Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
physical Bondage » In prison » Of israel
And it cometh to pass during these many days, that the king of Egypt dieth, and the sons of Israel sigh because of the service, and cry, and their cry goeth up unto God, because of the service;
And they set over it princes of tribute, so as to afflict it with their burdens, and it buildeth store-cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses;
And it cometh to pass, in those days, that Moses is grown, and he goeth out unto his brethren, and looketh on their burdens, and seeth a man, an Egyptian, smiting a man, a Hebrew, one of his brethren,
And the king of Egypt saith unto them, 'Why, Moses and Aaron, do ye free the people from its works? go to your burdens.'
that our fathers go down to Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to our fathers;
'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years,
Court » Accused spoke in his own defense
And Peter and the apostles answering, said, 'To obey God it behoveth, rather than men; and the God of our fathers did raise up Jesus, whom ye slew, having hanged upon a tree; this one God, a Prince and a Saviour, hath exalted with His right hand, to give reformation to Israel, and forgiveness of sins; read more.
and we are His witnesses of these sayings, and the Holy Spirit also, whom God gave to those obeying him.'
and we are His witnesses of these sayings, and the Holy Spirit also, whom God gave to those obeying him.'
And having called them, they charged them not to speak at all, nor to teach, in the name of Jesus, and Peter and John answering unto them said, 'Whether it is righteous before God to hearken to you rather than to God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak what we did see and hear.'
And the priests and the prophets speak unto the heads, and unto all the people, saying, 'Judgment of death is for this man, for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.' And Jeremiah speaketh unto all the heads, and unto all the people, saying, 'Jehovah sent me to prophesy concerning this house, and concerning 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 doth repent concerning the evil that He hath spoken against you. read more.
And I, lo, I am in your hand, do to me as is good and as is right in your eyes; Only, know ye certainly, that if ye are putting me to death, surely innocent blood ye are putting on yourselves, and on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly hath Jehovah sent me unto you to speak in your ears all these words.' And the heads and all the people say unto the priests and unto the prophets, 'There is not for this man a judgment of death, for in the name of Jehovah our God he hath spoken unto us.'
And I, lo, I am in your hand, do to me as is good and as is right in your eyes; Only, know ye certainly, that if ye are putting me to death, surely innocent blood ye are putting on yourselves, and on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly hath Jehovah sent me unto you to speak in your ears all these words.' And the heads and all the people say unto the priests and unto the prophets, 'There is not for this man a judgment of death, for in the name of Jehovah our God he hath spoken unto us.'
And the chief priests were accusing him of many things, but he answered nothing. And Pilate again questioned him, saying, 'Thou dost not answer anything! lo, how many things they do testify against thee!' and Jesus did no more answer anything, so that Pilate wondered.
Then Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them: 'Rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we to-day are examined concerning the good deed to the ailing man, by whom he hath been saved, be it known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye did crucify, whom God did raise out of the dead, in him hath this one stood by before you whole. read more.
This is the stone that was set at nought by you -- the builders, that became head of a corner; and there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under the heaven that hath been given among men, in which it behoveth us to be saved.'
This is the stone that was set at nought by you -- the builders, that became head of a corner; and there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under the heaven that hath been given among men, in which it behoveth us to be saved.'
And the chief priest said, 'Are then these things so?' and he said, 'Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken: The God of the glory did appear to our father Abraham, being in Mesopotamia, before his dwelling in Haran, and He said to him, Go forth out of thy land, and out of thy kindred, and come to a land that I shall shew thee. read more.
'Then having come forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran, and from thence, after the death of his father, He did remove him to this land wherein ye now dwell, and He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a footstep, and did promise to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him -- he having no child. 'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years, and the nation whom they shall serve I will judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and shall do Me service in this place. And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob -- the twelve patriarchs; and the patriarchs, having been moved with jealousy, sold Joseph to Egypt, and God was with him, and did deliver him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he did set him -- governor over Egypt and all his house. 'And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance, and Jacob having heard that there was corn in Egypt, sent forth our fathers a first time; and at the second time was Joseph made known to his brethren, and Joseph's kindred became manifest to Pharaoh, and Joseph having sent, did call for his father Jacob, and all his kindred -- with seventy and five souls -- and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers, and they were carried over into Sychem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Sychem. 'And according as the time of the promise was drawing nigh, which God did swear to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, till another king rose, who had not known Joseph; this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live; in which time Moses was born, and he was fair to God, and he was brought up three months in the house of his father; and he having been exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and did rear him to herself for a son; and Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in words and in works. 'And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came upon his heart to look after his brethren, the sons of Israel; and having seen a certain one suffering injustice, he did defend, and did justice to the oppressed, having smitten the Egyptian; and he was supposing his brethren to understand that God through his hand doth give salvation; and they did not understand. 'On the succeeding day, also, he shewed himself to them as they are striving, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, brethren are ye, wherefore do ye injustice to one another? and he who is doing injustice to the neighbour, did thrust him away, saying, Who set thee a ruler and a judge over us? to kill me dost thou wish, as thou didst kill yesterday the Egyptian? 'And Moses fled at this word, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons, and forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai a messenger of the Lord, in a flame of fire of a bush, and Moses having seen did wonder at the sight; and he drawing near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord unto him, I am the God of thy fathers; the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 'And Moses having become terrified, durst not behold, and the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place in which thou hast stood is holy ground; seeing I have seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt, and their groaning I did hear, and came down to deliver them; and now come, I will send thee to Egypt. 'This Moses, whom they did refuse, saying, Who did set thee a ruler and a judge? this one God a ruler and a redeemer did send, in the hand of a messenger who appeared to him in the bush; this one did bring them forth, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years; this is the Moses who did say to the sons of Israel: A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me, him shall ye hear. 'This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the messenger who is speaking to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers who did receive the living oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but did thrust away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who shall go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what hath happened to him. 'And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands, and God did turn, and did give them up to do service to the host of the heaven, according as it hath been written in the scroll of the prophets: Slain beasts and sacrifices did ye offer to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? and ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan -- the figures that ye made to bow before them, and I will remove your dwelling beyond Babylon. 'The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He did direct, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen; which also our fathers having in succession received, did bring in with Joshua, into the possession of the nations whom God did drive out from the presence of our fathers, till the days of David, who found favour before God, and requested to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; and Solomon built Him an house. 'But the Most High in sanctuaries made with hands doth not dwell, according as the prophet saith: The heaven is My throne, and the earth My footstool; what house will ye build to Me? saith the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? hath not My hand made all these things? Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears! ye do always the Holy Spirit resist; as your fathers -- also ye; which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed those who declared before about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom now ye betrayers and murderers have become, who received the law by arrangement of messengers, and did not keep it.' And hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts, and did gnash the teeth at him; and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked stedfastly to the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and he said, 'Lo, I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.'
'Then having come forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran, and from thence, after the death of his father, He did remove him to this land wherein ye now dwell, and He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a footstep, and did promise to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him -- he having no child. 'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years, and the nation whom they shall serve I will judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and shall do Me service in this place. And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob -- the twelve patriarchs; and the patriarchs, having been moved with jealousy, sold Joseph to Egypt, and God was with him, and did deliver him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he did set him -- governor over Egypt and all his house. 'And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance, and Jacob having heard that there was corn in Egypt, sent forth our fathers a first time; and at the second time was Joseph made known to his brethren, and Joseph's kindred became manifest to Pharaoh, and Joseph having sent, did call for his father Jacob, and all his kindred -- with seventy and five souls -- and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers, and they were carried over into Sychem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Sychem. 'And according as the time of the promise was drawing nigh, which God did swear to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, till another king rose, who had not known Joseph; this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live; in which time Moses was born, and he was fair to God, and he was brought up three months in the house of his father; and he having been exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and did rear him to herself for a son; and Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in words and in works. 'And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came upon his heart to look after his brethren, the sons of Israel; and having seen a certain one suffering injustice, he did defend, and did justice to the oppressed, having smitten the Egyptian; and he was supposing his brethren to understand that God through his hand doth give salvation; and they did not understand. 'On the succeeding day, also, he shewed himself to them as they are striving, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, brethren are ye, wherefore do ye injustice to one another? and he who is doing injustice to the neighbour, did thrust him away, saying, Who set thee a ruler and a judge over us? to kill me dost thou wish, as thou didst kill yesterday the Egyptian? 'And Moses fled at this word, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons, and forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai a messenger of the Lord, in a flame of fire of a bush, and Moses having seen did wonder at the sight; and he drawing near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord unto him, I am the God of thy fathers; the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 'And Moses having become terrified, durst not behold, and the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place in which thou hast stood is holy ground; seeing I have seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt, and their groaning I did hear, and came down to deliver them; and now come, I will send thee to Egypt. 'This Moses, whom they did refuse, saying, Who did set thee a ruler and a judge? this one God a ruler and a redeemer did send, in the hand of a messenger who appeared to him in the bush; this one did bring them forth, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years; this is the Moses who did say to the sons of Israel: A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me, him shall ye hear. 'This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the messenger who is speaking to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers who did receive the living oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but did thrust away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who shall go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what hath happened to him. 'And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands, and God did turn, and did give them up to do service to the host of the heaven, according as it hath been written in the scroll of the prophets: Slain beasts and sacrifices did ye offer to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? and ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan -- the figures that ye made to bow before them, and I will remove your dwelling beyond Babylon. 'The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He did direct, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen; which also our fathers having in succession received, did bring in with Joshua, into the possession of the nations whom God did drive out from the presence of our fathers, till the days of David, who found favour before God, and requested to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; and Solomon built Him an house. 'But the Most High in sanctuaries made with hands doth not dwell, according as the prophet saith: The heaven is My throne, and the earth My footstool; what house will ye build to Me? saith the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? hath not My hand made all these things? Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears! ye do always the Holy Spirit resist; as your fathers -- also ye; which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed those who declared before about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom now ye betrayers and murderers have become, who received the law by arrangement of messengers, and did not keep it.' And hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts, and did gnash the teeth at him; and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked stedfastly to the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and he said, 'Lo, I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.'
And Paul having earnestly beheld the sanhedrim, said, 'Men, brethren, I in all good conscience have lived to God unto this day;' and the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to smite him on the mouth, then Paul said unto him, 'God is about to smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, and thou -- thou dost sit judging me according to the law, and, violating law, dost order me to be smitten!' read more.
And those who stood by said, 'The chief priest of God dost thou revile?' and Paul said, 'I did not know, brethren, that he is chief priest: for it hath been written, Of the ruler of thy people thou shalt not speak evil;' and Paul having known that the one part are Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the sanhedrim, 'Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee -- son of a Pharisee -- concerning hope and rising again of dead men I am judged.' And he having spoken this, there came a dissension of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and the crowd was divided,
And those who stood by said, 'The chief priest of God dost thou revile?' and Paul said, 'I did not know, brethren, that he is chief priest: for it hath been written, Of the ruler of thy people thou shalt not speak evil;' and Paul having known that the one part are Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the sanhedrim, 'Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee -- son of a Pharisee -- concerning hope and rising again of dead men I am judged.' And he having spoken this, there came a dissension of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and the crowd was divided,
Government » Mosaic » Constitutes, with priests and scribes, a court for the trial of both civil and ecclesiastical causes
and began to teach them, that it behoveth the Son of Man to suffer many things, and to be rejected by the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and after three days to rise again;
And morning having come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, so as to put him to death; and having bound him, they did lead away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
And he having come to the temple, there came to him when teaching the chief priests and the elders of the people, saying, 'By what authority dost thou do these things? and who gave thee this authority?'
And immediately, in the morning, the chief priests having made a consultation, with the elders, and scribes, and the whole sanhedrim, having bound Jesus, did lead away, and delivered him to Pilate;
Then were gathered together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, to the court of the chief priest who was called Caiaphas; and they consulted together that they might take Jesus by guile, and kill him, and they said, 'Not in the feast, that there may not be a tumult among the people.'
And those laying hold on Jesus led him away unto Caiaphas the chief priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together, and Peter was following him afar off, unto the court of the chief priest, and having gone in within, he was sitting with the officers, to see the end. And the chief priests, and the elders, and all the council, were seeking false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death, read more.
and they did not find; and many false witnesses having come near, they did not find; and at last two false witnesses having come near, said, 'This one said, I am able to throw down the sanctuary of God, and after three days to build it.' And the chief priest having stood up, said to him, 'Nothing thou dost answer! what do these witness against thee? and Jesus was silent. And the chief priest answering said to him, 'I adjure thee, by the living God, that thou mayest say to us, if thou art the Christ -- the Son of God.' Jesus saith to him, 'Thou hast said; nevertheless I say to you, hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power, and coming upon the clouds, of the heaven.' Then the chief priest rent his garments, saying, -- 'He hath spoken evil; what need have we yet of witnesses? lo, now ye heard his evil speaking; what think ye?' and they answering said, 'He is worthy of death.' Then did they spit in his face and buffet him, and others did slap, saying, 'Declare to us, O Christ, who he is that struck thee?'
and they did not find; and many false witnesses having come near, they did not find; and at last two false witnesses having come near, said, 'This one said, I am able to throw down the sanctuary of God, and after three days to build it.' And the chief priest having stood up, said to him, 'Nothing thou dost answer! what do these witness against thee? and Jesus was silent. And the chief priest answering said to him, 'I adjure thee, by the living God, that thou mayest say to us, if thou art the Christ -- the Son of God.' Jesus saith to him, 'Thou hast said; nevertheless I say to you, hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power, and coming upon the clouds, of the heaven.' Then the chief priest rent his garments, saying, -- 'He hath spoken evil; what need have we yet of witnesses? lo, now ye heard his evil speaking; what think ye?' and they answering said, 'He is worthy of death.' Then did they spit in his face and buffet him, and others did slap, saying, 'Declare to us, O Christ, who he is that struck thee?'
And immediately -- while he is yet speaking -- cometh near Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude, with swords and sticks, from the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders; and he who is delivering him up had given a token to them, saying, 'Whomsoever I shall kiss, he it is, lay hold on him, and lead him away safely,' and having come, immediately, having gone near him, he saith, 'Rabbi, Rabbi,' and kissed him. read more.
And they laid on him their hands, and kept hold on him; and a certain one of those standing by, having drawn the sword, struck the servant of the chief priest, and took off his ear. And Jesus answering said to them, 'As against a robber ye came out, with swords and sticks, to take me! daily I was with you in the temple teaching, and ye did not lay hold on me -- but that the Writings may be fulfilled.' And having left him they all fled; and a certain young man was following him, having put a linen cloth about his naked body, and the young men lay hold on him, and he, having left the linen cloth, did flee from them naked. And they led away Jesus unto the chief priest, and come together to him do all the chief priests, and the elders, and the scribes; and Peter afar off did follow him, to the inside of the hall of the chief priest, and he was sitting with the officers, and warming himself near the fire. And the chief priests and all the sanhedrim were seeking against Jesus testimony -- to put him to death, and they were not finding, for many were bearing false testimony against him, and their testimonies were not alike. And certain having risen up, were bearing false testimony against him, saying -- We heard him saying -- I will throw down this sanctuary made with hands, and by three days, another made without hands I will build;' and neither so was their testimony alike. And the chief priest, having risen up in the midst, questioned Jesus, saying, 'Thou dost not answer anything! what do these testify against thee?' and he was keeping silent, and did not answer anything. Again the chief priest was questioning him, and saith to him, 'Art thou the Christ -- the Son of the Blessed?' and Jesus said, 'I am; and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power, and coming with the clouds, of the heaven.' And the chief priest, having rent his garments, saith, 'What need have we yet of witnesses? Ye heard the evil speaking, what appeareth to you?' and they all condemned him to be worthy of death, and certain began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say to him, 'Prophesy;' and the officers were striking him with their palms.
And they laid on him their hands, and kept hold on him; and a certain one of those standing by, having drawn the sword, struck the servant of the chief priest, and took off his ear. And Jesus answering said to them, 'As against a robber ye came out, with swords and sticks, to take me! daily I was with you in the temple teaching, and ye did not lay hold on me -- but that the Writings may be fulfilled.' And having left him they all fled; and a certain young man was following him, having put a linen cloth about his naked body, and the young men lay hold on him, and he, having left the linen cloth, did flee from them naked. And they led away Jesus unto the chief priest, and come together to him do all the chief priests, and the elders, and the scribes; and Peter afar off did follow him, to the inside of the hall of the chief priest, and he was sitting with the officers, and warming himself near the fire. And the chief priests and all the sanhedrim were seeking against Jesus testimony -- to put him to death, and they were not finding, for many were bearing false testimony against him, and their testimonies were not alike. And certain having risen up, were bearing false testimony against him, saying -- We heard him saying -- I will throw down this sanctuary made with hands, and by three days, another made without hands I will build;' and neither so was their testimony alike. And the chief priest, having risen up in the midst, questioned Jesus, saying, 'Thou dost not answer anything! what do these testify against thee?' and he was keeping silent, and did not answer anything. Again the chief priest was questioning him, and saith to him, 'Art thou the Christ -- the Son of the Blessed?' and Jesus said, 'I am; and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power, and coming with the clouds, of the heaven.' And the chief priest, having rent his garments, saith, 'What need have we yet of witnesses? Ye heard the evil speaking, what appeareth to you?' and they all condemned him to be worthy of death, and certain began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say to him, 'Prophesy;' and the officers were striking him with their palms.
And Jesus said to those having come upon him -- chief priests, and magistrates of the temple, and elders -- 'As upon a robber have ye come forth, with swords and sticks? while daily I was with you in the temple, ye did stretch forth no hands against me; but this is your hour and the power of the darkness.' And having taken him, they led and brought him to the house of the chief priest. And Peter was following afar off, read more.
and they having kindled a fire in the midst of the court, and having sat down together, Peter was sitting in the midst of them, and a certain maid having seen him sitting at the light, and having earnestly looked at him, she said, 'And this one was with him!' and he disowned him, saying, 'Woman, I have not known him.' And after a little, another having seen him, said, 'And thou art of them!' and Peter said, 'Man, I am not.' And one hour, as it were, having intervened, a certain other was confidently affirming, saying, 'Of a truth this one also was with him, for he is also a Galilean;' and Peter said, 'Man, I have not known what thou sayest;' and presently, while he is speaking, a cock crew. And the Lord having turned did look on Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said to him -- 'Before a cock shall crow, thou mayest disown me thrice;' and Peter having gone without, wept bitterly. And the men who were holding Jesus were mocking him, beating him; and having blindfolded him, they were striking him on the face, and were questioning him, saying, 'Prophesy who he is who smote thee?' and many other things, speaking evilly, they spake in regard to him. And when it became day there was gathered together the eldership of the people, chief priests also, and scribes, and they led him up to their own sanhedrim, saying, 'If thou be the Christ, tell us.' And he said to them, 'If I may tell you, ye will not believe; and if I also question you, ye will not answer me or send me away; henceforth, there shall be the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power of God.' And they all said, 'Thou, then, art the Son of God?' and he said unto them, 'Ye say it, because I am;' and they said, 'What need yet have we of testimony? for we ourselves did hear it from his mouth.'
and they having kindled a fire in the midst of the court, and having sat down together, Peter was sitting in the midst of them, and a certain maid having seen him sitting at the light, and having earnestly looked at him, she said, 'And this one was with him!' and he disowned him, saying, 'Woman, I have not known him.' And after a little, another having seen him, said, 'And thou art of them!' and Peter said, 'Man, I am not.' And one hour, as it were, having intervened, a certain other was confidently affirming, saying, 'Of a truth this one also was with him, for he is also a Galilean;' and Peter said, 'Man, I have not known what thou sayest;' and presently, while he is speaking, a cock crew. And the Lord having turned did look on Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said to him -- 'Before a cock shall crow, thou mayest disown me thrice;' and Peter having gone without, wept bitterly. And the men who were holding Jesus were mocking him, beating him; and having blindfolded him, they were striking him on the face, and were questioning him, saying, 'Prophesy who he is who smote thee?' and many other things, speaking evilly, they spake in regard to him. And when it became day there was gathered together the eldership of the people, chief priests also, and scribes, and they led him up to their own sanhedrim, saying, 'If thou be the Christ, tell us.' And he said to them, 'If I may tell you, ye will not believe; and if I also question you, ye will not answer me or send me away; henceforth, there shall be the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power of God.' And they all said, 'Thou, then, art the Son of God?' and he said unto them, 'Ye say it, because I am;' and they said, 'What need yet have we of testimony? for we ourselves did hear it from his mouth.'
And as they are speaking unto the people, there came to them the priests, and the magistrate of the temple, and the Sadducees -- being grieved because of their teaching the people, and preaching in Jesus the rising again out of the dead -- and they laid hands upon them, and did put them in custody unto the morrow, for it was evening already; read more.
and many of those hearing the word did believe, and the number of the men became, as it were, five thousand. And it came to pass upon the morrow, there were gathered together of them the rulers, and elders, and scribes, to Jerusalem, and Annas the chief priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the chief priest, and having set them in the midst, they were inquiring, 'In what power, or in what name did ye do this?' Then Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them: 'Rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we to-day are examined concerning the good deed to the ailing man, by whom he hath been saved, be it known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye did crucify, whom God did raise out of the dead, in him hath this one stood by before you whole. This is the stone that was set at nought by you -- the builders, that became head of a corner; and there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under the heaven that hath been given among men, in which it behoveth us to be saved.' And beholding the openness of Peter and John, and having perceived that they are men unlettered and plebeian, they were wondering -- they were taking knowledge also of them that with Jesus they had been -- and seeing the man standing with them who hath been healed, they had nothing to say against it, and having commanded them to go away out of the sanhedrim, they took counsel with one another, saying, 'What shall we do to these men? because that, indeed, a notable sign hath been done through them, to all those dwelling in Jerusalem is manifest, and we are not able to deny it; but that it may spread no further toward the people, let us strictly threaten them no more to speak in this name to any man.' And having called them, they charged them not to speak at all, nor to teach, in the name of Jesus, and Peter and John answering unto them said, 'Whether it is righteous before God to hearken to you rather than to God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak what we did see and hear.' And they having further threatened them, let them go, finding nothing how they may punish them, because of the people, because all were glorifying God for that which hath been done,
and many of those hearing the word did believe, and the number of the men became, as it were, five thousand. And it came to pass upon the morrow, there were gathered together of them the rulers, and elders, and scribes, to Jerusalem, and Annas the chief priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the chief priest, and having set them in the midst, they were inquiring, 'In what power, or in what name did ye do this?' Then Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them: 'Rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we to-day are examined concerning the good deed to the ailing man, by whom he hath been saved, be it known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye did crucify, whom God did raise out of the dead, in him hath this one stood by before you whole. This is the stone that was set at nought by you -- the builders, that became head of a corner; and there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under the heaven that hath been given among men, in which it behoveth us to be saved.' And beholding the openness of Peter and John, and having perceived that they are men unlettered and plebeian, they were wondering -- they were taking knowledge also of them that with Jesus they had been -- and seeing the man standing with them who hath been healed, they had nothing to say against it, and having commanded them to go away out of the sanhedrim, they took counsel with one another, saying, 'What shall we do to these men? because that, indeed, a notable sign hath been done through them, to all those dwelling in Jerusalem is manifest, and we are not able to deny it; but that it may spread no further toward the people, let us strictly threaten them no more to speak in this name to any man.' And having called them, they charged them not to speak at all, nor to teach, in the name of Jesus, and Peter and John answering unto them said, 'Whether it is righteous before God to hearken to you rather than to God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak what we did see and hear.' And they having further threatened them, let them go, finding nothing how they may punish them, because of the people, because all were glorifying God for that which hath been done,
and there arose certain of those of the synagogue, called of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia, and Asia, disputing with Stephen, and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking; then they suborned men, saying -- 'We have heard him speaking evil sayings in regard to Moses and God.' read more.
They did stir up also the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and having come upon him, they caught him, and brought him to the sanhedrim; they set up also false witnesses, saying, 'This one doth not cease to speak evil sayings against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him saying, That this Jesus the Nazarean shall overthrow this place, and shall change the customs that Moses delivered to us;' and gazing at him, all those sitting in the sanhedrim saw his face as it were the face of a messenger.
They did stir up also the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and having come upon him, they caught him, and brought him to the sanhedrim; they set up also false witnesses, saying, 'This one doth not cease to speak evil sayings against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him saying, That this Jesus the Nazarean shall overthrow this place, and shall change the customs that Moses delivered to us;' and gazing at him, all those sitting in the sanhedrim saw his face as it were the face of a messenger.
And the chief priest said, 'Are then these things so?' and he said, 'Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken: The God of the glory did appear to our father Abraham, being in Mesopotamia, before his dwelling in Haran, and He said to him, Go forth out of thy land, and out of thy kindred, and come to a land that I shall shew thee. read more.
'Then having come forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran, and from thence, after the death of his father, He did remove him to this land wherein ye now dwell, and He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a footstep, and did promise to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him -- he having no child. 'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years, and the nation whom they shall serve I will judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and shall do Me service in this place. And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob -- the twelve patriarchs; and the patriarchs, having been moved with jealousy, sold Joseph to Egypt, and God was with him, and did deliver him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he did set him -- governor over Egypt and all his house. 'And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance, and Jacob having heard that there was corn in Egypt, sent forth our fathers a first time; and at the second time was Joseph made known to his brethren, and Joseph's kindred became manifest to Pharaoh, and Joseph having sent, did call for his father Jacob, and all his kindred -- with seventy and five souls -- and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers, and they were carried over into Sychem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Sychem. 'And according as the time of the promise was drawing nigh, which God did swear to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, till another king rose, who had not known Joseph; this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live; in which time Moses was born, and he was fair to God, and he was brought up three months in the house of his father; and he having been exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and did rear him to herself for a son; and Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in words and in works. 'And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came upon his heart to look after his brethren, the sons of Israel; and having seen a certain one suffering injustice, he did defend, and did justice to the oppressed, having smitten the Egyptian; and he was supposing his brethren to understand that God through his hand doth give salvation; and they did not understand. 'On the succeeding day, also, he shewed himself to them as they are striving, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, brethren are ye, wherefore do ye injustice to one another? and he who is doing injustice to the neighbour, did thrust him away, saying, Who set thee a ruler and a judge over us? to kill me dost thou wish, as thou didst kill yesterday the Egyptian? 'And Moses fled at this word, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons, and forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai a messenger of the Lord, in a flame of fire of a bush, and Moses having seen did wonder at the sight; and he drawing near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord unto him, I am the God of thy fathers; the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 'And Moses having become terrified, durst not behold, and the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place in which thou hast stood is holy ground; seeing I have seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt, and their groaning I did hear, and came down to deliver them; and now come, I will send thee to Egypt. 'This Moses, whom they did refuse, saying, Who did set thee a ruler and a judge? this one God a ruler and a redeemer did send, in the hand of a messenger who appeared to him in the bush; this one did bring them forth, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years; this is the Moses who did say to the sons of Israel: A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me, him shall ye hear. 'This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the messenger who is speaking to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers who did receive the living oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but did thrust away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who shall go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what hath happened to him. 'And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands, and God did turn, and did give them up to do service to the host of the heaven, according as it hath been written in the scroll of the prophets: Slain beasts and sacrifices did ye offer to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? and ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan -- the figures that ye made to bow before them, and I will remove your dwelling beyond Babylon. 'The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He did direct, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen; which also our fathers having in succession received, did bring in with Joshua, into the possession of the nations whom God did drive out from the presence of our fathers, till the days of David, who found favour before God, and requested to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; and Solomon built Him an house. 'But the Most High in sanctuaries made with hands doth not dwell, according as the prophet saith: The heaven is My throne, and the earth My footstool; what house will ye build to Me? saith the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? hath not My hand made all these things? Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears! ye do always the Holy Spirit resist; as your fathers -- also ye; which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed those who declared before about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom now ye betrayers and murderers have become, who received the law by arrangement of messengers, and did not keep it.' And hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts, and did gnash the teeth at him; and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked stedfastly to the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and he said, 'Lo, I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.' And they, having cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and did rush with one accord upon him, and having cast him forth outside of the city, they were stoning him -- and the witnesses did put down their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul -- and they were stoning Stephen, calling and saying, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit;'
'Then having come forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran, and from thence, after the death of his father, He did remove him to this land wherein ye now dwell, and He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a footstep, and did promise to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him -- he having no child. 'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years, and the nation whom they shall serve I will judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and shall do Me service in this place. And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob -- the twelve patriarchs; and the patriarchs, having been moved with jealousy, sold Joseph to Egypt, and God was with him, and did deliver him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he did set him -- governor over Egypt and all his house. 'And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance, and Jacob having heard that there was corn in Egypt, sent forth our fathers a first time; and at the second time was Joseph made known to his brethren, and Joseph's kindred became manifest to Pharaoh, and Joseph having sent, did call for his father Jacob, and all his kindred -- with seventy and five souls -- and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers, and they were carried over into Sychem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Sychem. 'And according as the time of the promise was drawing nigh, which God did swear to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, till another king rose, who had not known Joseph; this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live; in which time Moses was born, and he was fair to God, and he was brought up three months in the house of his father; and he having been exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and did rear him to herself for a son; and Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in words and in works. 'And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came upon his heart to look after his brethren, the sons of Israel; and having seen a certain one suffering injustice, he did defend, and did justice to the oppressed, having smitten the Egyptian; and he was supposing his brethren to understand that God through his hand doth give salvation; and they did not understand. 'On the succeeding day, also, he shewed himself to them as they are striving, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, brethren are ye, wherefore do ye injustice to one another? and he who is doing injustice to the neighbour, did thrust him away, saying, Who set thee a ruler and a judge over us? to kill me dost thou wish, as thou didst kill yesterday the Egyptian? 'And Moses fled at this word, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons, and forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai a messenger of the Lord, in a flame of fire of a bush, and Moses having seen did wonder at the sight; and he drawing near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord unto him, I am the God of thy fathers; the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 'And Moses having become terrified, durst not behold, and the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place in which thou hast stood is holy ground; seeing I have seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt, and their groaning I did hear, and came down to deliver them; and now come, I will send thee to Egypt. 'This Moses, whom they did refuse, saying, Who did set thee a ruler and a judge? this one God a ruler and a redeemer did send, in the hand of a messenger who appeared to him in the bush; this one did bring them forth, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years; this is the Moses who did say to the sons of Israel: A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me, him shall ye hear. 'This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the messenger who is speaking to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers who did receive the living oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but did thrust away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who shall go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what hath happened to him. 'And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands, and God did turn, and did give them up to do service to the host of the heaven, according as it hath been written in the scroll of the prophets: Slain beasts and sacrifices did ye offer to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? and ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan -- the figures that ye made to bow before them, and I will remove your dwelling beyond Babylon. 'The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He did direct, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen; which also our fathers having in succession received, did bring in with Joshua, into the possession of the nations whom God did drive out from the presence of our fathers, till the days of David, who found favour before God, and requested to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; and Solomon built Him an house. 'But the Most High in sanctuaries made with hands doth not dwell, according as the prophet saith: The heaven is My throne, and the earth My footstool; what house will ye build to Me? saith the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? hath not My hand made all these things? Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears! ye do always the Holy Spirit resist; as your fathers -- also ye; which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed those who declared before about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom now ye betrayers and murderers have become, who received the law by arrangement of messengers, and did not keep it.' And hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts, and did gnash the teeth at him; and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked stedfastly to the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and he said, 'Lo, I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.' And they, having cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and did rush with one accord upon him, and having cast him forth outside of the city, they were stoning him -- and the witnesses did put down their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul -- and they were stoning Stephen, calling and saying, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit;'
Israel » A type of the apostate church when disobedient » Carried into bondage
And it cometh to pass during these many days, that the king of Egypt dieth, and the sons of Israel sigh because of the service, and cry, and their cry goeth up unto God, because of the service;
And they set over it princes of tribute, so as to afflict it with their burdens, and it buildeth store-cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses;
And it cometh to pass, in those days, that Moses is grown, and he goeth out unto his brethren, and looketh on their burdens, and seeth a man, an Egyptian, smiting a man, a Hebrew, one of his brethren,
And the king of Egypt saith unto them, 'Why, Moses and Aaron, do ye free the people from its works? go to your burdens.'
that our fathers go down to Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to our fathers;
'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years,
Israel » A type of the apostate church when disobedient » Bondage of
And it cometh to pass during these many days, that the king of Egypt dieth, and the sons of Israel sigh because of the service, and cry, and their cry goeth up unto God, because of the service;
And they set over it princes of tribute, so as to afflict it with their burdens, and it buildeth store-cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses;
And it cometh to pass, in those days, that Moses is grown, and he goeth out unto his brethren, and looketh on their burdens, and seeth a man, an Egyptian, smiting a man, a Hebrew, one of his brethren,
And the king of Egypt saith unto them, 'Why, Moses and Aaron, do ye free the people from its works? go to your burdens.'
that our fathers go down to Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to our fathers;
'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years,
Israel » Living » Egypt » 430 years
'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years,
and this I say, A covenant confirmed before by God to Christ, the law, that came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not set aside, to make void the promise,
and He saith to Abram, 'knowing -- know that thy seed is a sojourner in a land not theirs, and they have served them, and they have afflicted them four hundred years,
And the dwelling of the sons of Israel which they have dwelt in Egypt is four hundred and thirty years; and it cometh to pass, at the end of four hundred and thirty years -- yea, it cometh to pass in this self-same day -- all the hosts of Jehovah have gone out from the land of Egypt.
Israel » Prophecy » Captivity » In egypt
and He saith to Abram, 'knowing -- know that thy seed is a sojourner in a land not theirs, and they have served them, and they have afflicted them four hundred years, and the nation also whom they serve I judge, and after this they go out with great substance;
'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years, and the nation whom they shall serve I will judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and shall do Me service in this place.
Obedience » Instances of » Abraham
Abraham our father -- was not he declared righteous out of works, having brought up Isaac his son upon the altar?
And Abraham taketh Ishmael his son, and all those born in his house, and all those bought with his money -- every male among the men of Abraham's house -- and circumciseth the flesh of their foreskin, in this self-same day, as God hath spoken with him.
And Jehovah saith unto Abram, 'Go for thyself, from thy land, and from thy kindred, and from the house of thy father, unto the land which I shew thee. And I make thee become a great nation, and bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing. And I bless those blessing thee, and him who is disesteeming thee I curse, and blessed in thee have been all families of the ground.' read more.
And Abram goeth on, as Jehovah hath spoken unto him, and Lot goeth with him, and Abram is a son of five and seventy years in his going out from Charan.
And Abram goeth on, as Jehovah hath spoken unto him, and Lot goeth with him, and Abram is a son of five and seventy years in his going out from Charan.
and didst find his heart stedfast before Thee, so as to make with him the covenant, to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it to his seed. 'And Thou dost establish Thy words, for Thou art righteous,
and He saith, 'Put not forth thine hand unto the youth, nor do anything to him, for now I have known that thou art fearing God, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only one, from Me.'
and Abraham circumciseth Isaac his son, being a son of eight days, as God hath commanded him.
and He said to him, Go forth out of thy land, and out of thy kindred, and come to a land that I shall shew thee. 'Then having come forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran, and from thence, after the death of his father, He did remove him to this land wherein ye now dwell, and He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a footstep, and did promise to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him -- he having no child. read more.
'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years, and the nation whom they shall serve I will judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and shall do Me service in this place. And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob -- the twelve patriarchs;
'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years, and the nation whom they shall serve I will judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and shall do Me service in this place. And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob -- the twelve patriarchs;
By faith Abraham, being called, did obey, to go forth to the place that he was about to receive for an inheritance, and he went forth, not knowing whither he doth go; by faith he did sojourn in the land of the promise as a strange country, in tabernacles having dwelt with Isaac and Jacob, fellow-heirs of the same promise, for he was looking for the city having the foundations, whose artificer and constructor is God. read more.
By faith also Sarah herself did receive power to conceive seed, and she bare after the time of life, seeing she did judge Him faithful who did promise; wherefore, also from one were begotten -- and that of one who had become dead -- as the stars of the heaven in multitude, and as sand that is by the sea-shore -- the innumerable. In faith died all these, not having received the promises, but from afar having seen them, and having been persuaded, and having saluted them, and having confessed that strangers and sojourners they are upon the earth, for those saying such things make manifest that they seek a country; and if, indeed, they had been mindful of that from which they came forth, they might have had an opportunity to return, but now they long for a better, that is, an heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for He did prepare for them a city. By faith Abraham hath offered up Isaac, being tried, and the only begotten he did offer up who did receive the promises,
By faith also Sarah herself did receive power to conceive seed, and she bare after the time of life, seeing she did judge Him faithful who did promise; wherefore, also from one were begotten -- and that of one who had become dead -- as the stars of the heaven in multitude, and as sand that is by the sea-shore -- the innumerable. In faith died all these, not having received the promises, but from afar having seen them, and having been persuaded, and having saluted them, and having confessed that strangers and sojourners they are upon the earth, for those saying such things make manifest that they seek a country; and if, indeed, they had been mindful of that from which they came forth, they might have had an opportunity to return, but now they long for a better, that is, an heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for He did prepare for them a city. By faith Abraham hath offered up Isaac, being tried, and the only begotten he did offer up who did receive the promises,
Select readings » Stephen's defense
And the chief priest said, 'Are then these things so?' and he said, 'Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken: The God of the glory did appear to our father Abraham, being in Mesopotamia, before his dwelling in Haran, and He said to him, Go forth out of thy land, and out of thy kindred, and come to a land that I shall shew thee. read more.
'Then having come forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran, and from thence, after the death of his father, He did remove him to this land wherein ye now dwell, and He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a footstep, and did promise to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him -- he having no child. 'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years, and the nation whom they shall serve I will judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and shall do Me service in this place. And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob -- the twelve patriarchs; and the patriarchs, having been moved with jealousy, sold Joseph to Egypt, and God was with him, and did deliver him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he did set him -- governor over Egypt and all his house. 'And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance, and Jacob having heard that there was corn in Egypt, sent forth our fathers a first time; and at the second time was Joseph made known to his brethren, and Joseph's kindred became manifest to Pharaoh, and Joseph having sent, did call for his father Jacob, and all his kindred -- with seventy and five souls -- and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers, and they were carried over into Sychem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Sychem. 'And according as the time of the promise was drawing nigh, which God did swear to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, till another king rose, who had not known Joseph; this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live; in which time Moses was born, and he was fair to God, and he was brought up three months in the house of his father; and he having been exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and did rear him to herself for a son; and Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in words and in works. 'And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came upon his heart to look after his brethren, the sons of Israel; and having seen a certain one suffering injustice, he did defend, and did justice to the oppressed, having smitten the Egyptian; and he was supposing his brethren to understand that God through his hand doth give salvation; and they did not understand. 'On the succeeding day, also, he shewed himself to them as they are striving, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, brethren are ye, wherefore do ye injustice to one another? and he who is doing injustice to the neighbour, did thrust him away, saying, Who set thee a ruler and a judge over us? to kill me dost thou wish, as thou didst kill yesterday the Egyptian? 'And Moses fled at this word, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons, and forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai a messenger of the Lord, in a flame of fire of a bush, and Moses having seen did wonder at the sight; and he drawing near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord unto him, I am the God of thy fathers; the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 'And Moses having become terrified, durst not behold, and the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place in which thou hast stood is holy ground; seeing I have seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt, and their groaning I did hear, and came down to deliver them; and now come, I will send thee to Egypt. 'This Moses, whom they did refuse, saying, Who did set thee a ruler and a judge? this one God a ruler and a redeemer did send, in the hand of a messenger who appeared to him in the bush; this one did bring them forth, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years; this is the Moses who did say to the sons of Israel: A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me, him shall ye hear. 'This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the messenger who is speaking to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers who did receive the living oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but did thrust away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who shall go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what hath happened to him. 'And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands, and God did turn, and did give them up to do service to the host of the heaven, according as it hath been written in the scroll of the prophets: Slain beasts and sacrifices did ye offer to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? and ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan -- the figures that ye made to bow before them, and I will remove your dwelling beyond Babylon. 'The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He did direct, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen; which also our fathers having in succession received, did bring in with Joshua, into the possession of the nations whom God did drive out from the presence of our fathers, till the days of David, who found favour before God, and requested to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; and Solomon built Him an house. 'But the Most High in sanctuaries made with hands doth not dwell, according as the prophet saith: The heaven is My throne, and the earth My footstool; what house will ye build to Me? saith the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? hath not My hand made all these things? Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears! ye do always the Holy Spirit resist; as your fathers -- also ye; which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed those who declared before about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom now ye betrayers and murderers have become, who received the law by arrangement of messengers, and did not keep it.' And hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts, and did gnash the teeth at him; and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked stedfastly to the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and he said, 'Lo, I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.'
'Then having come forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran, and from thence, after the death of his father, He did remove him to this land wherein ye now dwell, and He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a footstep, and did promise to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him -- he having no child. 'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years, and the nation whom they shall serve I will judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and shall do Me service in this place. And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob -- the twelve patriarchs; and the patriarchs, having been moved with jealousy, sold Joseph to Egypt, and God was with him, and did deliver him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he did set him -- governor over Egypt and all his house. 'And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance, and Jacob having heard that there was corn in Egypt, sent forth our fathers a first time; and at the second time was Joseph made known to his brethren, and Joseph's kindred became manifest to Pharaoh, and Joseph having sent, did call for his father Jacob, and all his kindred -- with seventy and five souls -- and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers, and they were carried over into Sychem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Sychem. 'And according as the time of the promise was drawing nigh, which God did swear to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, till another king rose, who had not known Joseph; this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live; in which time Moses was born, and he was fair to God, and he was brought up three months in the house of his father; and he having been exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and did rear him to herself for a son; and Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in words and in works. 'And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came upon his heart to look after his brethren, the sons of Israel; and having seen a certain one suffering injustice, he did defend, and did justice to the oppressed, having smitten the Egyptian; and he was supposing his brethren to understand that God through his hand doth give salvation; and they did not understand. 'On the succeeding day, also, he shewed himself to them as they are striving, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, brethren are ye, wherefore do ye injustice to one another? and he who is doing injustice to the neighbour, did thrust him away, saying, Who set thee a ruler and a judge over us? to kill me dost thou wish, as thou didst kill yesterday the Egyptian? 'And Moses fled at this word, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons, and forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai a messenger of the Lord, in a flame of fire of a bush, and Moses having seen did wonder at the sight; and he drawing near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord unto him, I am the God of thy fathers; the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 'And Moses having become terrified, durst not behold, and the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place in which thou hast stood is holy ground; seeing I have seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt, and their groaning I did hear, and came down to deliver them; and now come, I will send thee to Egypt. 'This Moses, whom they did refuse, saying, Who did set thee a ruler and a judge? this one God a ruler and a redeemer did send, in the hand of a messenger who appeared to him in the bush; this one did bring them forth, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years; this is the Moses who did say to the sons of Israel: A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me, him shall ye hear. 'This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the messenger who is speaking to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers who did receive the living oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but did thrust away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who shall go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what hath happened to him. 'And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands, and God did turn, and did give them up to do service to the host of the heaven, according as it hath been written in the scroll of the prophets: Slain beasts and sacrifices did ye offer to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? and ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan -- the figures that ye made to bow before them, and I will remove your dwelling beyond Babylon. 'The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He did direct, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen; which also our fathers having in succession received, did bring in with Joshua, into the possession of the nations whom God did drive out from the presence of our fathers, till the days of David, who found favour before God, and requested to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; and Solomon built Him an house. 'But the Most High in sanctuaries made with hands doth not dwell, according as the prophet saith: The heaven is My throne, and the earth My footstool; what house will ye build to Me? saith the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? hath not My hand made all these things? Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears! ye do always the Holy Spirit resist; as your fathers -- also ye; which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed those who declared before about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom now ye betrayers and murderers have become, who received the law by arrangement of messengers, and did not keep it.' And hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts, and did gnash the teeth at him; and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked stedfastly to the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and he said, 'Lo, I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.'