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it was through ignorance that both you and your rulers acted 18 thus; and that what God foretold by the mouth of all his pro

phets-THAT THE CHRIST SHOULD SUFFER, he hath thus 19 accomplished. Repent therefore and return, that your sins may

be blotted out, that seasons of refreshment may come from the 20 presence of the Lord; and that he may send him who hath been 21 before hand proclaimed to you-namely, Jesus Christ, whom

the heaven must receive till the time of the consummation of all which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy pro22 phets of old for Moses indeed said to the fathers, "The Lord your God will raise up for you from among your bre thren a prophet like me. To him you must hearken according 23 to all that he shall speak to you; and whoever the person be

who will not hearken to that prophet, he shall be cut off from 24 among the people.* All the prophets also from Samuel, even 25 as many of the following ones as have spoken, have likewise foretold these days. You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham " And by thy seed all the families of the earth shall 26 be blessed." It is to you first that God, having raised up his son Jesus, hath sent him, blessing you, when you turn every one from his iniquities.

IV. Now while they were speaking to the people; the priests, 2 and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, displeased at their teaching the people and promulgating by Jesus the re3 surrection from the dead, came on them, and laid hands on 4 them, and put them in prison till the next day. For it was now evening. But many of those who heard the word believed. And the number of the men became about five thousand. 5 And on the morrow their rulers, and elders, and Scribes at 6 Jerusalem assembled, with Annas the chief priest, and Caia7 phas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the

pontifical family; and having set them in the midst, they asked 8 by what power, or by what name, have you done this? Then Peter being filled with a holy spirit, said to them,

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Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we are this day 10 examined for a good deed done to an infirm man, by what

*Deut. 18. 15, &c.

Gen. 18. 18. and 22. 18.

means he hath been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom ye crucified-whom God raised from the dead 11-by him this man standeth before you, perfectly cured.

This is the stone that was rejected by you the builders, which 12 was for the head of the corner.* This cure indeed is by no other, nor is there any other name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved."

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Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and found that they were illiterate men, and in private stations of life, they wondered; and recollected their having been with 14 Jesus. And seeing the man who was cured standing with 15 them, they could make no reply. So, having ordered them to

withdraw from the Sanhedrim, they conferred among them16 selves, saying, What can we do with these men? For that a

signal miracle hath indeed been done by them, is manifest to 17 all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But that it may not spread farther among the people, let us severely threaten them not to speak any more for this name to 18 any man. So having called them in, they gave them this ge

neral charge, not to make solemn addresses, nor teach, for the 19 name of that Jesus. But Peter and John in reply to them, said,

Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken to you ra20 ther than to God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the 21 things which we have seen and heard. So, having further

threatened them, they dismissed them, not finding how to punish them, because of the people who all glorified God for 22 that which was done. For the man, upon whom this miracle of healing was performed, was above forty years old. So, be23 ing discharged, they went to their brethren and told them all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them; which when they heard, they with one accord raised their voice to 24 God and said, O Lord, thou art the God, who madest the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that are therein, who 25 by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, “Why did na26 tions rage, and tribes meditate vain things?"

*Ps. 118. 22.

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"The kings of the earth combined, and the chiefs assembled together against the LORD and against his ANOINTED.*" For indeed against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with nations and 28 the tribes of Israel, were gathered together, to do what thy 29 hand and thy council had determinately marked out before

hand to be brought to pass. Now with regard to present occurrences, look down, O Lord, on their threatenings, and ena30 ble thy servants to speak thy word with all freedom when thou stretchest forth thy hand for healing; and signs and wonders are done by the name of thy holy child, Jesus. And while they 31 were praying, the place in which they were assembled was shaken. And they were all filled with a Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

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Now the whole body of the believers were of one heart and one soul. And no one said that any of his goods were his own; but all things were common among them. And the apostles delivered with great power the testimony of the resurrection of 33 the Lord Jesus. And there was great thankfulness among them

all; for there was not one indigent person among them: for as 34 many as were proprietors of lands or houses sold them and 35 brought the prices of the things sold, which being laid at the

apostles' feet, distribution was made to every one according as 36 any had need. In particular Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, the signification of which is Son of Consolation, a Levite, and by birth a Cyprian, having an estate, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. But V. there was a certain man named Ananias, who with his wife Sapphira sold an estate and kept back a part of the price, his 2 wife also being privy to it. And having brought a certain part 3 he laid it at the feet of the apostles. Upon which Peter said,

Ananias, Why hath Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Spirit, and keep back a part of the price of 4 the land? While it remained, did it not remain thine? And when sold it was still at thine own disposal. Why then hast thou determined this thing in thy heart? Thou hast not lied to

* Ps. 2. 1, &c.

men, but to God. Upon hearing these words Ananias fell down and expired. And great fear came upon all who heard 6 these things. Then the young men arose and having swathed 7 him, they carried him out and buried him. And about the

space of three hours after, his wife, not knowing what had 8 happened, came in. And Peter said to her, Tell me; did you 9 sell the land for such a price? And she said, Yes, for so much. Thereupon Peter said to her, How is it that you have agreed to try the spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of them who have buried thy husband are at the door, and they will 10 carry thee out. At that instant she fell at his feet and ex11 pired. And the young men coming in found her dead. So

they carried her out and buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the congregation, and upon all that 12 heard these things; and by the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people:

Now they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch, 13 and of the rest no one presumed to join himself to them, but 14 the people magnified them, and believers in the Lord, multi15 tudes both of men and women were more and more added so

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that in every street they brought out the sick and laid them on beds and couches, that the shadow of Peter as he went along might overshadow some of them.

But when the multitude also of the cities around flocked to Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented 17 with unclean spirits, who were all cured; the chief priest

rising up, and all his party-the sect of the Sadducees, they 18 were filled with zeal, and laid their hands on the apostles and 19 put them in the common prison. But during the night an an

gel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison; and having 20 brought them out said, Go, and having taken your station in the temple, speak to the people all the words of this life. 21 Upon hearing this they went into the temple about break of day, and taught. Now when the chief priest was come with his party and had convened the Sanhedrim and all the elders of the children of Israel, they sent to the prison to have them 22 brought up. But when the officers went and did not find them in the prison; they returned and made report, saying, 23 We found indeed the prison shut with all safety, and the

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guards without standing before the door; but on opening 24 we found no one within. And while the priest and the captain

of the temple and the chief priests, upon hearing these words, 25 were doubting how this could be, there came one who told

them, saying, Behold! the men whom you put in prison,. 26 are standing in the temple and teaching the people. Then

the captain went with the under officers and brought them, but without violence; for they were afraid of being stoned by 27 the people. And when they had brought them, and set them before the Sanhedrim, the chief priest asked them, saying, 28 Did we not strictly charge you not to teach for this name?

Yet behold you have filled Jerusalem with this doctrine of 29 yours and wish to bring that man's blood upon us. In reply

to which Peter and the apostles said, We must obey God 30 rather than men. The God of our fathers hath raised up

Jesus, whom ye slew, having caused him to be suspended 31 on a cross-even him, a chief leader and a Saviour, God

hath exalted at his right hand to give repentance to Israel and 32 a remission of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things, as is also the Holy Spirit which God hath granted to them who obey him.

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At hearing this they were cut to the heart, and consulted 34 to put them to death. But there stood up a man in the San

hedrim-a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, in great esteem among all the people; and having moved that 35 the apostles withdraw for a little while, he said to them, "Men

of Israel, take heed to yourselves how you proceed in regard 36 to these men. For some time ago Theudas started up, saying that he was an extraordinary person, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves. He was destroyed, and all that put confidence in him were broken up and 37 came to nothing. After him started up Judas, the Galilean, in the days of the enrolment, and drew a great many people after him. He also perished, and all that put confidence in 38 him were dispersed. Now therefore on this occasion I say

to you, Forbear from meddling with these men, and let them 39 alone for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will moulder away. But if it be of God you cannot annul it. Per40 adventure you may be found even fighting against God." So

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