Stephen’s Address: The Call of Abraham

7 Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?”

2 And he said, a“Brethren and fathers, listen: The bGod of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in cHaran, 3 and said to him, d‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’ 4 Then ehe came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was fdead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. 5 And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, gHe promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him. 6 But God spoke in this way: hthat his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into ibondage and oppress them four hundred years. 7 j‘And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will kjudge,’ said God, l‘and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.’ 8 mThen He gave him the covenant of circumcision; nand so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; oand Isaac begot Jacob, and pJacob begot the twelve patriarchs.

The Patriarchs in Egypt

9 q“And the patriarchs, becoming envious, rsold Joseph into Egypt. sBut God was with him 10 and delivered him out of all his troubles, tand gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 11 uNow a famine and great 1trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. 12 vBut when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13 And the wsecond time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh. 14 xThen Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and yall his relatives to him, 2seventy-five people. 15 zSo Jacob went down to Egypt; aand he died, he and our fathers. 16 And bthey were carried back to Shechem and laid in cthe tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.

God Delivers Israel by Moses

17 “But when dthe time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, ethe people grew and multiplied in Egypt 18 till another king farose who did not know Joseph. 19 This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, gmaking them expose their babies, so that they might not live. 20 hAt this time Moses was born, and iwas well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. 21 But jwhen he was set out, kPharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was lmighty in words and deeds.

23 m“Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. 25 For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 And the next day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong one another?’ 27 But he who did his neighbor …

Paul’s Ministry on Malta

28 Now when they had escaped, they then found out that athe island was called Malta. 2 And the bnatives 1showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. 3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 4 So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.” 5 But he shook off the creature into the fire and csuffered no harm. 6 However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and dsaid that he was a god.

7 In that region there was an estate of the 2leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. 8 And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and eprayed, and fhe laid his hands on him and healed him. 9 So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. 10 They also honored us in many gways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were hnecessary.

Arrival at Rome

11 After three months we sailed in ian Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the 3Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. 12 And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. 13 From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli, 14 where we found jbrethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome. 15 And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

16 Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but kPaul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

Paul’s Ministry at Rome

17 And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, lthough I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet mI was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, 18 who, nwhen they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. 19 But when the 4Jews spoke against it, oI was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. 20 For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because pfor the hope of Israel I am bound with qthis chain.”

21 Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that rit is spoken against everywhere.”

23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, sto whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them

A Lame Man Healed

3 Now Peter and John went up together ato the temple at the hour of prayer, bthe ninth hour. 2 And ca certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, dto 1ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: eIn the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, fleaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 gAnd all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who hsat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Preaching in Solomon’s Portico

11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch iwhich is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 jThe God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, kglorified His Servant Jesus, whom you ldelivered up and mdenied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied nthe Holy One oand the Just, and pasked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the 2Prince of life, qwhom God raised from the dead, rof which we are witnesses. 16 sAnd His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that tyou did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But uthose things which God foretold vby the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 wRepent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send 3Jesus Christ, who was 4preached to you before, 21 xwhom heaven must receive until the times of yrestoration of all things, zwhich God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since 5the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, a‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 Yes, and ball the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also 6foretold these days. 25 cYou are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, d‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 To you efirst, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, fin …