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Acts 7-9
New American Standard Bible

Stephen’s Defense

7 Now the high priest said, “Are these things so?”

2 And [a]Stephen said, “Listen to me, (A)[b]brothers and fathers! (B)The God of glory (C)appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in [c]Haran, 3 and He said to him, ‘(D)Go from your country and your relatives, and come to the land which I will show you.’ 4 (E)Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in [d]Haran. And (F)from there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living. 5 But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, (G)He promised that He would give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him, even though he had no child. 6 But (H)God spoke to this effect, that his descendants would be strangers in a land that was not theirs, and [e]they would enslave and mistreat them for four hundred years. 7 ‘And whatever nation to which they are enslaved I Myself will judge,’ said God, ‘and (I)after that they will come out and [f]serve Me in this place.’ 8 And He (J)gave him [g]the covenant of circumcision; and so (K)Abraham fathered Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and (L)Isaac fathered Jacob, and (M)Jacob, the twelve (N)patriarchs.

9 “The patriarchs (O)became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him, 10 and rescued him from all his afflictions, and (P)granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and his entire household.

11 “Now (Q)a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers [h]could find no food. 12 But (R)when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time. 13 And on the second visit, (S)Joseph [i]made himself known to his brothers, and (T)Joseph’s family was revealed to Pharaoh. 14 Then (U)Joseph sent word and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives to come to him, (V)seventy-five [j](W)people in all. 15 And (X)Jacob went down to Egypt, and he and our fathers died there. 16 And they were brought back from there to [k](Y)Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of [l]Hamor in [m]Shechem.

17 “But as the (Z)time of the promise which God had assured to Abraham was approaching, (AA)the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, 18 until (AB)another king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. 19 It was he who (AC)shrewdly took advantage of our nation and mistreated our fathers in order that they would (AD)abandon their infants in the Nile, so that they would not survive. 20 At this time (AE)Moses was born; and he was beautiful to God. He was nurtured for three months in his father’s home. 21 And after he had been put outside, (AF)Pharaoh’s daughter [n]took him away and nurtured him as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all (AG)the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was proficient in [o]speaking and action. 23 But when he was approaching the age of forty, (AH)it entered his [p]mind to visit his countrymen, the sons of Israel. 24 And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended and took vengeance for the oppressed man by fatally striking the Egyptian. 25 And he thought that his brothers understood that God was granting them [q]deliverance [r]through him; but they did not understand. 26 (AI)And on the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting each other, and he tried to reconcile them to peace, by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers, why are you injuring each other?’ 27 But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘(AJ)Who made you a ruler and judge over us? 28 (AK)You do not intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ 29 At this remark, (AL)Moses fled and became a stranger in the land of [s]Midian, where he (AM)fathered two sons.

30 “After forty years had passed, (AN)an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was astonished at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, the voice of the Lord came: 32 ‘(AO)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. 33 (AP)But the Lord said to him, ‘[t](AQ)Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 34 (AR)I have certainly seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them; and (AS)now come, I will send you to Egypt.’

35 “This Moses whom they (AT)disowned, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one whom God [u]sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the [v]help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. 36 (AU)This man led them out, performing (AV)wonders and [w]signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea, and in the (AW)wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘(AX)God will raise up for you a prophet [x]like me from your countrymen.’ 38 This is the one who was in (AY)the [y]assembly in the wilderness together with (AZ)the angel who spoke to him at length on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received (BA)living (BB)words to pass on to you. 39 Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him; on the contrary they (BC)rejected him and turned back to Egypt in their hearts, 40 (BD)saying to Aaron, ‘Make us [z]a god who will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt—we do not know what happened to him.’ 41 [aa]At that time (BE)they made a [ab]calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in (BF)the works of their hands. 42 But God (BG)turned away and gave them over to [ac]serve the heavenly [ad]lights; as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘(BH)You did not offer Me victims and sacrifices (BI)for forty years in the wilderness, did you, house of Israel? 43 (BJ)You also took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god [ae]Rompha, the images which you made to worship. I also will deport you beyond Babylon.’

44 “Our fathers had (BK)the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it (BL)according to the pattern which he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn received it, and they also (BM)brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the [af]nations that God drove out from our fathers, until the time of David. 46 [ag](BN)David found favor in God’s sight, and (BO)asked that he might [ah]find a dwelling place for the [ai]house of Jacob. 47 But it was (BP)Solomon who built a house for Him. 48 However, (BQ)the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

49 ‘(BR)Heaven is My throne,
And the earth is the footstool of My feet;
What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord,
‘Or what place is there for My rest?
50 (BS)Was it not My hand that made all these things?’

51 “You men who are (BT)stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 52 (BU)Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of (BV)the Righteous One, and (BW)you have now become betrayers and murderers of Him; 53 you who received the Law as (BX)ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”

Stephen Put to Death

54 Now when they heard this, they were (BY)infuriated, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55 But he, being (BZ)full of the Holy Spirit, (CA)looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing (CB)at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, “Behold, I see the (CC)heavens opened and (CD)the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one [aj]mind. 58 When they had (CE)driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and (CF)the witnesses (CG)laid aside their cloaks at the feet of (CH)a young man named Saul. 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he (CI)called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then he (CJ)fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, (CK)do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he [ak](CL)fell asleep.

Saul Persecutes the Church

8 (CM)Now Saul approved of putting [al]Stephen to death.

And on that day a great persecution [am]began against (CN)the church in Jerusalem, and they were all (CO)scattered throughout the regions of Judea and (CP)Samaria, except for the apostles. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned loudly for him. 3 But (CQ)Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and he would (CR)drag away men and women and put them in prison.

Philip in Samaria

4 Therefore, those (CS)who had been scattered went through places [an](CT)preaching the word. 5 (CU)Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming the [ao]Christ to them. 6 The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what was being said by Philip, as they heard and saw the [ap]signs which he was performing. 7 For in the case of many who had (CV)unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been (CW)paralyzed or limped on crutches were healed. 8 So there was (CX)much rejoicing in that city.

9 Now a man named Simon had previously been practicing (CY)magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, (CZ)claiming to be someone great; 10 and all the people, from small to great, were paying attention to him, saying, “(DA)This man is the Power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his (DB)magic arts. 12 But when they believed Philip (DC)as he was preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being (DD)baptized. 13 Now even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed (DE)signs and (DF)great miracles taking place, he was repeatedly amazed.

14 Now when (DG)the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them (DH)Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them (DI)that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 16 (For He had (DJ)not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been (DK)baptized [aq]in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then they (DL)began laying their hands on them, and they were (DM)receiving the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could (DN)acquire the gift of God with money! 21 You have (DO)no part or share in this [ar]matter, for your heart is not (DP)right before God. 22 Therefore, repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, (DQ)if possible, the intention of your heart will be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are [as]in the gall of bitterness and in (DR)the [at]bondage of unrighteousness.” 24 But Simon answered and said, “(DS)Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

An Ethiopian Receives Christ

25 So, when they had solemnly (DT)testified and spoken (DU)the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were (DV)preaching the gospel to many villages of the (DW)Samaritans.

26 But (DX)an angel of the Lord spoke to (DY)Philip, saying, “Get ready and go [au]south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to (DZ)Gaza.” ([av]This is a desert road.) 27 So he got ready and went; and [aw](EA)there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of [ax]Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he (EB)had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was returning and sitting in his [ay]chariot, and was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then (EC)the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this [az]chariot.” 30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:

“(ED)He was led like a sheep to slaughter;
And like a lamb that is silent before its shearer,
So He does not open His mouth.
33 (EE)In humiliation His justice was taken away;
Who will [ba]describe His [bb]generation?
For His life is taken away from the earth.”

34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?” 35 Then Philip (EF)opened his mouth, and (EG)beginning from this Scripture he (EH)preached Jesus to him. 36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! (EI)What prevents me from being baptized?”[bc] 38 And he ordered that the [bd]chariot stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, (EJ)the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, [be]but went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip [bf]found himself at [bg](EK)Azotus, and as he passed through he (EL)kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to (EM)Caesarea.

The Conversion of Saul

9 (EN)Now [bh]Saul, still (EO)breathing [bi]threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for (EP)letters from him to (EQ)the synagogues in (ER)Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to [bj](ES)the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and (ET)suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and (EU)he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and (EV)it will be told to you what you must do.” 7 The men who traveled with him (EW)stood speechless, (EX)hearing the [bk]voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and (EY)though his eyes were open, he [bl]could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into (EZ)Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple in (FA)Damascus named (FB)Ananias; and the Lord said to him in (FC)a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from (FD)Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and he has seen [bm]in a vision a man named Ananias come in and (FE)lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, (FF)how much harm he did to (FG)Your [bn]saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he (FH)has authority from the chief priests to [bo]arrest all who (FI)call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for (FJ)he is a chosen [bp]instrument of Mine, to bear My name before (FK)the Gentiles and (FL)kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for (FM)I will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after (FN)laying his hands on him said, “(FO)Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be (FP)filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like fish scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened.

Saul Begins to Preach Christ

Now (FQ)for several days he was with (FR)the disciples who were in Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus (FS)in the synagogues, [bq]saying, “He is (FT)the Son of God.” 21 All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem (FU)destroyed those who (FV)called on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the [br]Christ.

23 When (FW)many days had elapsed, (FX)the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but (FY)their plot became known to Saul. (FZ)They were also closely watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

26 (GA)When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But (GB)Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had (GC)seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how (GD)he had (GE)spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus at Damascus. 28 And he was with them, [bs]moving about freely in Jerusalem, (GF)speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the [bt](GG)Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. 30 Now when (GH)the [bu]brothers learned of it, they brought him down to (GI)Caesarea and (GJ)sent him away to (GK)Tarsus.

31 So (GL)the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria [bv]enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it [bw]continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.

Peter’s Ministry

32 Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he also came down to (GM)the [bx]saints who lived at [by](GN)Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas who had been bedridden for eight years, [bz]because he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your own bed.” Immediately he got up. 35 And all who lived at [ca](GO)Lydda and (GP)Sharon saw him, and they (GQ)turned to the Lord.

36 Now in (GR)Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which when translated means [cb]Dorcas); this woman was [cc]excelling in acts of kindness and charity which she did habitually. 37 But it happened [cd]at that time that she became sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an (GS)upstairs room. 38 Since Lydda was near (GT)Joppa, (GU)the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” 39 So Peter got ready and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the (GV)room upstairs; and all the (GW)widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the [ce]tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 40 But Peter (GX)sent them all out and (GY)knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “(GZ)Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling (HA)the [cf]saints and (HB)widows, he presented her alive. 42 It became known all over (HC)Joppa, and (HD)many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed in (HE)Joppa many days with (HF)a tanner named Simon.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 7:2 Lit he
  2. Acts 7:2 Lit men, brothers
  3. Acts 7:2 Gr Charran
  4. Acts 7:4 Gr Charran
  5. Acts 7:6 I.e., the people of the land (Egypt)
  6. Acts 7:7 Or worship
  7. Acts 7:8 Or a
  8. Acts 7:11 Lit were not finding
  9. Acts 7:13 Or was made known
  10. Acts 7:14 Lit souls
  11. Acts 7:16 Gr Sychem
  12. Acts 7:16 Gr Emmor
  13. Acts 7:16 Gr Sychem
  14. Acts 7:21 Or adopted him
  15. Acts 7:22 Lit his words and actions
  16. Acts 7:23 Lit heart
  17. Acts 7:25 Or salvation
  18. Acts 7:25 Lit through his hand
  19. Acts 7:29 Gr Madiam
  20. Acts 7:33 Lit Untie the sandal of your
  21. Acts 7:35 Lit has sent
  22. Acts 7:35 Lit hand
  23. Acts 7:36 I.e., confirming miracles
  24. Acts 7:37 Or as He raised up me
  25. Acts 7:38 Gr ekklesia
  26. Acts 7:40 Lit gods, plural, but prob. refers to a singular deity
  27. Acts 7:41 Lit in those days
  28. Acts 7:41 Or young bull
  29. Acts 7:42 Or worship
  30. Acts 7:42 Lit host
  31. Acts 7:43 Other mss spell it: Romphan, Rempham, Raiphan; or Rephan
  32. Acts 7:45 Or Gentiles
  33. Acts 7:46 Lit He who
  34. Acts 7:46 I.e., build the temple
  35. Acts 7:46 I.e., the people of Israel
  36. Acts 7:57 Or purpose
  37. Acts 7:60 I.e., died
  38. Acts 8:1 Lit him
  39. Acts 8:1 Lit occurred
  40. Acts 8:4 Or bringing the good news of
  41. Acts 8:5 I.e., Messiah
  42. Acts 8:6 I.e., confirming miracles
  43. Acts 8:16 Lit into
  44. Acts 8:21 Or teaching; lit word
  45. Acts 8:23 Or doomed to the
  46. Acts 8:23 Lit bond
  47. Acts 8:26 Or at about noon to
  48. Acts 8:26 Or This city is deserted
  49. Acts 8:27 Lit behold, an Ethiopian
  50. Acts 8:27 Possibly an Ethiopian title: the Candace
  51. Acts 8:28 Or carriage
  52. Acts 8:29 Or carriage
  53. Acts 8:33 Or relate
  54. Acts 8:33 Or family history
  55. Acts 8:36 Late mss add as v 37: And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
  56. Acts 8:38 Or carriage
  57. Acts 8:39 Lit for he was going
  58. Acts 8:40 Or was found
  59. Acts 8:40 OT: Ashdod
  60. Acts 9:1 Later called Paul
  61. Acts 9:1 Lit threat
  62. Acts 9:2 See John 14:6
  63. Acts 9:7 Or sound
  64. Acts 9:8 Lit was seeing
  65. Acts 9:12 A few early mss do not contain in a vision
  66. Acts 9:13 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  67. Acts 9:14 Lit bind
  68. Acts 9:15 Or vessel
  69. Acts 9:20 Lit that
  70. Acts 9:22 I.e., Messiah
  71. Acts 9:28 Lit going in and going out
  72. Acts 9:29 Jews who adopted the Gr language and much of Gr culture through acculturation
  73. Acts 9:30 I.e., disciples
  74. Acts 9:31 Lit was having
  75. Acts 9:31 Lit went
  76. Acts 9:32 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  77. Acts 9:32 OT: Lod
  78. Acts 9:33 Lit who was
  79. Acts 9:35 OT: Lod
  80. Acts 9:36 I.e., Gr for Gazelle
  81. Acts 9:36 Lit full of
  82. Acts 9:37 Lit in those days
  83. Acts 9:39 A long shirt worn next to the skin
  84. Acts 9:41 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
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Acts 7-9
New International Version

Stephen’s Speech to the Sanhedrin

7 Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”

2 To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers,(A) listen to me! The God of glory(B) appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran.(C) 3 ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’[a](D)

4 “So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Harran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living.(E) 5 He gave him no inheritance here,(F) not even enough ground to set his foot on. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land,(G) even though at that time Abraham had no child. 6 God spoke to him in this way: ‘For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated.(H) 7 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’[b](I) 8 Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision.(J) And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth.(K) Later Isaac became the father of Jacob,(L) and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.(M)

9 “Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph,(N) they sold him as a slave into Egypt.(O) But God was with him(P) 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.(Q)

11 “Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food.(R) 12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our forefathers on their first visit.(S) 13 On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was,(T) and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family.(U) 14 After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family,(V) seventy-five in all.(W) 15 Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our ancestors died.(X) 16 Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.(Y)

17 “As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased.(Z) 18 Then ‘a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.’[c](AA) 19 He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our ancestors by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die.(AB)

20 “At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child.[d] For three months he was cared for by his family.(AC) 21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.(AD) 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians(AE) and was powerful in speech and action.

23 “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. 24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. 26 The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’

27 “But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?(AF) 28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’[e] 29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.(AG)

30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say:(AH) 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers,(AI) the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’[f] Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.(AJ)

33 “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.(AK) 34 I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’[g](AL)

35 “This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’(AM) He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 He led them out of Egypt(AN) and performed wonders and signs(AO) in Egypt, at the Red Sea(AP) and for forty years in the wilderness.(AQ)

37 “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’[h](AR) 38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel(AS) who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors;(AT) and he received living words(AU) to pass on to us.(AV)

39 “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.(AW) 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’[i](AX) 41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made.(AY) 42 But God turned away from them(AZ) and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars.(BA) This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:

“‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
    forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?
43 You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek
    and the star of your god Rephan,
    the idols you made to worship.
Therefore I will send you into exile’[j](BB) beyond Babylon.

44 “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law(BC) with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.(BD) 45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them.(BE) It remained in the land until the time of David,(BF) 46 who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.[k](BG) 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.(BH)

48 “However, the Most High(BI) does not live in houses made by human hands.(BJ) As the prophet says:

49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool.(BK)
What kind of house will you build for me?
says the Lord.
    Or where will my resting place be?
50 Has not my hand made all these things?’[l](BL)

51 “You stiff-necked people!(BM) Your hearts(BN) and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?(BO) They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him(BP)— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels(BQ) but have not obeyed it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious(BR) and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,(BS) looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.(BT) 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open(BU) and the Son of Man(BV) standing at the right hand of God.”

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city(BW) and began to stone him.(BX) Meanwhile, the witnesses(BY) laid their coats(BZ) at the feet of a young man named Saul.(CA)

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”(CB) 60 Then he fell on his knees(CC) and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”(CD) When he had said this, he fell asleep.(CE)

8 And Saul(CF) approved of their killing him.

The Church Persecuted and Scattered

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered(CG) throughout Judea and Samaria.(CH) 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul(CI) began to destroy the church.(CJ) Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

Philip in Samaria

4 Those who had been scattered(CK) preached the word wherever they went.(CL) 5 Philip(CM) went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many,(CN) and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.(CO) 8 So there was great joy in that city.

Simon the Sorcerer

9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery(CP) in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,(CQ) 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.”(CR) 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God(CS) and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized,(CT) both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles(CU) he saw.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria(CV) had accepted the word of God,(CW) they sent Peter and John(CX) to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,(CY) 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them;(CZ) they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.(DA) 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them,(DB) and they received the Holy Spirit.(DC)

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!(DD) 21 You have no part or share(DE) in this ministry, because your heart is not right(DF) before God. 22 Repent(DG) of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me(DH) so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord(DI) and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.(DJ)

Philip and the Ethiopian

26 Now an angel(DK) of the Lord said to Philip,(DL) “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[m](DM) eunuch,(DN) an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,(DO) 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told(DP) Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
    and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
    Who can speak of his descendants?
    For his life was taken from the earth.”[n](DQ)

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began(DR) with that very passage of Scripture(DS) and told him the good news(DT) about Jesus.

36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”(DU) [37] [o] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away,(DV) and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns(DW) until he reached Caesarea.(DX)

Saul’s Conversion(DY)

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.(DZ) He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus,(EA) so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way,(EB) whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.(EC) 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice(ED) say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”(EE)

7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound(EF) but did not see anyone.(EG) 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.(EH) So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,(EI) “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus(EJ) named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on(EK) him to restore his sight.”

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people(EL) in Jerusalem.(EM) 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests(EN) to arrest all who call on your name.”(EO)

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument(EP) to proclaim my name to the Gentiles(EQ) and their kings(ER) and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”(ES)

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on(ET) Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”(EU) 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,(EV) 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the disciples(EW) in Damascus.(EX) 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues(EY) that Jesus is the Son of God.(EZ) 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?(FA) And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”(FB) 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.(FC)

23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him,(FD) 24 but Saul learned of their plan.(FE) Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.(FF)

26 When he came to Jerusalem,(FG) he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas(FH) took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him,(FI) and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.(FJ) 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,[p](FK) but they tried to kill him.(FL) 30 When the believers(FM) learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea(FN) and sent him off to Tarsus.(FO)

31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria(FP) enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.(FQ)

Aeneas and Dorcas

32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people(FR) who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you.(FS) Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon(FT) saw him and turned to the Lord.(FU)

36 In Joppa(FV) there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good(FW) and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.(FX) 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples(FY) heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows(FZ) stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

40 Peter sent them all out of the room;(GA) then he got down on his knees(GB) and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.”(GC) She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.(GD) 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.(GE)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 7:3 Gen. 12:1
  2. Acts 7:7 Gen. 15:13,14
  3. Acts 7:18 Exodus 1:8
  4. Acts 7:20 Or was fair in the sight of God
  5. Acts 7:28 Exodus 2:14
  6. Acts 7:32 Exodus 3:6
  7. Acts 7:34 Exodus 3:5,7,8,10
  8. Acts 7:37 Deut. 18:15
  9. Acts 7:40 Exodus 32:1
  10. Acts 7:43 Amos 5:25-27 (see Septuagint)
  11. Acts 7:46 Some early manuscripts the house of Jacob
  12. Acts 7:50 Isaiah 66:1,2
  13. Acts 8:27 That is, from the southern Nile region
  14. Acts 8:33 Isaiah 53:7,8 (see Septuagint)
  15. Acts 8:37 Some manuscripts include here Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
  16. Acts 9:29 That is, Jews who had adopted the Greek language and culture
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