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dwelt in Charran: and from thence, after his father died, God brought him into this land wherein ye now dwell. 5. Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a footstep, but he promised to give it to him, and to his seed after him, for a possession, when as yet he had no child. 6. God spake also in this manner, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and be in bondage and ill-treated, to the four hundredth year (from the prediction, Gen. xv. 13.) 7. But the nation whom they shall serve, I will judge, said God; and after that, they shall come forth and worship me in this place. 8. Then he gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

9. But the patriarchs moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt; but God was with him, 10. And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt; so as to make him governor over Egypt and all his house.

11. Now, there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, with great affliction, so our fathers found no sustenance. 12. But Jacob hearing there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13. And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred became known to Pharaoh 14. Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob, with all his kindred, seventy-five persons. 15. So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died, 16. And were carried to Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Jacob bought with money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

17. But when the time of the promise drew near, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, 18. Till another king arose who knew not Joseph. 19. He dealt

subtilely with our kindred, and afflicted our fathers, and cast out their infants to die.

20. In which time Moses was born, and being divinely fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months; 21. Then being cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. 22. So Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

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23. And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the Israelites. 24. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 25. For he supposed his brethren would understand how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. 26. And the next day also, he appeared to two of them as they contended, and would have reconciled them, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one another? 27. But he that did his neighbour wrong, thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 28. Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday? 29. At this saying, Moses fled, and was a stranger in the land of Midian, where he begat

two sons.

30. And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him, in the wilderness of mount Sinai, an angel of the Lord (even Christ) in a flame of fire in a bush. 31. At which sight Moses wondered; and as he drew near to observe it well, the Lord's voice came to him, 32. Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. 33. Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is consecrated ground. 34. I have surely seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and heard their groaning, so I am come down to

deliver them: so come now, I will send thee into Egypt. 35. This same Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the ministry of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36. He brought them out, doing wonders and miracles in Egypt, and at the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

37. This is that Moses who said to the Israelites, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your brethren, a deliverer like me: to him do ye hearken. 38. This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel who spake to him on mount Sinai, and: with our fathers; and who received the life-giving oracles to deliver to us; 39. Whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him away, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, 40. Saying to Aaron, Make us a divine guide to go before us; for as to this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. 41. And they made a golden calf in these days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the work of their hands.

42. Then God forsook them, and suffered them to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the prophets, O house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices, during forty years in the wilderness? ye did not. did not. 43. Yet, ye 43. Yet, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship: therefore I will carry you away beyond Babylon. 44. Our fathers had the tabernacle of (God for a) testimony in the wilderness, as he appointed, speaking to Moses to make it according to the model he had seen (on Mount Sinai). 45. Which our fathers brought in with Joshua into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before our fathers, to the days of David; 46. Who found favour before God, and desired to provide a tabernacle for

the God of Jacob. 47. But Solomon built him an house. 48. However the inost High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49. Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord, or, what is the place of my rest? 50. Hath not my hand made all these things?

51. O stubborn and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye always resist the Holy Spirit, as your fathers did. 52. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted and slain? who foretold the coming of Jesus the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53. Ye received the law by the ministration of angels, and have not kept it.

54. Hearing these things, they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth at him. 55. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked steadfastly to heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56. And said, Behold, I see the heaven opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.

57. Then they cried out aloud, and stopped their ears, and ran all violently on him, 58. And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their mantles at a young man's feet, named Saul.

59. Thus they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60. He also kneeled down, and cried out aloud, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge, (Luke xxiii. 34. 1 Tim. i. 13). And having said this, he fell asleep; now Saul consented to his death.

CHAP. VIII.

PERSECUTION IN JERUSALEM.

Ar that time there was also a great persecution against the church at Jerusalem; so they were all

1

scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

2. Now religious men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

3. And Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and dragging men and women, committed them to prison.

4. Therefore they who were scattered abroad went every where, preaching the glad tidings of the word.

5. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them. 6. And the people hearkened unanimously to these things Philip spake; hearing him, and seeing the miracles he did. 7. For unclean spirits, crying aloud, came out of many possessed with them; and many paralytic and lame were healed. 8. So there was great joy in that city.

9. But there was a certain man called Simon, who formerly used magic in the city, and astonished the people of Samaria, saying, that himself was some great one: 10. To whom all attended from the least to the greatest, saying, He is the great power of God. 11. They gave heed to him, because he had long astonished them with magic

arts.

12. But believing Philip preaching the glad tidings 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 being baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the great miracles and signs which were done.

14. Now, the apostles who were at Jerusalem, hearing that Samaria received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John: 15. Who being come down, prayed that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 16. For as yet he was fallen on none of them; they were only baptized in the

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