13

bless you, 13 [d] in turn every one of

you from your unbelief and impeturning away every nitence, and so to make you capable of his pardon and one of you from his iniquities. mercy, if you shall be thus wrought on, and converted by so efficacious means.

AND as they spake

unto the people, the priests, and "the cap

CHAP. IV.

a the captain of the band of Roman soldiers, set at tain of the temple, the porches of the temple to guard and keep peace, and the Sadducees, (see note [f] Luke xxii.,) and the Sadducees come 2 Being 1grieved violently upon them,

came upon them,

that they taught the 2. The priests, or those of the sanhedrim opposing people, and preached the doctrine preached by them, of Christ's being the through Jesus the resurrection from the Messias, the captain suspecting it would tend to an uproar or commotion in the city, and the Sadducees 3 And they laid disliking the doctrine of the resurrection proclaimed hands on them, and by them, and so all much concerned in their preachput them in hold ing to the people at that time.

dead.

unto the next day:

for it was now eventide.

4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word 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 And Annas the

binto prison:

e their auditors, the people, ver. 1, was about five thousand.

d they of whom the sanhedrim consisted, the chief elders, and scribes, priests, elders and scribes, and particularly Annas and high priest, and Cai- Caiaphas, (see note [c] Luke iii.,) met at the court aphas, and John, and where the sanhedrim used to sit in counsel.

Alexander, and as

many as were of the

Jerusalem.

[a] kindred of the 7. And causing the disciples to be brought before high priest, were ga- them, they examined them on these interrogatories: thered together at first, how they came to be able to do that miracle, 7 And when they ch. iii. 7, and whose name they called upon that inhad set them in the firm man (see ver. 10.) in the working of the cure, midst, they asked, (see ch. iii. 6,) and consequently from whom they By what power, or pretended to have commission to do what they did, by what name, have thus to preach unto the people?

ye done this?

8 Then Peter, filled 8. Then Peter being by the Spirit of God (such as with the Holy Ghost, was promised, Matt. x. 19, 20.) endued with a great said unto them, Ye extraordinary presentness of speech and elocution, rulers of the people, ver. 13, and taking great boldness and confidence 9 If we this day upon him, began thus, Ye rulers of the people— be examined of the e of an action, which is so far from being a crime, 1 much troubled, διαπονούμενοι.

and elders of Israel,

13 Or, in every one of you turning.

good deed done to that it is an act of special mercy done to the impo

the impotent man, tent man

2 by what means he

is made whole;

10 Be it known un

to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of

f by no other means, but by calling upon him the Jesus Christ of Na- name of Jesus of Nazareth, (whom ye put to a shamezareth, whom yecru- ful death, but God most miraculously raised again,) raised from the dead, this miracle on the lame man was wrought.

cified, whom God

even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

II This is the stone

11. This is he that was prophesied of under the which was set at title of a refuse stone rejected by you, the chief men nought of you builders, which is be- among the Jews, and looked upon with despite and come the head of contempt, but is now by his resurrection installed in all power and dignity, (an effect of which is this 12 Neither is there miracle wrought in his name,) and is indeed become salvation in any o- the ruler and king of the whole church, the prime ther for there is foundation stone of the whole fabric.

the corner.

none other name un

der heaven given a- 12. And by him, and him only, by receiving and mong men, whereby embracing of his doctrine, salvation must now be we must be saved. hoped for by all: for there is no other religion in the 13 Now when world, whether that which was delivered by Moses, [ they saw the boldness of Peter and or by any other, by which salvation can be had for John, and perceived those which do not now come in to this at the preachthat they were un- ing of it.

4

5

learned and igno

the man which was

13. And when they observed the elocution ver. 8. rant men, they mar- and freeness of speech with which they taught, (see velled; and they took knowledge of note [a] John vii.,) and withal considering that their them, that they had education had not thus elevated them above other been with Jesus. men, being neither skilled in the learning of the Jews, 14 And beholding nor, as men of place, or magistracy among them, inhealed standing with structed in their laws, they were amazed at it, but them, they could withal they either remembered or were told that they say nothing against were those that had been attending on Jesus in his lifetime. 15 But when they 8 though they were as maliciously and petulantly had commanded them to go aside out affected toward them, ver. 16, as was possible, yet of the council, they they had nothing to object or except against the conferred among whole action, either as it respected the man that was themselves, cured or the apostles that wrought it.

it.

16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle

2 by whom, év Tivi. 3 is, or was made for the head, dyevóμevos eis kepaλhv. 4 beheld the confidence, DewpoÛTES THν πappηolav. 5 ordinary vulgar persons, idi@rai: see note [a] 1 Cor. xiv 6 received knowledge, ἐπεγίνωσκον. 7 had nothing to say against it, οὐδὲν εἶχον ἀντειπείν.

hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell

in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

threaten them, that

17 But that it spread 17. And being not able to conceal what was already no further among the known, they had nothing to do but to keep others people, let us straitly from knowing it, and thereupon their decree in counthey speak hence- cil was to send for them, and to forbid them, upon forth to no man in severe penalties, to preach Christ and his resurrection and gospel any more.

this name.

18 And they called them, and

com

manded them not to h speak at all nor

teach in the name of Jesus.

h talk privately, or teach publicly any thing concerning the faith of Christ.

19 But Peter and 19. But Peter and John made light of this interJohn answered and dict, or terrors, and told them plainly they were said unto them, Whe- commanded by God to preach, and that in all reason the sight of God to God must be obeyed before them, or the greatest hearken unto you magistrate on earth, and that they themselves could more than unto God, not but confess so much.

ther it be right in

judge ye.

and heard.

20 For we cannot i choose but testify of Christ those truths of so high 'but speak the things importance, made known to us peculiarly to that end, which we have seen that we should proclaim them to others from our certain knowledge, being ourselves the eye and ear wit21 So when they had further threat- nesses of them. ened them, they let 21. And so not knowing what else to say to them, them go, finding no- being not able to deny the force of their argument, thing how they might they added more threatenings, if possibly that might punish them, because of the people: terrify them, and so dismissed them, having nothing for all men glorified to lay to their charge but the curing of the lame man God for that which in the name of Jesus; and for this all the people looked on them with admiration, and counted it an act of 22 For the man was God's immediate infinite mercy, for which they, that above forty years old, on whom this mira- were instruments of it, ought to be blessed, not cle of healing was punished by them, and therefore they durst not punish or censure them for this.

was done.

shewed.

23¶ And being let go, they went to their

22. For it was an inveterate lameness from his own company, and very birth, ch. iii. 2, and had been now above forty reported all that the years upon him, when this cure was wrought by chief priests and eld- Peter.

ers had said unto

them.

24 And when they

heard that, they lift

k the rest of the apostles that were then at Jerusa

ed up their voice to lem, and the believers that consorted with them, ver.

God with one accord,

and said, Lord, thou 23,

art God, which hast

HAMMOND, VOL. I.

lifted

up

their voice to God

I i

made heaven, and

earth, and the sea,

and all that in them

is:

25 Who by the 25. Who foretold by his prophet David, Psalm ii. 1, mouth of thy servant what was now come to pass, viz., that the Jews should David hast said, Why did the heathen oppose Christ, and say false things of him, deny and rage, and the people crucify him first, and then, when God raised him from imagine vain things? the dead, oppose the preaching of him.

26 The kings of the 26. That the Roman governors in Judæa, Herod earth stood up, and and Pilate, ver. 27, should combine against him, and the rulers were ga- the rulers of the Jews should meet in council in their thered together against the Lord, and sanhedrim (as ver. 15. they here did) purposely to against his Christ. oppose the Messias, and in him God that sent him. 27 For of a truth 10

against thy holy

1 both the Roman governors, Pilate and Herod, and child Jesus, whom the Jewish sanhedrim have conspired, and joined thou hast anointed, both Herod, and their malicious counsels against thy holy Son and serPontius Pilate, with vant Jesus, whom thou hast sent to be the Messias of the "Gentiles, and the world, (see note [e] ch. x.)

the people of Israel,

were gathered toge

ther,

28 For to do what- 28. To act in the crucifying of Christ, and so soever [6] thy hand (though little meaning it) to be the instruments of and thy counsel de- God's gracious providence and disposal, who determined to give his only Son to die for us.

termined before to

be done.

29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings and grant

m

that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

m and enable us to preach the gospel powerfully, unto thy servants, fearlessly, and with authority, (see note [a] John vii.,) and give power also to us thy servants, the disciples of Christ, to work miraculous cures on all those on 30 By stretching whom we shall call the name of Jesus. forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31 ¶ And when

where they were as

31. And upon this prayer of theirs there came the they had prayed, the like wind as is mentioned ch. ii. 2, and shook the place was shaken place where they were, and special eminent gifts of sembled together; God's Spirit fell upon those that were there present and they were all (see note [d] ch. ii.); and this was such a confirmafilled with the Holy tion to them all, that without all doubt or fear they Ghost, and they published the gospel of Christ: see ver. 29. spake the word of

God with boldness. 32 And the multi

32. And the believers, although there were many

8 nations, čovŋ: see note [e] Matt. xxiv., and note [b] Matt. xxviii., and note [g] Rev. xi. 9 land, yns: see note [e] Matt. xxiv., and note [g] Rev. xi. 10 Here is added in the King's MS. and other printed copies, y tŷy nóλei σou taúry, in this thy city. 11 nations, loveat: see

ver. 25.

tude of them that of them, agreed all in the same Christian designs: believed were of one neither said any of them—

heart and of one

soul: 12 neither said
any of them that
ought of the things
which he possessed
was his 13
own; but

they had all things.

common.

33 And with great

15

33. And the apostles confirmed with many mirapower [c] gave the cles their preaching of Christ's resurrection, and acapostles witness of the resurrection of counted it as a debt which they ought Christ for his the Lord Jesus: and great dignations among them; and there were great great grace was instances of liberality and frankness among them that upon them all. received the faith, all the believers bringing in plenwas tiful contributions to the apostles' hands, who received them that lacked; it of them for the public use of the believers. for as many as were 34. So that there was a competent provision for possessors of lands all: and this was thus raised and managed: as many or houses sold them, as had possessions—

34 Neither

there any among

and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: " and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and 16 of the

" and the apostles distributed unto every man

37. Having a piece of land of his own (not part of country of Cyprus, the Levites' portion, which he might not alienate, but 37 Having land, probably somewhat which belonged to him in Cyprus, sold it, and brought where he was born, ver. 36.) made sale of it, and the money, and laid it at the apostles' brought the full price of it, and put it wholly in the apostles' power to dispose of or distribute it.

feet.

CHAP. V.

BUT a certain man 1. And one of those that came in to the faith of named Ananias, with Christ, named Ananias, and Sapphira his wife, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, joint consent devoted their estate, all that they had, to the use of the church, and to that purpose made 2 And kept back sale of it. part of the price, his

wife also being privy

2. And when they had done so, consented also, or to it, and brought a combined together, to keep some part of the money 12 After this the ancient Gr. and Lat. MS. adds, кal oйк hv diáкpiois év avтoîs ovdeμía, and there was no difference among them.

13 peculiar, ίδιον.

16

14 rendered.

15 charity

a Cypriot by birth, or, born in Cyprus, KónрLOS