Study Desk

And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,

and kept back some of the proceeds for himself, with his wife's full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles' feet.

But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem.

The people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together as well, bringing people who were sick or tormented with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.

But the high priest stood up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy.

Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned).

saying, "We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this Man's blood upon us."

And he said to them, "Men of Israel, be careful as to what you are about to do with these men.

The announcement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.

But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.

But they were unable to cope with his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

"The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him,

"Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food.

'I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND ISAAC, AND JACOB.' Moses shook with fear and did not dare to look closely.

"This Moses whom they disowned, saying, 'WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND A JUDGE?' is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush.

"This is the one who was in the assembly in the wilderness together with the angel who spoke to him at length on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to you.

"Our fathers in turn received it, and they also brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the nations that God drove out from our fathers, until the time of David.

But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one mind.

Then he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.