Then it seemed best to the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, to send men being chosen from them to Antioch, together with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers.

And the word was pleasing in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of all his servants.

Anger slays even wise men, yet a submissive answer turns away wrath; but a grievous word stirs up anger.

A bad man will by no means obey counsel, neither will he say anything seasonable, or of good report.

As a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so [is it] to speak a wise word.

In an earring of gold a precious sardius is also set; so is a wise word to an obedient ear.

Therefore, brothers, select seven men from among you, of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint for this need.

And Stephen, full of faith and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

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

and said to him, 'Go out from your land and from your relatives, and come to a land which I will show you.'

And He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a place to put his foot on, and He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him, though he had no child.

'And the nation which they will serve, I will judge,' said God, 'and after these things they will come out and serve Me in this place.'

"And the patriarchs, being jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; and God was with him,

And a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no provisions..

And the second [visit] Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh.

So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers.

Now when the time of the promise drew near which God swore to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

This [king] took advantage of our race, and oppressed our fathers, to make their babies exposed, in order that they might not preserve their lives.

But when he was exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself as a son.

Now when he had turned forty years old, it came into his heart to look upon his brothers, the sons of Israel.

For he supposed that his brothers understood that God was giving to them deliverance by his hand, but they did not understand.

"But the one wronging his neighbor pushed him away, saying, 'Who appointed you a ruler and a judge over us?

Now Moses, at this saying, fled and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he begot two sons.

And Moses, seeing it, marveled at the sight; and as he approached it to observe closely, the voice of the Lord came to him,

'Then the LORD said to him, "Remove your sandal from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground.

This Moses whom they denied, saying, 'Who appointed you a ruler and a judge?' This man God sent as a ruler and redeemer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush.

"This is that Moses who said to the sons of Israel, 'The LORD our God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brothers.

whom our fathers did not desire to be obedient, but they rejected [him] and returned in their heart back to Egypt,

And they made a calf in those days, offered a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.

Indeed you carried up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the images which you made to worship them; and I will relocate you beyond Babylon.'

which also our fathers, having received in turn, also brought in with Joshua into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David,

But Solomon built Him a house.

'Heaven is My throne, and earth a footstool for My feet. What kind of house will you build for Me? says the LORD, or what is the place of My rest?

"You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, you also do.

who have received the law as [the] ordinances of angels and you did not keep it."

But being full of the Holy Spirit, looking intently into heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,

Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one purpose;

And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Now Saul was agreeing with them in his murder. And in that day there arose a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

And godly men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.

for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a considerable crowd was added to the Lord.

Surely I will strengthen myself with the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of power, to declare to Jacob his transgressions, and to Israel his sins.

And Philip, going down to a city of Samaria, was preaching to them the Christ.

For many of the ones having unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, [they] came out; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

Now a certain man named Simon was previously in the city practicing magic and astounding the people of Samaria, claiming himself to be someone great,

But they gave heed to him because of the long time that he had astonished them with the magic arts.

Then Simon himself also believed; and having been baptized, he was continuing with Philip, and observing miracles and signs occurring, he was astounded.

Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Get up and go toward the south on the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desolate.

and he was returning. And sitting upon his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

And Phillip, running up to it, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Indeed, do you know what you are reading?"

Now the portion of the Scripture which he was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, thus He opened not His mouth.

So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this; about himself, or about some other [person]?"

Now as they were going down the road, they came upon some water. And the eunuch said, "Behold, [here is] water: what prevents me from being baptized?"

And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, both Phillip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

But Philip was found at Azotus. And going through, he preached the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.

On the next day those accompanying Paul went forth and came to Caesarea, and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him.

But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, [which] likewise [I hate].

Now there were some in the church being in Antioch [who were] prophets and teachers: Both Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.