the people, both the chief priests and scribes, were gathered together, and led him into their council, saying, If thou art the Christ, tell us. And he said to them, If I tell you, ye will not at all believe; and if I should ask you, ye would not answer me at all, nor let me go; but henceforth shall the Son of man be sitting on the right hand of the power of God. And they all said, Thou then art the Son of God? And he said to them, Ye say that I am. And they said, What need have we any more of witness, for we have heard ourselves out of his mouth?
And they having lit a fire in the midst of the court and sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain maid, having seen him sitting by the light, and having fixed her eyes upon him, said, And this man was with him. But he denied him, saying, Woman, I do not know him. And after a short time another seeing him said, And thou art of them. But Peter said, Man, I am not. And after the lapse of about one hour another stoutly maintained it, saying, In truth this man also was with him, for also he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he was yet speaking, the cock crew. And the Lord, turning round, looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said to him, Before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter, going forth without, wept bitterly. And the men who held him mocked him, beating him; and covering him up, asked him saying, Prophesy, who is it that struck thee? And they said many other injurious things to him. And when it was day, the elderhood of the people, both the chief priests and scribes, were gathered together, and led him into their council, saying, If thou art the Christ, tell us. And he said to them, If I tell you, ye will not at all believe; and if I should ask you, ye would not answer me at all, nor let me go; but henceforth shall the Son of man be sitting on the right hand of the power of God. And they all said, Thou then art the Son of God? And he said to them, Ye say that I am. And they said, What need have we any more of witness, for we have heard ourselves out of his mouth?
And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, being distressed on account of their teaching the people and preaching by Jesus the resurrection from among the dead; and they laid hands on them, and put them in ward till the morrow; for it was already evening. read more.
But many of those who had heard the word believed; and the number of the men had become about five thousand. And it came to pass on the morrow that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together at Jerusalem, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the high priestly family; and having placed them in the midst they inquired, In what power or in what name have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day are called upon to answer as to the good deed done to the infirm man, how he has been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazaraean, whom ye have crucified, whom God has raised from among the dead, by him this man stands here before you sound in body. He is the stone which has been set at nought by you the builders, which is become the corner stone. And salvation is in none other, for neither is there another name under heaven which is given among men by which we must be saved. But seeing the boldness of Peter and John, and perceiving that they were unlettered and uninstructed men, they wondered; and they recognised them that they were with Jesus. And beholding the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to reply; but having commanded them to go out of the council they conferred with one another, saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed an evident sign has come to pass through their means is manifest to all that inhabit Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But that it be not further spread among the people, let us threaten them severely no longer to speak to any man in this name. And having called them, they charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answering said to them, If it be righteous before God to listen to you rather than to God, judge ye; for as for us we cannot refrain from speaking of the things which we have seen and heard. But they, having further threatened them, let them go, finding no way how they might punish them, on account of the people, because all glorified God for what had taken place;
But many of those who had heard the word believed; and the number of the men had become about five thousand. And it came to pass on the morrow that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together at Jerusalem, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the high priestly family; and having placed them in the midst they inquired, In what power or in what name have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day are called upon to answer as to the good deed done to the infirm man, how he has been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazaraean, whom ye have crucified, whom God has raised from among the dead, by him this man stands here before you sound in body. He is the stone which has been set at nought by you the builders, which is become the corner stone. And salvation is in none other, for neither is there another name under heaven which is given among men by which we must be saved. But seeing the boldness of Peter and John, and perceiving that they were unlettered and uninstructed men, they wondered; and they recognised them that they were with Jesus. And beholding the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to reply; but having commanded them to go out of the council they conferred with one another, saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed an evident sign has come to pass through their means is manifest to all that inhabit Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But that it be not further spread among the people, let us threaten them severely no longer to speak to any man in this name. And having called them, they charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answering said to them, If it be righteous before God to listen to you rather than to God, judge ye; for as for us we cannot refrain from speaking of the things which we have seen and heard. But they, having further threatened them, let them go, finding no way how they might punish them, on account of the people, because all glorified God for what had taken place;
And there arose up certain of those of the synagogue called of freedmen, and of Cyrenians, and of Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Then they suborned men, saying, We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God. read more.
And they roused the people, and the elders, and the scribes. And coming upon him they seized him and brought him to the council. And they set false witnesses, saying, This man does not cease speaking words against the holy place and the law; for we have heard him saying, This Jesus the Nazaraean shall destroy this place, and change the customs which Moses taught us. And all who sat in the council, looking fixedly on him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
And they roused the people, and the elders, and the scribes. And coming upon him they seized him and brought him to the council. And they set false witnesses, saying, This man does not cease speaking words against the holy place and the law; for we have heard him saying, This Jesus the Nazaraean shall destroy this place, and change the customs which Moses taught us. And all who sat in the council, looking fixedly on him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
And the high priest said, Are these things then so? And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said to him, Go out of thy land and out of thy kindred, and come into the land which I will shew thee. read more.
Then going out of the land of the Chaldeans he dwelt in Charran, and thence, after his father died, he removed him into this land in which ye now dwell. And he did not give him an inheritance in it, not even what his foot could stand on; and promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he had no child. And God spoke thus: His seed shall be a sojourner in a strange land, and they shall enslave them and evil entreat them four hundred years; and the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and serve me in this place. And he gave to him the covenant of circumcision; and thus he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, envying Joseph, sold him away into Egypt. And God was with him, and delivered him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he appointed him chief over Egypt and all his house. But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food. But Jacob, having heard of there being corn in Egypt, sent out our fathers first; and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh. And Joseph sent and called down to him his father Jacob and all his kindred, seventy-five souls. And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers, and were carried over to Sychem and placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. But as the time of promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until another king over Egypt arose who did not know Joseph. He dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that they might not live. In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly lovely, who was nourished three months in the house of his father. And when he was cast out, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself to be for a son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. And when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it came into his heart to look upon his brethren, the sons of Israel; and seeing a certain one wronged, he defended him, and avenged him that was being oppressed, smiting the Egyptian. For he thought that his brethren would understand that God by his hand was giving them deliverance. But they understood not. And on the morrow he shewed himself to them as they were contending, and compelled them to peace, saying, Ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one another? But he that was wronging his neighbour thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us? Dost thou wish to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Madiam, where he begat two sons. And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire of a bush. And Moses seeing it wondered at the vision; and as he went up to consider it, there was a voice of the Lord, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not consider it. And the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place on which thou standest is holy ground. I have surely seen the ill treatment of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groan, and have come down to take them out of it; and now, come, I will send thee to Egypt. This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him did God send to be a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out, having wrought wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up to you out of your brethren like me him shall ye hear. This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received living oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers would not be subject, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us; for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has happened to him. And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. But God turned and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Have ye offered me victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? Yea, ye took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the forms which ye made to do homage to them; and I will transport you beyond Babylon. Our fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the model which he had seen; which also our fathers, receiving from their predecessors, brought in with Joshua when they entered into possession of the lands of the nations, whom God drove out from the face of our fathers, until the days of David; who found favour before God, and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; but Solomon built him a house. But the Most High dwells not in places made with hands; as says the prophet, The heaven is my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord, or where is the place of my rest? has not my hand made all these things? O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain those who announced beforehand concerning the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have now become deliverers up and murderers! who have received the law as ordained by the ministry of angels, and have not kept it. And hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him. But being full of the Holy Spirit, having fixed his eyes on heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. And they cried out with a loud voice, and held their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; and having cast him out of the city, they stoned him. And the witnesses laid aside their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. And they stoned Stephen, praying, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Then going out of the land of the Chaldeans he dwelt in Charran, and thence, after his father died, he removed him into this land in which ye now dwell. And he did not give him an inheritance in it, not even what his foot could stand on; and promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he had no child. And God spoke thus: His seed shall be a sojourner in a strange land, and they shall enslave them and evil entreat them four hundred years; and the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and serve me in this place. And he gave to him the covenant of circumcision; and thus he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, envying Joseph, sold him away into Egypt. And God was with him, and delivered him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he appointed him chief over Egypt and all his house. But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food. But Jacob, having heard of there being corn in Egypt, sent out our fathers first; and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh. And Joseph sent and called down to him his father Jacob and all his kindred, seventy-five souls. And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers, and were carried over to Sychem and placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. But as the time of promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until another king over Egypt arose who did not know Joseph. He dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that they might not live. In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly lovely, who was nourished three months in the house of his father. And when he was cast out, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself to be for a son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. And when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it came into his heart to look upon his brethren, the sons of Israel; and seeing a certain one wronged, he defended him, and avenged him that was being oppressed, smiting the Egyptian. For he thought that his brethren would understand that God by his hand was giving them deliverance. But they understood not. And on the morrow he shewed himself to them as they were contending, and compelled them to peace, saying, Ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one another? But he that was wronging his neighbour thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us? Dost thou wish to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Madiam, where he begat two sons. And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire of a bush. And Moses seeing it wondered at the vision; and as he went up to consider it, there was a voice of the Lord, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not consider it. And the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place on which thou standest is holy ground. I have surely seen the ill treatment of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groan, and have come down to take them out of it; and now, come, I will send thee to Egypt. This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him did God send to be a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out, having wrought wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up to you out of your brethren like me him shall ye hear. This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received living oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers would not be subject, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us; for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has happened to him. And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. But God turned and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Have ye offered me victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? Yea, ye took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the forms which ye made to do homage to them; and I will transport you beyond Babylon. Our fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the model which he had seen; which also our fathers, receiving from their predecessors, brought in with Joshua when they entered into possession of the lands of the nations, whom God drove out from the face of our fathers, until the days of David; who found favour before God, and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; but Solomon built him a house. But the Most High dwells not in places made with hands; as says the prophet, The heaven is my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord, or where is the place of my rest? has not my hand made all these things? O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain those who announced beforehand concerning the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have now become deliverers up and murderers! who have received the law as ordained by the ministry of angels, and have not kept it. And hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him. But being full of the Holy Spirit, having fixed his eyes on heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. And they cried out with a loud voice, and held their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; and having cast him out of the city, they stoned him. And the witnesses laid aside their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. And they stoned Stephen, praying, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Select readings » Stephen's defense
And the high priest said, Are these things then so? And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said to him, Go out of thy land and out of thy kindred, and come into the land which I will shew thee. read more.
Then going out of the land of the Chaldeans he dwelt in Charran, and thence, after his father died, he removed him into this land in which ye now dwell. And he did not give him an inheritance in it, not even what his foot could stand on; and promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he had no child. And God spoke thus: His seed shall be a sojourner in a strange land, and they shall enslave them and evil entreat them four hundred years; and the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and serve me in this place. And he gave to him the covenant of circumcision; and thus he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, envying Joseph, sold him away into Egypt. And God was with him, and delivered him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he appointed him chief over Egypt and all his house. But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food. But Jacob, having heard of there being corn in Egypt, sent out our fathers first; and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh. And Joseph sent and called down to him his father Jacob and all his kindred, seventy-five souls. And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers, and were carried over to Sychem and placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. But as the time of promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until another king over Egypt arose who did not know Joseph. He dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that they might not live. In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly lovely, who was nourished three months in the house of his father. And when he was cast out, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself to be for a son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. And when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it came into his heart to look upon his brethren, the sons of Israel; and seeing a certain one wronged, he defended him, and avenged him that was being oppressed, smiting the Egyptian. For he thought that his brethren would understand that God by his hand was giving them deliverance. But they understood not. And on the morrow he shewed himself to them as they were contending, and compelled them to peace, saying, Ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one another? But he that was wronging his neighbour thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us? Dost thou wish to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Madiam, where he begat two sons. And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire of a bush. And Moses seeing it wondered at the vision; and as he went up to consider it, there was a voice of the Lord, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not consider it. And the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place on which thou standest is holy ground. I have surely seen the ill treatment of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groan, and have come down to take them out of it; and now, come, I will send thee to Egypt. This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him did God send to be a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out, having wrought wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up to you out of your brethren like me him shall ye hear. This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received living oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers would not be subject, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us; for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has happened to him. And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. But God turned and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Have ye offered me victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? Yea, ye took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the forms which ye made to do homage to them; and I will transport you beyond Babylon. Our fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the model which he had seen; which also our fathers, receiving from their predecessors, brought in with Joshua when they entered into possession of the lands of the nations, whom God drove out from the face of our fathers, until the days of David; who found favour before God, and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; but Solomon built him a house. But the Most High dwells not in places made with hands; as says the prophet, The heaven is my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord, or where is the place of my rest? has not my hand made all these things? O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain those who announced beforehand concerning the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have now become deliverers up and murderers! who have received the law as ordained by the ministry of angels, and have not kept it. And hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him. But being full of the Holy Spirit, having fixed his eyes on heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.
Then going out of the land of the Chaldeans he dwelt in Charran, and thence, after his father died, he removed him into this land in which ye now dwell. And he did not give him an inheritance in it, not even what his foot could stand on; and promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he had no child. And God spoke thus: His seed shall be a sojourner in a strange land, and they shall enslave them and evil entreat them four hundred years; and the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and serve me in this place. And he gave to him the covenant of circumcision; and thus he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, envying Joseph, sold him away into Egypt. And God was with him, and delivered him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he appointed him chief over Egypt and all his house. But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food. But Jacob, having heard of there being corn in Egypt, sent out our fathers first; and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh. And Joseph sent and called down to him his father Jacob and all his kindred, seventy-five souls. And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers, and were carried over to Sychem and placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. But as the time of promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until another king over Egypt arose who did not know Joseph. He dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that they might not live. In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly lovely, who was nourished three months in the house of his father. And when he was cast out, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself to be for a son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. And when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it came into his heart to look upon his brethren, the sons of Israel; and seeing a certain one wronged, he defended him, and avenged him that was being oppressed, smiting the Egyptian. For he thought that his brethren would understand that God by his hand was giving them deliverance. But they understood not. And on the morrow he shewed himself to them as they were contending, and compelled them to peace, saying, Ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one another? But he that was wronging his neighbour thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us? Dost thou wish to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Madiam, where he begat two sons. And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire of a bush. And Moses seeing it wondered at the vision; and as he went up to consider it, there was a voice of the Lord, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not consider it. And the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place on which thou standest is holy ground. I have surely seen the ill treatment of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groan, and have come down to take them out of it; and now, come, I will send thee to Egypt. This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him did God send to be a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out, having wrought wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up to you out of your brethren like me him shall ye hear. This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received living oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers would not be subject, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us; for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has happened to him. And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. But God turned and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Have ye offered me victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? Yea, ye took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the forms which ye made to do homage to them; and I will transport you beyond Babylon. Our fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the model which he had seen; which also our fathers, receiving from their predecessors, brought in with Joshua when they entered into possession of the lands of the nations, whom God drove out from the face of our fathers, until the days of David; who found favour before God, and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; but Solomon built him a house. But the Most High dwells not in places made with hands; as says the prophet, The heaven is my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord, or where is the place of my rest? has not my hand made all these things? O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain those who announced beforehand concerning the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have now become deliverers up and murderers! who have received the law as ordained by the ministry of angels, and have not kept it. And hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him. But being full of the Holy Spirit, having fixed his eyes on heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.