Σκληροτράχηλοι, καὶ ἀπερίτμητοι τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν, ὑμεῖς ἀεὶ τῷ πνεύ ματι τῷ ἁγίῳ ἀντιπίπτετε· ὡς οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν, καὶ ὑμεῖς. Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, aye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. a But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them, Isa. lxiii. 10. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption, Eph iv. 30. Quench not the Spirit, 1 Thess. v. 19. VER. 52. Τίνα τῶν προφητῶν οὐκ ἐδίωξαν οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν ; καὶ ἀπέκτειναν τοὺς προκά ταγγείλαντας περὶ τῆς ἐλεύσεως τοῦ δια καίου, οὗ νῦν ὑμεῖς προδόται καὶ φονεῖς γεγένησθε a Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: a See on Matt. v. ver. 12. clause 3. b See on chap. iii. ver. 14. clause 2. VER. 53. Οἵτινες ἐλάβετε τὸν νόμον εἰς διαταγὰς ἀγγέλων, καὶ οὐκ ἐφυλάξατε. a Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, band have not kept it. a The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the LORD is among them as in Sinai, in the holy place, Psal. lxviii. 17. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator, Gal. iii. 19. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience A. D. 33. received a just recompence of reward, Heb. ii. 2. b See on John vii. ver. 19. clause 2. VER. 54. Ακούοντες δὲ ταῦτα, διεπρίοντο ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔβρυχον τοὺς ὀδόντας ἐπ' αὐτόν. a When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they grashed on him with their teeth. a When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them, Acts v. 33. VER. 55. Ὑπάρχων δὲ πλήρης Πνεύματος ἁγίου, ἀτενίσας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, εἶδε δόξαν Θεοῦ, καὶ Ἰησοῦν ἑστῶτα ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, But he, a being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, Acts vi. 5. b See on John i. ver. 14. clause 2. c See on Matt. xxii. ver. 44. VER. 56. Καὶ εἶπεν· Ἰδού, θεωρῶ τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἀνεωγμένους, καὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ δεξιῶν ἑστῶτα τοῦ Θεοῦ. And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. a See on Matt. xvi. ver. 13. clause 4. bSee on Matt. xxii. ver. 44. VER. 57. Κράξαντες δὲ φωνῇ μεγάλη, συνέσχον τὰ ὦτα αὐτῶν, καὶ ὥρμησαν ὁμοθυμαδόν ἐπ ̓ αὐτόν· Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, VER. 58. βόλουν· καὶ οἱ μάρτυρες ἀπέθεντο τὰ Καὶ ἐκβαλόντες ἔξω τῆς πόλεως, ἐλιθοἱμάτια αὐτῶν παρὰ τοὺς πόδας νεανίου καλουμένου Σαύλου, a And cast him out of the city, and stoned him and the witnesses claid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose nume was Saul. a See on John viii. ver. 59. clause 1. A. D. 33. ACTS VII. 58-60.—viii. 1—3. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you, Deut xvii. 7. e And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem, Acts viii. 1. And Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the High Priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem, ix. 1, 2. VER. 59. Καὶ ἐλιθοβόλουν τὸν Στέφανον, ἐπικαλούμενον καὶ λέγοντα· Κύριε Ἰησοῦ, δέξαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου. a And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, band saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. a See on chap. ix. ver. 14. clause 2. bInto thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, Ŏ LORD God of truth, Psal. xxxi. 5. VER. 60. Θεὶς δὲ τὰ γόνατα, ἔκραξε φωνῇ με γάλῃ· Κύριε, μὴ στήσῃς αὐτοῖς τὴν ἁμαρ τίαν ταύτην. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν, ἐκοιμήθη. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, a Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. a See on Matt. v. ver. 44. clause 2. b For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption, Acts xiii. 36. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep, 1 Cor. xi. 30. After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep, xv. 6. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished, 18. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that A. D. 34. Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him, 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14. See also on Matt. ix. ver. 24. CHAP. VIII.—VER. 1. Σαῦλος δὲ ἦν συνευδοκῶν τῇ ἀναιρέσει αυτ τοῦ. Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ διωγμὸς μέγας ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τὴν ἐν Ἱεροσολύ μοις· πάντες τε διεσπάρησαν κατὰ τὰς χώρας τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας, πλὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων, And Saul was consenting unto his death. a And at that time there was a great persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regims of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. a See on Matt. v. ver. 10. clause 1. b See on Matt. x. ver. 23. clause 1. VER. 2. Συνεκόμισαν δὲ τὸν Στέφανον ἄνδρες εὐλαβεῖς, καὶ ἐποιήσαντο κοπετὸν μέγαν ἐπ' αὐτῷ. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. VER. S. Σαῦλος δὲ ἐλυμαίνετο τὴν ἐκκλησίας, κατὰ τοὺς οἴκους εἰσπορευόμενος, σύρων τε ἄνδρας καὶ γυναῖκας παρεδίδου εἰς φυλακήν. aAs for Saul, he made havock of the Church, entering into every house, and hailing men and women committed them to prison. a And Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the High Priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, whethat if he found any of this way, ther they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem, Acts ix. 1, 2. I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, xxii. 3, 4. I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things con trary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the Chief Priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme: and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities, xxvi. 9-11. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God, 1 Cor. xv. 9. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews religion, how that beyond measure persecuted the church of God, and wasted it, Gal. i. 13. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless, Phil. iii. 6. Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief, 1 Tim. i. 13. VER. 4. Οἱ μὲν οὖν διασπαρέντες διῆλθον, εὐαγ γελιζόμενοι τὸν λόγον. I Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. a Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only, Acts xi. 19. And when there was an assault made, both of the Gentiles and also of the Jews, with their rulers, to use them despite fully, and to stone them, They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: And there they preached the Gospel, xiv. 5-7. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come, Matt. x. 23. VER. 5, Φίλιππος δὲ κατελθὼν εἰς πόλιν τῆς Σαμαρείας, ἐκήρυσσεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Χριστόν. ■ Then Philip went down to the city A. D. 34. of Samaria, and preached Christ unt them. a See on chap. i. ver. 8. clause 3. VER. 6. Προσεῖχόν τε οἱ ὄχλοι τοῖς λεγομένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ Φιλίππου ὁμοθυμαδὸν, ἐν τῷ ἀκούειν αὐτοὺς καὶ βλέπειν τὰ σημεῖα 2 io. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. VER. 7. Πολλῶν γὰρ τῶν ἐχόντων πνεύματα ἀκάθαρτα, βοῶντα μεγάλη φωνῇ, ἐξήρ πολλοὶ δὲ παραλελυμένοι καὶ χωλοὶ spaenav, a For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were pos sessed with them: band many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. a See on Matt. iv. ver. 24. clause 4. bSee on Matt. iv. ver. 24. clause 6. See on Matt. xi. ver. 5. clause 2. VER. 8. Καὶ ἐγένετο χαρὰ μεγάλη ἐν τῇ πόλει insivy. And there was great joy in that city. ̓Ανὴς δέ τις ὀνόματι Σίμων προϋπῆρχεν ἐν τῇ πόλει μαγεύων, καὶ ἐξιστῶν τὸ ἔθνος τῆς Σαμαρείας, λέγων εἶναί τινα ἑαυτὸν μέγαν But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: a And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a xiii. 6. And it came to pass, as we Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus, Acts went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the the way of salvation. And this did most high God, which shew unto us she many days. But Paul, being 410 A. D. 34. ACTS VII. 9-17. grieved, turned and said to the spirit, A. D. 34. of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, men. a See on Matt. iii. ver. 2. clause 2. VER. 1.3. Ὁ δὲ Σίμων καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπίστευσε, καὶ βαπτισθεὶς ἦν προσκαρτερῶν τῷ Φιλίππν, θεωρῶν τε σημεῖα καὶ δυνάμεις μεγάλας γινομένας, ἐξίστατο. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the *miracles and signs which were done. Gr. signs and great miracles. VER. 14. ̓Ακούσαντες δὲ οἱ ἐν ̔Ιεροσολύμοις ἀπό στολοι ὅτι δέδεκται ἡ Σαμάρεια τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀπέστειλαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὸν Πέτ ρον καὶ Ἰωάννην· Now a when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: a 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 Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles, ver. 1. VER. 15. Οἵτινες καταβάντες προσηύξαντο περὶ αὐτῶν, ὅπως λάβωσι Πνεῦμα ἅγιον. Who, when they were come down, aprayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost : See on John,vii. ver. 39. clause 1. |