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book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, did ye offer to me only slain beasts, and sacrifices, during forty years 43 in the desert? Nay, but ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: therefore I will carry 44 you away beyond Babylon. Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the desert, as God appointed, who spake to Moses, that he should make it according to the 45 fashion that he had seen: which our fathers received, and brought in also with Joshua, when they possessed the nations whom God drove out from before our fathers to 46 the days of David; who found favour before God, and desired to provide a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built him an house. However, the Most 48 High dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as the 49 prophet saith, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord *: 50 or what is the place of my rest? hath not my hand made all these things?'

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"Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye always resist the holy spirit: as your fathers did, 52 so ye also do. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? yea, they slew those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom ye have now 53. been betrayers and murtherers: who have received the law by the ministry of angels ‡, and have not kept it §.”

54 And as they heard these things, they were cut to their 55 hearts; and gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the holy spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing

*saith Jehovah. Isaiah lxvi. 1. + Or, persecute and slay? who foretold. N. m, With great pomp and splendour on the mount. Thunder, lightning and tempest may be called angels, like the plague of Egypt, Psalm Ixxviii. 49; and the burning wind, Isaiah xxxvii. 36. Or, by Moses, Aaron,Joshua, and a succession of authorized prophets and messengers of God.

Or, of whom ye, who received the law through ranks of angels, have been betrayers and murtherers,

56 on the right hand of God, and said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the 57 right hand of God." Then they cried out with a loud

voice, and stopped their ears, and ran, upon him with one 58 consent, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him and the witnesses laid down their mantles at a young man's 59 feet, whose name was Saul. So they stoned Stephen,

invoking, and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit*." 60 And he kneeled down, and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." And, when he CH had said this, he fell asleep. Now Saul was gladly con

VIII.

senting to his death.

And on that day there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and 2 Samaria, except the apostles. And religious men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over 3 him. But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house; and, dragging out men and women, he committed A them to prison. Those therefore who were scattered abroad went about preaching the glad tidings of the word.

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Then Philip went down to a city of Samaria, and 6 preached Christ unto them. And the multitudes attended

with one consent to the things spoken by Philip, when 7 they heard and saw the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many that had them: and many that were sick of the palsy, and 8 that were lame, were cured. And there was great joy in that city.

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But there had been before in that city a certain man

"He called on the Lord Jesus, the vision of whom, ver. 56, seems to have been renewed for the purpose of giving this first martyr comfort and support." Newcome. This address of Stephen to Jesus when he actually saw him, does not authorize us to offer prayers to him, now he is invisible. See Lindsey's Ans, to Robinson; p. 86–89.

consented, N. See Wakefield,

called Simon, using magic *, and amazing the people of 10 Samaria, saying that he himself was some great one. Το whom all attended, from the least to the greatest, saying, 11 "This man is the great power of God †." And they

attended to him, because for a long time he had amazed 12 them by magical arts. But, when they believed Philip

preaching the glad tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, 13 both men and women. Then even Simon himself believed: and when he was baptized, he continued stedfastly with Philip, and was amazed, beholding the signs and great miracles which were done.

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Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to 15 them Peter and John: who when they came down, prayed for them that they might receive the holy spirit: 16 for as yet it had fallen on none of them; but they had 17 only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus §. Then

the apostles put their hands on them, and they received 18 the holy spirit. And when Simon saw that by the put

ting on of the apostles' hands the holy spirit was given, 19 he offered them money, saying, "Give me also this power,

that, on whomsoever I put my hands, he may receive 20 the holy spirit." But Peter said unto him, "Thy money

perish with thee; because thou hast thought to purchase 21 the gift of God with money ||. Thou hast no part or lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven

* "Probably by a superior acquaintance with the powers of nature and the efficacy of medicines." Newcome.

+ Gr. the power of God which is called great. MSS. N. m.

14, 15, 16. "Hence a good argument may be drawn that the apostles alone could confer the spirit. See Grot. on ver. 5, 15." Newcome.

§"Compare ch. ii. 38; x. 48; xix. 5: where this shorter form of baptizing seems to be implied." Newcome.

Or, with thee. Because-money, thou hast, &c. Dr. Owen. N. m.

23 thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitter24 ness, and in the bond of iniquity." Then Simon answer

ed, and said, “Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of 25 these things which ye have spoken come upon me." So

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these, when they had borne witness to and declared the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many towns of the Samaritans.

Now an angel of the Lord spake to Philip, saying, "Arise, and go toward the south, to the way which goeth .down from Jerusalem unto Gaza; which is a desert way." 27 And he arose and went: and behold, there was an Ethiopian, an eunuch of great authority under Candacè queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and who had come to Jerusalem that he might worship: 28 and he was returning, and sitting in his chariot; and he 29 read the prophet Isaiah. Then the spirit said to Philip, 30 "Go near, and join thyself to this chariot." And Philip

ran thither, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?" 31 And the eunuch said, "How can I, unless some man guide me?" And he desired that Philip would come up, 32 and sit with him. Now the place of the scripture which he read was this, "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and, as the lamb is dumb before his shearer, so he openeth 33 not his mouth. In his humiliation, his condemnation was extorted*: and who can describe the wickedness of his generation +? for his life is taken from the earth." 34 And the eunuch spake to Philip, and said, "I pray thee,

of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of 35 some other man?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and began from this part of scripture, and preached to him 36 the glad tidings of Jesus. And as they were going on their way, they came to some water: and the eunuch

* See Dodson's Isaiah in loc. The just judgement of him was taken away, N. "So yà, ch. xiii. 36, is used for the race of men with whom David lived," Newcome.

*

saith, " See, here is water; what hindereth my being 38 baptized?" Then he commanded that the chariot should stand still and they two went down into the water, both 39 Philip and the eunuch; and Philip baptized him. And

when they were come up out of the water, † the spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him 40 no more for he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and, passing through, he preached the gospel in all the cities, till he came to Cesarea. CH. IX. Now Saul, still breathing out threats and slaughter

against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high-priest, 2 and desired of him letters to the synagogues at Damascus,

that if he found any of this religion, whether they were men 3 or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. And, as he journeyed, he came near Damascus and suddenly 4 a light from heaven shone round about him: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, 5 Saul, why persecutest thou me?" And he said, “Who art thou, Sir?" And [the Lord] said, "I am Jesus But rise up, and go into the 7 city; and it shall be told thee what thou must do." And

6 whom thou persecutest.

the men who journeyed with him remained mute, hearing 8 a sound, but seeing no one. And Saul arose from the ground §; and, when his eyes were opened, he saw no one but some led him by the hand, and brought him

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* The received text adds ver. 37. "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest.' And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God." This verse is wanting in the Alex, Ephr. and many other manuscripts and versions, and is probably a marginal note inserted by mistake into the text. See Newcome and Griesbach.

+ The Alex. and some other copies read, “the holy spirit fell on the eunuch, and an angel of the Lord," &c.

R. T. adds, "It is hard for thee to kick against the goads.' But he trembling and astonished said, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' And the Lord said unto him—” These words are not found in any Greek manuscript of note, and are wanting in the Syriac, Coptic, and other antient versions. They were probably added in the Vulgate and other versions from the parallel places, as has been often done in the gospels. See Griesbach and Newcome's note.

§ earth, N.

Or, but he was led and brought into, N. m.

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