The Early Church

And to him they agreed, and called the Apostles: and when they had beaten them, they commanded that they should not speake in the Name of Iesus, and let them goe.

So they departed from the Councill, reioycing, that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his Name.

And dayly in the Temple, and from house to house they ceased not to teach, and preach Iesus Christ.

And in those dayes, as the nomber of ye disciples grewe, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians towards ye Hebrewes, because their widowes were neglected in the dayly ministring.

Then the twelue called the multitude of the disciples together, and sayd, It is not meete that we should leaue the worde of God to serue the tables.

Wherefore brethren, looke ye out among you seuen men of honest report, and full of the holy Ghost, and of wisedome, which we may appoint to this busines.

And we will giue our selues continually to prayer, and to the ministration of the worde.

And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Steuen a man full of fayth and of the holy Ghost, and Philippe, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a Proselyte of Antiochia,

Which they set before the Apostles: and they prayed, and layed their hands on them.

And the worde of God increased, and the nomber of the disciples was multipled in Hierusalem greatly, and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith.

Now Steuen full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

Then there arose certaine of the Synagogue, which are called Libertines, and Cyrenians, and of Alexandria, and of them of Cilicia, and of Asia, and disputed with Steuen.

But they were not able to resist the wisdome, and the Spirit by the which he spake.

Then they suborned men, which saide, We haue heard him speake blasphemous wordes against Moses, and God.

Thus they mooued the people and the Elders, and the Scribes: and running vpon him, caught him, and brought him to the Councill,

And set forth false witnesses, which sayd, This man ceasseth not to speake blasphemous wordes against this holy place, and the Law.

For we haue heard him say, that this Iesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the ordinances, which Moses gaue vs.

And as all that sate in the Councill, looked stedfastly on him, they saw his face as it had bene the face of an Angel.

Then sayd the chiefe Priest, Are these things so?

And he sayd, Ye men, brethren and Fathers, hearken. That God of glory appeared vnto our father Abraham, while he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

And said vnto him, Come out of thy countrey, and from thy kindred, and come into the land, which I shall shewe thee.

Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran. And after that his father was dead, God brought him from thence into this land, wherein ye now dwell,

And hee gaue him none inheritance in it, no, not the bredth of a foote: yet he promised that he would giue it to him for a possession, and to his seede after him, when as yet hee had no childe.

But God spake thus, that his seede should be a soiourner in a strange land: and that they should keepe it in bondage, and entreate it euill foure hundreth yeeres.

But the nation to whome they shall be in bondage, will I iudge, sayth God: and after that, they shall come forth and serue me in this place.