Page images
PDF
EPUB

hath strengthened this man, whom ye see and know: yea, our1 faith which is through Jesus, hath given him this per17 fect soundness in the presence of you all. And now, bre

thren, I know that through ignorance ye did it, as did your 18 rulers also. But those things which God foreshowed by

:

the mouth of all his prophets that the Christ would suffer, 19 he hath thus fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of 20 refreshment shall come from the presence of the Lord, and he shall send Jesus Christ, that was before appointed for 21 you whom heaven must receive, until the times of the restoration of all things *, concerning which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets [since the world be22 gan']. Now Moses said [to our fathers,] The Lord your God will raise up unto you from your brethren, a prophet like met; to him ye shall hearken in all things, whatsoever 23 he shall speak unto you. And it shall come to pass that every one who shall not hear that prophet shall be destroyed 24 from among the people.' Yea, and all the prophets, from

6

Samuel and those who follow after, as many as have spoken, 25 have told likewise of these days. Ye are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thine offspring all 26 the families of the earth shall be blessed.' Unto you first, God, having raised up his servants, hath sent him to bless you, by turning away every one of you from his iniquities." CH. IV. And as the apostles were speaking to the people, the

66

Gr. the faith. 2 Or, all the prophets that his Christ, &c. Mss. that Christ would suffer, N. See W. 3 Or, pre-ordained, N. m. R. T. reads, was before preached unto you." 4 of all his holy prophets, R.T. 5 Or, from ancient times. See Luke i. 70. Sn. 6 Gr. soul. 7 foretold, R. T. N. m. son, N. See ver. 13. his servant (or son) Jesus, R. T. 9 hath sent him unto you first, N.

*Or, consummation. "When all things shall be disposed, ordered, settled, in a perfect state, from their present imperfect one. See Bishop Pearce's accurate note." N.

+ And therefore a human being: otherwise he would not have been a prophet like his illustrious predecessor.

priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, 2 came suddenly upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection 3 from the dead: and they laid their hands on them, and put them in prison until the next day for it was now evening. 4 (However, many of those that had heard the discourse of Peter1 believed: and the number of the men was about five thousand.)

5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and 6 elders, and scribes, and Annas the high-priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the race of the high-priest, were gathered together in Je7 rusalem. And when they had set the apostles in the midst, they asked, "By what power, or by what name, have ye 8 done this?" Then Peter, filled with the holy spirit, said unto them, "Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 if we be examined this day concerning the good deed done to the infirm man, by what means he hath been made well, 10 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, but whom God raised from the dead, even by him this 11 man standeth here before you restored3. This is the stone which was despised by you builders; but which is become 12 the head of the corner. Nor is there healing* by any other:

for there is no other name under heaven given among men 13 by which we can be healed "." Now, when they observed

the free speech of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and obscure men, they wondered; and they 14 knew that these men had been with Jesus. And beholding the man that had been restored standing with them, they 15 had nothing to object'. But when they had commanded

3 Or, sound. 4 salva

I words of Peter, N. See Symonds. 2 Gr. saved.
tion, N. t. but in the margin “healing." See ver. 9.
The original words refer to airwças, ver. 9. 6 Gr. beheld.
the matter,

5 So N. m. saved. N. t. 7 Or, to say against

them to withdraw out of the council, they conferred among 16 themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a signal miracle hath been wrought by them, is manifest to all those who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can17 not deny. But that it spread no further among the people,

let us strictly threaten them that henceforth they speak to 18 no man in this name." And they called the apostles, and

commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach, in the name 19 of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto

them, "Whether it be right before God to hearken unto 20 you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but 21 speak the things which we have seen and heard." So when they had further threatened them, they released them, not finding how they might punish them, on account of the people: for all men glorified God because of that which had 22 been done. For the man was more than forty years old, on whom this miracle of curing had been wrought. 23 And having been released, they went to their own company, and reported all which the chief-priests and elders 24 had said unto them. And when their own company had

5

heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one consent, and said, "O sovereign Lord, thou art God, who madest 25 heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that is in them: who saidst also by the mouth of thy servant David, 'Why did the gentiles rage, and the peoples 3 imagine vain things? 264 Why did kings of the earth stand up, and why were the rulers gathered together, against the Lord and against his 27 anointed?' For in truth, against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, and the gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered 28 together in this city 7; to do whatsoever thy hand and thy

Or, we will strictly, &c. See Symonds, 38. 3 people, N. 4 Or, The kings of the land stood up, and the rulers were gathered together, &c. 5 land, Wakefield. 6 holy Son, N. but it is the same word which is used ver. 25. 7" in this city." These words are wanting in R.T.

29 counsel' determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, 30 that with all freedom they may speak thy word; by stretching forth thy hand to heal; and by the doing of signs and wonders through the name of thy holy servant Jesus." 31 And, when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the holy spirit, and spake the word of God with freedom.

32

2

And the multitude of those who believed were of one heart, and of one soul: nor did any of them say that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they 33 had all things common. And the apostles gave witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power: 34 and there was great favour toward them all. Not that there was any among them who wanted*: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought 35 the prices of the things which were sold, and laid them down at the feet of the apostles: and distribution was made to every one according as he had need.

36

And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation +) 37 a Ļevite, and a native of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the feet of the apostles. CH. V. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his 2 wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, [his] wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and 3 laid it at the feet of the apostles. But Peter said, “Ananias, why hath Satan ‡ filled thy heart to deceive the holy

1" thy power and thy counsel: thy powerful counsel." Newcome.
son, N.
3 Or, Joseph, Mss.

2 N. m.

* Or, Nor was any one among them in want. Wakefield. Or, For there was not, &c.

66

+ Perhaps so called from this act." Bishop Pearce. N.

Satan, a spirit and temper opposite to that of the gospel. To deceive the holy spirit, i. e. men who were inspired by God. Observe here, both Satan and

4 spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not thine own? and, after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but 5 unto God1." And Ananias, hearing these words, fell

down, and expired. And great fear came on all those 6 that heard [these things]. And certain young men rose, 7 wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And

it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, 8 not knowing what had been done, came in. And Peter said unto her, "Tell me, whether ye sold the land for so much." 9 And she said, "Yes, for so much." Then Peter said unto her, "How is it that ye have agreed together to try the spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they will carry thee 10 out." Then she immediately fell down at his feet and expired. And the young men came in, and found her dead; and, when they had carried her out, they buried her by her 11 husband. And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things.

12

And by the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were wrought among the people: (now they were all with 13 one consent in Solomon's porch and of the rest no man durst join himself to them; but the people magnified them: 14 and believers were still more added to the Lord, multitudes 15 both of men and women:) so that they brought forth the sick throughout the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that even the shadow of Peter passing by might 16 overshadow some of them. A multitude likewise out of the cities round about came to Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and those that were vexed by unclean spirits: and they were all cured.

"Thou hast not so much lied unto men as unto God." Bishop Pearce. N. the holy spirit are personifications of qualities. Mr. Simpson observes that in ver. 4 and 9 “the sin is in direct terms attributed to themselves, and that this plain language must interpret the figurative."

« PreviousContinue »