The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

To doe whatsoeuer thine hand, and thy counsell had determined before to be done.

And nowe, O Lord, beholde their threatnings, and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnesse to speake thy word,

So that thou stretch forth thine hand, that healing, and signes, and wonders may be done by the Name of thine holy Sonne Iesus.

And when as they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God boldely.

And the multitude of them that beleeued, were of one heart, and of one soule: neither any of them said, that any thing of that which he possessed, was his owne, but they had all thinges common.

And with great power gaue the Apostles witnes of the resurrection of the Lord Iesus: and great grace was vpon them all.

Neither was there any among them, that lacked: for as many as were possessours of landes or houses, solde them, and brought the price of the things that were solde,

And layde it downe at the Apostles feete, and it was distributed vnto euery man, according as he had neede.

Also Ioses which was called of the Apostles, Barnabas (that is by interpretation the sonne of consolation) being a Leuite, and of the countrey of Cyprus,

Where as he had land, solde it, and brought the money, and laid it downe at the Apostles feete.

But a certaine man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, solde a possession,

And kept away part of the price, his wife also being of counsell, and brought a certaine part, and layde it downe at the Apostles feete.

Then saide Peter, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart, that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy Ghost, and keepe away part of the price of this possession?

Whiles it remained, appertained it not vnto thee? and after it was solde, was it not in thine owne power? howe is it that thou hast conceiued this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lyed vnto men, but vnto God.

Now when Ananias heard these wordes, he fell downe, and gaue vp the ghost. Then great feare came on all them that heard these things.

And the yong men rose vp, and tooke him vp, and caried him out, and buried him.

And it came to passe about the space of three houres after, that his wife came in, ignorant of that which was done.

And Peter sayd vnto her, Tell me, solde ye the land for so much? And she sayd, Yea, for so much.

Then Peter sayde vnto her, Why haue ye agreed together, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? beholde, the feete of them which haue buried thine husband, are at the doore, and shall carie thee out.

Then she fell downe straightway at his feete, and yeelded vp the ghost: and the yong men came in, and found her dead, and caried her out, and buried her by her husband.

And great feare came on all the Church, and on as many as heard these things.

Thus by the hands of the Apostles were many signes and wonders shewed among the people (and they were all with one accorde in Salomons porche.

And of the other durst no man ioyne him selfe to them: neuerthelesse the people magnified them.

Also the number of them that beleeued in the Lord, both of men and women, grewe more and more)

In so much that they brought the sicke into the streetes, and layd them on beds and couches, that at the least way the shadowe of Peter, when he came by, might shadow some of them.

There came also a multitude out of the cities round about vnto Hierusalem, bringing sicke folkes, and them which were vexed with vncleane spirits, who were all healed.

Then the chiefe Priest rose vp, and all they that were with him (which was the sect of the Sadduces) and were full of indignation,

And laide hands on the Apostles, and put them in the common prison.

But the Angel of the Lord, by night opened the prison doores, and brought them forth, and sayd,

Go your way, and stand in the Temple, and speake to the people, all the wordes of this life.

So when they heard it, they entred into the Temple early in the morning, and taught. And the chiefe Priest came, and they that were with him, and called the Councill together, and all the Elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison, to cause them to be brought.

But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and tolde it,

Saying, Certainely we founde the prison shut as sure as was possible, and the keepers standing without, before the doores: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

Then when the chiefe Priest, and the captaine of the Temple, and the hie Priestes heard these things, they doubted of them, whereunto this would growe.

Then came one and shewed them, saying, Beholde, the men that ye put in prison, are standing in the Temple, and teach the people.

Then went the captaine with the officers, and brought them without violence (for they feared the people, lest they should haue bene stoned)

And when they had brought them, they set them before the Councill, and the chiefe Priest asked them,

Saying, Did not we straightly commaund you, that ye should not teach in this Name? and behold, ye haue filled Hierusale with your doctrine, and ye would bring this mans blood vpon vs.

Then Peter and the Apostles answered, and sayd, We ought rather to obey God then men.

The God of our fathers hath raised vp Iesus, whom ye slewe, and hanged on a tree.

Him hath God lift vp with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Sauiour, to giue repentance to Israel, and forgiuenes of sinnes.

And we are his witnesses concerning these things which we say: yea, and the holy Ghost, whome God hath giuen to them that obey him.

Now when they heard it, they brast for anger, and consulted to slay them.

Then stoode there vp in the Councill a certaine Pharise named Gamaliel, a doctour of the Lawe, honoured of all the people, and commanded to put the Apostles forth a litle space,

And sayd vnto them, Men of Israel, take heede to your selues, what ye intende to doe touching these men.

For before these times, rose vp Theudas boasting himselfe, to whom resorted a number of men, about a foure hundreth, who was slaine: and they all which obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

After this man, arose vp Iudas of Galile, in the dayes of the tribute, and drewe away much people after him: hee also perished, and all that obeyed him, were scattered abroad.

And nowe I say vnto you, Refraine your selues from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsell, or this worke be of men, it will come to nought:

But if it be of God, ye can not destroy it, lest ye be found euen fighters against God.

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.

Hee gaue him also the couenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begate Isaac, and circumcised him the eight day: and Isaac begate Iacob, and Iacob the twelue Patriarkes.

And the Patriarkes moued with enuie, solde Ioseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

And deliuered him out of all his afflictions, and gaue him fauour and wisdome in the sight of Pharao King of Egypt, who made him gouernour ouer Egypt, and ouer his whole house.

Then came there a famine ouer all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction, that our fathers found no sustenance.

But when Iacob heard that there was corne in Egypt, he sent our fathers first:

And at the second time, Ioseph was knowen of his brethren, and Iosephs kindred was made knowen vnto Pharao.

Then sent Ioseph and caused his father to be brought, and all his kindred, euen threescore and fifteene soules.

So Iacob went downe into Egypt, and he dyed, and our fathers,

And were remoued into Sychem, and were put in the sepulchre, that Abraham had bought for money of the sonnes of Emor, sonne of Sychem.

But when the time of the promise drewe neere, which God had sworne to Abraham, the people grewe and multiplied in Egypt,

Till another King arose, which knewe not Ioseph.

The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and euill entreated our fathers, and made them to cast out their yong children, that they should not remaine aliue.

The same time was Moses borne, and was acceptable vnto God, which was nourished vp in his fathers house three moneths.

And when he was cast out, Pharaohs daughter tooke him vp, and nourished him for her owne sonne.

And Moses was learned in all the wisdome of the Egyptians, and was mightie in wordes and in deedes.

Nowe when he was full fourtie yeere olde, it came into his heart to visite his brethren, the children of Israel.

And whe he saw one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and auenged his quarell that had the harme done to him, and smote the Egyptian.

For hee supposed his brethren would haue vnderstand, that God by his hande should giue them deliuerance: but they vnderstoode it not.

And the next day, he shewed himselfe vnto them as they stroue, and woulde haue set them at one againe, saying, Syrs, ye are brethren: why doe ye wrong one to another?

But he that did his neighbour wrong, thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a prince, and a iudge ouer vs?

Wilt thou kill mee, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?

Then fled Moses at that saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begate two sonnes.

And when fourtie yeres were expired, there appeared to him in the wildernes of mout Sina, an Angel of the Lord in a flame of fire, in a bush.

And when Moses sawe it, hee wondred at the sight: and as he drew neere to consider it, the voyce of the Lord came vnto him, saying,

I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold it.

Then the Lord said to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feete: for the place where thou standest, is holy ground.