fices, by the space of forty years in the wilder43 ness?* Yes, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, images which ye made, to worship; and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. Our 44 fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as God had appointed, who spake unto Moses, that he should make it according 45 to the fashion that he had seen. Which our

fathers also received who came with Joshuat into the possessions of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers 46 even unto the days of David. Who found

favour before God, and desired to provide a 47 tabernacle for the God of Jacob. But Solo48 mon built him an house. However, the Most

High dwelleth not in temples made with hands, 49 as saith the prophet.‡ Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. What house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the 50 place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?

51

Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: 52 as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? They have also slain those who predicted the coming of that righteous person, of whom ye

* See Amos v. 25. It is there a question, and so it should be here.

↑ Jesus, in Greek, has the same meaning, as Joshua in Hebrew.

See Isaiah chap. Ixvi. 1, 2.

Neh. ix. 20. Isaiah Ixiii. 10.

have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53 Who received the law by the ministry of angels, and have not kept it.

54

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth at 55 him. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right 56 hand of God. And he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing 57 on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, 58 and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young 59 man's feet, whose name was Saul; and they

stoned Stephen, calling upon, and saying, 60 Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.* And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

1

CHAP. VIII.

NOW Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the

The meaning is, that Stephen called upon, or invoked the name of Jesus, and said, Lord, receive my spirit.

2 apostles.*

And devout men carried Ste

phen to his burial, and made great lamentation 3 over him. But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and dragging men 4 and women, committing them to prison. Then they who were thus dispersed abroad, went 5 about preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached 6 Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, when they heard and saw the 7 miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many that were possessed; and those who were paralytic 8 and lame were made whole. And there was 9 great joy in that city. But there was a certain man whose name was Simon, who had for some time been in that city, a magician, who deceived the people, claiming to be some great one. 10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great 11 power of God. And to him they had regard,

because for a long time he had deluded them 12 with magical arts. But when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip,

.

* Till this time the disciples seem to have kept in and about Jerusalem. Now they went into other parts of Judea, and many years after into other countries, and preached to heathens.

† Is a god; or has divine power.

and wondered, beholding the miracles and 14 signs which were done.* Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they 15 sent unto them Peter and John; who, when they were come down, prayed for them that 16 they might receive the Holy Spirit. (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord 17 Jesus) Then they laid hands on them, and 18 they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that by laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered 19 them money; saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may re20 ceive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be 21 purchased with money. Thou hast neither

part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not 22 right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven 23 thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall

of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 24 Then Simon said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken

*Simon, the Magician, professed to believe in Christ, but he was not sincere; he was a vile impostor, and bitter enemy of the gospel.

† The miraculous gifts of the Spirit are here intended.

25 come upon me.

*

And when they had testified

and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many. 26 villages of the Samaritans. And an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south, unto the way which goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is 27 desert. And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and 28 had come to Jerusalem to worship, was return

ing, and sitting in his chariot, reading Isaiah 29 the prophet. Then the spirit said unto Philip, 30 Go near and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Isaiah; and he said, Understand31 est thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip, that he would 32 come up, and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearers, so he opened not 33 his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his gen

* Simon attempted to imitate the miracles of the apostles, probably by art and juggling. He continued to be a malignant enemy of Christianity; and opposed to the simplicity of the gospel the most fanciful and absurd notions respecting God, the Son of God, and the Christ, whom he himself claimed to be, in contradistinction from Jesus of Nazareth, who died on the cross.

+ That remarkable prophecy in the Iviii. chap. so descriptive of the character and sufferings of Christ.