SEVEN MEN ARE CHOSEN FROM AMONG THE DISCIPLES TO GIVE ALMS TO THE POOR. STEPHEN IS STONED. THE DISCIPLES, BEING PERSECUTED BY THE JEWS, FLEE TO OTHER COUNTRIES. SAUL GOES TO DAMASCUS TO BIND THE DISCIPLES THERE, AND THE LORD APEARS TO HIM BY THE WAY. PETER HEALS ENEAS OF THE PALSY, AND RAISES DORCAS FROM THE DEAD.
WE have read that the disciples who had houses or lands, sold them and brought the money to the apostles, that they might give alms to the poor. Now there were among the disciples some poor widows, who complained that their share of the alms was not given them. Then the apostles called all the disciples together and said, It is not right that we should leave off preaching the gospel to attend to giving out alms; therefore do you choose, from among yourselves, seven men, who are honest and prudent and whom all the disciples are willing to trust, and let them take the money, instead of us, and attend to this business. But we will spend all our time in preaching and praying to God.
What the apostles said pleased the disciples, and they chose seven men who were called deacons. Their names were Stephen and Philip, Prochorus and Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas. These seven the disciples brought to the apostles, who prayed for them, that God would help them and give them wisdom in attending to the work they were chosen for. When they had prayed for them, they laid their hands on the heads of each one of them, for so the apostles used to do to those persons whom they sent out to work and preach among the people.
After this many were baptized, and great numbers of the priests believed. And Stephen, one of the seven deacons, not only waited on the poor, but he preached to the people and did great miracles among them. Then some of the Jews that would not believe, being angry, took him before the council. There they brought false witnesses to accuse him, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak wicked words against the temple and against God's law. And the high priest asked him, saying, Are these things so? Stephen answered, Men and brethren, listen to me. A great while ago God spoke to our father Abraham and told him to go away from the land where he was born and where he then lived, to another land which God said he would show him. Then Abraham left his own land and came into the land of Canaan, where you now dwell. And God promised to give this land to him, and to his descendants after he should die. God said also, that Abraham's descendants should live in a strange country, away from Canaan, four hundred years, and that the people of that country would treat them very cruelly. Yet God told Abraham, he would punish the people who treated them so, and afterward would bring Abraham's descendants back to the land of Canaan.
And God made a covenant, or agreement, with Abraham and his descendants, and promised to be their God. And he gave Abraham a son whose name was called Isaac. And Isaac had a son called Jacob; and Jacob had twelve sons who were called the twelve patriarchs, of whom Joseph was one. And Joseph's brethren, because they were jealous of him, sold him to the Ishmaelites, who carried him down into Egypt. But God was with him and caused Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to be kind to him; and Pharaoh made Joseph governor over Egypt.
And there came a great famine in Egypt and Canaan, and Joseph's brethren had nothing for themselves or their families to eat. But Jacob, their father, heard there was corn in Egypt, and he sent them into that land to buy food. When they came there, Joseph knew them, and he told Pharaoh of them. Then Joseph sent them to bring their father, their wives and their children down into Egypt. And Jacob (who was also called Israel) came into Egypt and died there, and afterward was carried back into Canaan to be buried in the sepulchre which Abraham had bought of Ephron the Hittite.
But Joseph and his brethren still lived in the land of Egypt. And after many years, their descendants grew to be a great many people there. And another king ruled over Egypt who had never known Joseph. This king was very cruel to the Israelites and commanded his servants to take their little children and kill them. At this time Moses was born; he was very beautiful and his mother loved him, and she hid him for three months so that the Egyptians might not take him from her. Then when she could hide him no longer, she laid him in an ark beside the river. There Pharaoh's daughter found him; and she pitied him and took him to her house to bring him up as her own son; and he was taught in all the learning of the Egyptians.
But when he was forty years old, he went out to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. And seeing an Egyptian treat one of them cruelly, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand; for Moses thought the children of Israel would understand that God had sent him to set them free from the Egyptians, but they understood not. When Pharaoh heard what Moses had done, he tried to kill him, but Moses fled into the land of Midian where Pharaoh could not find him.
After he had been in that land forty years he saw on mount Sinai a flame of fire in a bush, yet the bush was not burned. When Moses saw it he wondered at the sight. And as he turned to look at it, God spoke to him out of the bush, saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and Moses trembled and hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. And God told him that he had seen the affliction of the children of Israel, and had come down to deliver them. Then God commanded Moses to go and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt, and he made Moses ruler over them.
And Moses did as God commanded; he went into Egypt and when he had called down great punishments on Pharaoh and his people, he brought the children of Israel out of that land, through the Red Sea; and afterward led them forty years through the wilderness. This is that Moses, Stephen said, who received God's laws on mount Sinai that he might teach them to our fathers. Yet our fathers would not obey him; they tried to put him away from ruling over them and wanted to go back into Egypt. For, while he was on mount Sinai, they asked Aaron to make an idol for them, saying, As for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of Egypt, we know not what has become of him. And Aaron made them a golden calf, and they offered up sacrifices to it and worshipped it. Then God was angry with them and allowed them to have their own way, and they went on worshipping idols, until they were carried, as captives, to Babylon.
After Stephen had spoken these things to the rulers in the council, and told them about the wickedness of their fathers, he said to them, You are like your fathers. Which of the prophets did they not persecute? They killed those who were sent to tell them that Jesus was coming, and now you have slain that Just One himself.
When the men in the council heard these words, they were filled with rage against Stephen, and gnashed on him with their teeth like wild beasts. But he, looking up toward heaven, saw a glorious light there, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, I see the heavens opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Then they cried out with loud voices against him, and stopped their ears that they might not hear his words; and they brought him out of the city and stoned him. While they were stoning him, he kneeled down on the ground and prayed, saying, Lord forgive them for this sin.
Now whenever a man was stoned by the Jews, those persons who had borne witness against him always cast the first stone. And so the false witnesses who had spoken against Stephen, cast the first stones at him. They took off their outer garments that they might use their arms more freely in doing this, and they laid those garments down on the ground by the feet of a young man named Saul, for him to keep them safe till they were ready to put them on again.
After this there was a great persecution against the disciples. But good men took Stephen's dead body, and mourned over him, and buried him. As for Saul, the young man who had kept the clothes of the witnesses, he did much harm; for he went into every house to find those who believed on Jesus, and when he had found them, he took them, both men and women, and put them in prison. Therefore the disciples fled out of Jerusalem to different parts of the land, and to other countries; but whereever they went, they preached the gospel to the people.
And Philip, another of the seven deacons, went down to the city of Samaria, and preached to the people there; and they listened to him, seeing the miracles he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voices, came out when he commanded them, and persons who were sick with the palsy, or lame, he made well. Therefore there was great joy in the city and many believed and were baptized, both of men and women. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard this, they sent Peter and John, who came to Samaria, and prayed that the Holy Spirit might be given to the persons who believed. Then they laid their hands on the heads of those persons, and God sent his Holy Spirit into them.
Now there was at Samaria a man named Simon, who before that time had deceived the people, pretending he could do things for them by magic; and they all listened to his words, and said, This man has power given to him from God. But when Philip preached the gospel in that city, and many believed and were baptized, Simon came and said that he believed, and asked to be baptized also. Then Philip baptized him. Afterward he stayed with Philip, wondering at the miracles that he did.
And when Peter and John had come from Jerusalem, and Simon saw that by laying on of their hands the Holy Spirit was given to those that believed, he went to them and offered to pay them money if they would give him power by laying on of his hands to bring down God's Holy Spirit from heaven. But Peter told him he had done very wickedly in thinking that what God gave to those who loved him, could be bought for money; and he said to Simon, Repent of thy sin, and ask to be forgiven, for I see thou art yet a wicked man, and a servant of Satan. Then Simon answered, Pray you to the Lord for me, that he may not send his punishment upon me.
And the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, and commanded him to leave Samaria, and go through the wilderness toward the city of Gaza. And Philip obeyed, and went. As he was going, a man from the land of Ethiopia, who was an eunuch, or officer, of great power under the queen of Ethiopia, and who took care of all her treasure, came by that way. He had been up to Jerusalem to worship at the temple, and now, as he sat in his chariot returning to his own land, he read the Scriptures. The part he read was where the prophet Isaiah told the children of Israel that a Saviour was coming into the world to die for sinners.
When Philip saw the eunuch, the Holy Spirit commanded him, saying, Go near to the chariot and speak with him. Then Philip ran and came near to the chariot, and he heard the eunuch reading aloud the words which the prophet had written. And Philip spoke to him, and said, Dost thou understand what thou readest? The eunuch answered, How can I, except some man should explain it to me? And he asked Philip to come and sit with him in the chariot. Philip did so; and the eunuch said, I pray thee, tell me what the prophet meant when he wrote these words? whether he was speaking about himself or some other man? Then Philip began and explained the Scriptures, and preached to him about Jesus.
As they went on their journey, they came to a place where there was water, and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what is there to keep me from being baptized? Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. The eunuch answered, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still; and they two went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and Philip baptized him. When they had come up again the Holy Spirit took Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more. And the eunuch went on his journey back to his own land, full of joy, because he had heard about Jesus and been made one of his disciples. Afterward Philip was found at a city called Azotus, and leaving there, he preached in all the cities till he came to Cesarea.
And Saul, being full of anger and hatred against the disciples, went to the high priest at Jerusalem, and asked for letters to the rulers of the synagogues in the city of Damascus, that he might go to that city, and if he found any disciples there, bind them with fetters, whether they were men or women, and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished. And the high priest gave him the letters he asked for, and he started on his journey to Damascus. But when he came near that city, suddenly there shone around him a great light from heaven, and Jesus appeared to him. And Saul was afraid, and fell down on the ground. And he heard a voice, saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Saul said, Who art thou, Lord? The voice answered, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. It was Jesus speaking to Saul, and he meant to say that when Saul persecuted his disciples, it was the same as if he persecuted him.
Then Saul, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? The Lord said, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men who were with him stood silent; they heard the voice but could not understand the words that were spoken. When Saul rose from the earth he could not see, for the light had blinded him; and those who were with him led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink.
There was living, at that time, in Damascus a disciple named Ananias. And the Lord spoke to him, and said, Ananias. He answered, I am here, Lord. The Lord said to him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and ask at the house of Judas for a man named Saul. He is now praying to me, and has seen thee in a vision, coming to him and putting thy hand on him, that he may receive his sight. Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard many speak of this man, and of the great evil he has done to thy people in Jerusalem; and he has come here with letters from the chief priests, giving him power to bind in fetters all who believe on thee. But the Lord said, Go, as I have told thee, for I have chosen him to preach my gospel to the Gentiles, and to kings, and to the children of Israel. And I will show him what great sufferings he must bear for my sake.
Then Ananias obeyed and went into the house of Judas, and putting his hands on Saul, said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to thee as thou wast coming to Damascus, has sent me to put my hands on thee, that thou mayest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately Saul's eyes were opened and he could see; and he rose up and was baptized. After he had eaten some food his strength came to him again. Then he stayed with the disciples who were in Damascus, and went into the synagogues and preached about Christ to the people, telling them that he was the Son of God.
But all who heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this the man who persecuted those who believed in Jerusalem, and came here that he might bind the disciples and carry them to the chief priests to be punished? Yet Saul preached more and more earnestly, and proved, out of the Scriptures, to the Jews at Damascus, that Jesus was the Saviour; so that although they would not believe, they could not deny what he said. And after many days had passed, the Jews, being filled with anger, talked with one another, about some way of killing him. And they watched by day and by night, to take him when he should go out through the gates of the city. But the disciples heard of it, and took him by night, and let him down in a basket from a window that was over the wall, so that he escaped out of Damascus and afterward, went to Jerusalem.
When he had come to Jerusalem he went to the disciples who were there, because now, instead of hating them, he loved them and wanted to be with them; but they were all afraid of him, and would not believe that he himself had been made a disciple. And Barnabas, one of those men who had sold their land and given the money to the poor, brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen Jesus as he journeyed, and afterward had preached the gospel boldly at Damascus. Then the apostles took Saul, and he stayed with them and preached in Jerusalem. But some of the Jews at Jerusalem, like those at Damascus, determined to slay him. When the apostles knew of it, they sent him away to a city called Tarsus (which was not in the land of Israel, but in a country called Asia Minor) where Saul was born. After this, the Bible says, the Churches had rest, that is, no one troubled, or persecuted, them. By Churches are meant the congregations, or companies, of disciples that met together in different places, not the buildings, or houses, in which they met.
As Peter went through different parts of the land, visiting the churches there, he came to the city of Lydda. And he found in that city a man named Eneas, who had the palsy, and had lain on his bed for eight years. Peter said to him, Eneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee well. Rise up, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately. And many of the people who lived at Lydda and in the country around it, saw Eneas after he was made well; and they believed on Jesus.
At Joppa, which was a city not far from Lydda, there was a disciple named Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and kind acts, which she did to the poor. At that time she fell sick and died. Then they washed her dead body and made it ready for burial, laying it in an upper chamber. And because Lydda was near to Joppa, and the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men asking him to make haste and come to them. Peter arose, and went. When they had brought him to the house, they took him into the upper chamber where the body of Dorcas lay. And all the poor widows whom she had helped, stood by him, showing the coats and garments which she had made for them while she was alive. But Peter put every one out, and kneeled down and prayed; and turning to the dead body, he said, Dorcas, arise! And she awaked like one who had been asleep, and when she saw Peter, sat up. And he reached out his hand and helped her to rise. Then he called those who were in the house, and gave her to them. And Peter stayed many days in Joppa, at the house of Simon, a tanner.