hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? Thou hast not lied unto man, but unto God.

And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost; and there came great fear upon all that heard it. And the young men rising up removed him, and carrying him out, buried him.

And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. And Peter said to her, Tell me, woman, whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. And Peter said unto her, Why have ye agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of them who have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out.

Immediately she fell down before his feet, and gave up the ghost. And the young men coming in found her dead, and carried her out, and buried her by her husband.

And there came great fear upon the whole Church, and upon all that heard these things.

SECT. CLXI. THE APOSTLES WORK GREAT MIRACLES. THEY ARE IMPRISONED BY THE HIGH-PRIESTS, BUT DELIVERED BY AN ANGEL.

And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest no man durst join himself unto them; but the people magnified them.

And the multitude of men and women who believed in the Lord was more increased; insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that when Peter came, his shadow at the least might overshadow some of them, and they might be delivered from their infirmities. And there came also together to Jerusalem a multi

tude out of the neighbouring cities bringing sick persons and such as were troubled with unclean spirits; and they were all healed.

Then the high-priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and were filled with envy. And they laid hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. But an angel of the Lord by night opened the doors of the prison, and leading them out, said, Go, and standing in the temple, speak to the people all the words of this life. And when they had heard this, they entered early in the morning into the temple, and taught.

And the high-priest and they that were with him came, and called together the council, and all the elders of the children of Israel; and they sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the ministers came, and opening the prison found them not, they returned and told it, saying, The prison indeed we found shut with all diligence, and the keepers standing before the doors; but opening it we found no man within.

Now when the officer of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were in doubt concerning them what would come to pass. But one came and told them, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. Then went the officer with the ministers, and brought them without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.

SECT. CLXII. THE APOSTLES ARE BROUGHT AGAIN BEFORE THE COUNCIL. THEIR DEFENCE AND LIBERATION.

And when the officers had brought them, they set them before the council.

And the high-priest spake to them, saying, Did we

not strictly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and behold ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and ye have a mind to bring down this man's blood upon us.

Then Peter, and the other apostles, answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom you put to death, hanging him upon a tree. This Prince and Saviour God hath exalted with his right hand to give penitence to Israel and remission of sins. And we are witnesses of these things, and the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to all those that obey him.

When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they thought to put them to death. But one in the council, a Pharisee, by name Gamaliel,* a doctor of the law, respected by all the people, rising up, commanded the men to be put forth a little while. And he said to them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do, as touching these men. For before these days rose up Theodas, affirming himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves; and he was slain, and all that believed him were scattered, and brought to nothing. After this man, rose up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the enrolling, and drew away the people after him; he also perished, and all, even as many as consented to him, were dispersed. And now therefore I say to you, refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught; but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it: lest perhaps ye be found to fight even against God.

And they consented to him. And they called in the apostles, and after they had scourged them, they charged them that they should not speak at all in the name of Jesus, and they dismissed them. And they A distinguished Jewish doctor. St. Paul was his disciple (see Acts xxii. 3).

*

indeed went from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus. And every day they ceased not, in the temple and from house to house, to teach and preach Christ Jesus.

SECT. CLXIII. APPOINTMENT OF THE SEVEN DEACONS.

And in those days, the number of the disciples increasing, there arose a murmuring of the Greeks against the Hebrews, for that their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

Jerusalem:

Then the twelve, calling together the multitude of the disciples, said, It is not just that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

And the saying was liked by all the multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles; and they, praying, imposed hands upon them.

And the word of the Lord increased; and the number of the disciples was multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly a great multitude also of the priests obeyed the faith. And Stephen, full of grace and fortitude, did great wonders and signs among the people.

SECT. CLXIV. A CONSPIRACY IS MADE AGAINST STEPHEN. HIS TRIAL, DEFENCE, AND MARTYRDOM. A.D. 37.

Now there arose some of that which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and the Alexandrians, and of them that were of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit that spoke.

Then they suborned men to say, they had heard him speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes; and running together they took him, and brought him to the council. And they set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against the holy place and the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the traditions which Moses delivered unto us. And all that sat in the council, looking on him, saw his face as if it had been the face of an angel.

Then the high-priest said, Are these things so?

And he said, Ye men, brethren and fathers, hear. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charan. And said to him, Go forth out of thy country and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee (Gen. xii. 2). Then he went out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charan. And from thence, after his father was dead, he removed him into this land wherein ye now dwell. And he gave him no inheritance in it, no not the pace of a foot; but he promised to give it him in possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. And God said to him, That his seed should sojourn in a strange country, and that they should bring them under bondage, and treat them evil four hundred years; and the nation which they shall serve, will I judge (saith the