And the high priest said, Are these things so?

And he said,  ¹Men, brothers and fathers, listen. The God of  ²glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,

And said to him, “Come out from your land and from your relatives, and come into the land which I will show you.”

Then he came forth from the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, after his father died, He  ¹removed him into this land, in which you now dwell.

Yet He did not give him an inheritance in it, not even a place to set his foot on; and He promised to give it to him for a possession and to his seed after him, while he had no child.

And God spoke in this way that his seed would be a sojourner in a  ¹foreign land, and  ²they would enslave them and mistreat them  ³four hundred years.

“And whatever nation they will serve as slaves I will judge,” said God, “and after these things they will come forth and serve Me as priests in this place.”

And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision; and thus Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac, Jacob; and Jacob, the twelve patriarchs.

And the patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt; yet God was with him

And rescued him out of all his afflictions and granted him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he appointed him governor over Egypt and over all his house.

And a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan as well as great affliction; and our fathers could find no  ¹sustenance.

But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers out the first time.

And during the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's race became manifest to Pharaoh.

And Joseph sent word and called for Jacob his father and all his family,  ¹seventy-five souls in all.

And Jacob went down into Egypt; and he ended his days, he and our fathers.

And they were carried over to Shechem and placed in the tomb which Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

But as the time of the promise which God had assured to Abraham drew near, the people grew and were multiplied in Egypt,

Until  ¹another king rose up over Egypt who did not know of Joseph.

This one dealt craftily with our race and mistreated our fathers, so that they threw out their babies in order that they would not be kept alive.

At this time  ¹Moses was born and was  ²lovely to God. And he was nurtured three months in his father's house.

And when he was  ¹thrown out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up and nurtured him as a son for herself.

And Moses was educated in all the  ¹wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in his words and works.

But when he was approaching forty years of age, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.

And when he saw one of them being wronged, he defended him, and he avenged him who was being oppressed by striking the Egyptian dead.

And he supposed that his brothers understood that God through his hand was giving salvation to them; but they did not understand.

And on the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting and tried to reconcile them in peace, saying,  ¹Men, you are brothers. Why are you wronging one another?

But the one who was wronging his neighbor pushed him away, saying, "Who appointed you a ruler and a judge over us?

Do you want to do away with me the same way you did away with the Egyptian yesterday?”

And Moses fled at this word and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begot two sons.

And when forty years had been fulfilled, an  ¹Angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai in the flame of a thornbush fire.

And when Moses saw it, he marveled at the vision; and as he approached to examine it, there came the voice of the  ¹Lord:

“I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.” And Moses trembled and dared not  ¹examine it.

And the Lord said to him, "Untie the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground.

 ¹I have surely seen the ill-treatment of My people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. And now, come, I will send you into Egypt.”

This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who appointed you a ruler and a judge? this one God has sent as both a ruler and a redeemer, along with the hand of the Angel who  ¹appeared to him in the thornbush.

This man led them out, doing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.

This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, “A Prophet will God raise up unto you from your brothers, like me.”

This is the one who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him in Mount Sinai and with our fathers, and who received living oracles to give to us.

To him our fathers were not willing to become obedient, but thrust him away and turned in their hearts to Egypt,

Saying to Aaron, “Make gods for us who will go before us; for this Moses, who has led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.”

And they made a  ¹calf in those days and brought up a sacrifice to the idol and were glad with the works of their hands.

But God turned and delivered them up to  ¹serve the  ²host of heaven, even as it is written in the  ³book of the prophets, "Did you offer slain beasts and sacrifices to Me for forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

And you took up the  ¹tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god  ²Rompha, the images which you made to worship. And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.”

The tabernacle of Testimony was with our fathers in the wilderness, even as He who spoke to Moses instructed him to make it, according to the pattern which he had seen.

This tabernacle our fathers, having in their turn received, also brought in with Joshua when they took possession of the nations, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David,

Who found favor before God and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.

But Solomon built Him a house.

Yet the  ¹Most High does  ²not dwell in that which is made by hands, even as the prophet says,

"Heaven is My throne, and the earth is a footstool for My feet.  ¹What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest?

Has not My hand made all these things?”

You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, you always  ¹oppose the Holy  ²Spirit; as your fathers did, you also do.

Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand concerning the coming of the righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become,

You who received the law as  ¹ordinances of angels and did not keep it.

Now as they heard these things, they were  ¹exasperated and gnashed their teeth at him.

But being  ¹full of the Holy Spirit, he looked intently into heaven and saw the  ²glory of God and Jesus  ³standing at the right hand of God;

And he said, Behold, I see the  ¹heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

But they cried out with a loud voice and covered their ears and rushed upon him with one accord.

And they threw him outside of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man called  ¹Saul.

And they stoned Stephen as he  ¹called upon the Lord and said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!

And kneeling down, he cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do  ¹not hold this sin against them. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

And Saul approved of his killing. And there occurred in that day a great persecution against the  ¹church which was in Jerusalem; and all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

And devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him.

But Saul was devastating the church, entering house after house; and dragging off men and women, he delivered them to prison.

Those therefore who were scattered went throughout the land  ¹announcing the word as the gospel.

And  ¹Philip  ²went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.

And the crowds gave heed with one accord to the things said by Philip as they heard and saw the signs which he did.

For with many of those who had unclean spirits, the spirits came out crying with a loud voice; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

And there was much joy in that city.

And a certain man named Simon had previously been practicing magic in the city and had been amazing the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great.

To him they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the power of God which is called Great.

And they gave heed to him because for a considerable time he had amazed them with his magic.

But when they believed Philip, who  ¹announced the gospel of the kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

And even Simon himself believed, and once he had been baptized, he continued steadfastly with Philip. And as he beheld the  ¹signs and great works of power taking place, he was amazed.

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,

Who went down and prayed for them so that they might  ¹receive the Holy Spirit;

For He had  ¹not yet fallen upon any of them, but they had only been baptized  ²into the  ³name of the Lord Jesus.

Then they  ¹laid their hands on them, and they  ²received the Holy Spirit.

But when Simon saw that through the laying on of the hands of the apostles the  ¹Spirit was given, he offered them  ²money, saying,

Give me also this authority that on whomever I lay my hands he may receive the Holy Spirit.

But Peter said to him, May your silver go with you into  ¹destruction, because you thought that you would acquire the gift of God through money.

You have no part nor lot in  ¹this matter, for your heart is not straight before God.

Repent therefore from this wickedness of yours and beseech the Lord if perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you;

For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of unrighteousness.

And Simon answered and said, You beseech the Lord on my behalf, so that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.

They therefore, having solemnly  ¹testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem; and they announced the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Rise up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is the desert route.

And he rose up and went. And behold, an  ¹Ethiopian man, a eunuch, a man in power under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to  ²worship.

And he was returning and was sitting in his chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah.

And the  ¹Spirit said to Philip, Approach and join this chariot.

And when Philip ran up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, Do you really know the things that you are reading?

And he said, How could I unless someone guides me? And he entreated Philip to come up and sit with him.

Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "As a sheep  ¹He was led to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so He does not open His mouth.

In His humiliation His judgment was taken away. Who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken away from the earth.”

And the eunuch answered Philip and said, I beseech you, Concerning whom does the prophet say this? Concerning himself or concerning someone else?

And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he announced Jesus as the gospel to him.

And as they were going along the road, they came upon some water, and the eunuch said, Look,  ¹water. What prevents me from being baptized?

 ¹And Philip said, If you believe from all your heart, you will be saved. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

And he ordered the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away; and the eunuch did not see him anymore, for he went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip was found in Azotus; and passing through, he announced the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.

But Saul, still breathing threatening and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

And asked for letters from him to Damascus for the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of the  ¹Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

And as he went, he drew near to Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

And he fell on the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting  ¹Me?

And he said, Who are You,  ¹Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, whom you persecute.

But rise up and enter into the city, and it  ¹will be told to you what you must do.

And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

And Saul rose from the ground; and though his eyes were open, he could see  ¹nothing. And they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

And he was three days without seeing, and he neither ate nor drank.

And there was a certain disciple in Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

And the Lord said to him, Rise up and  ¹go to the lane called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas a man from Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying;

And he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that he may  ¹receive his sight.

But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many concerning this man, how many evil things he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem;

And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who  ¹call upon Your name.

But the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is a  ¹chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before both the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

For I will show him how many things he must suffer on behalf of My name.

And Ananias went away and entered into the house; and  ¹laying his hands on him, he said, Saul, brother, the Lord has sent me — Jesus, who appeared to you on the road on which you were coming — so that you may receive your sight and be  ²filled with the Holy Spirit.

And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he  ¹received his sight and rose up and was  ²baptized.

And once he had taken food, he was strengthened. And he was with the disciples in Damascus for some days.

And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the  ¹synagogues, that this One is the Son of God.

And all who heard him were amazed and said, Is this not the one who ravaged those who call upon this name in Jerusalem and came here for this, that he might bring them bound before the chief priests?

But Saul was all the more empowered, and he confounded the Jews dwelling in Damascus by proving that this One is the Christ.

And as a considerable number of days were being fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to do away with him;

But their plot was made known to Saul. And they also watched the gates closely, both day and night, so that they might do away with him.

But his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

And when he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; yet all feared him, not believing that he was a disciple.

But Barnabas took hold of him and led him to the apostles, and he related to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.

And he was with them, going in and going out in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.

And he spoke and disputed with the Hellenists, but they attempted to do away with him.

But when the brothers realized it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus.

So then the  ¹church throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had  ²peace,  ³being built up; and going on in the  ⁴fear of the Lord and in the  ⁵comfort of the Holy Spirit, it was multiplied.

Now as Peter was passing through all those parts, he came down also to the saints dwelling at  ¹Lydda.

And he found there a certain man named Aeneas, who for eight years had been lying on a mat, for he was paralyzed.

And Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Rise up and  ¹make up your own bed. And immediately he rose up.

And all those dwelling in Lydda and Sharon saw him; and they turned to the Lord.

Now in Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is  ¹Dorcas); this woman was full of good works and alms which she did.

And in those days she became ill and died; and they bathed  ¹her body and laid it in an upper room.

Now because Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was  ¹there, and they sent two men to him, entreating him, Do not delay to come through to us.

And Peter rose up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him up into the upper room. And all the widows stood by him, weeping and showing him  ¹tunics and garments, all of which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

And Peter put them all outside; and kneeling down, he prayed; and he turned to the body and said, Tabitha, rise up. And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

And giving her his hand, he raised her up. And when he had called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive.

And it became known throughout all of Joppa and many believed on the Lord.

And he remained a considerable number of days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.