34Then arose a certain Pharisee, in the sanhedrim, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, held in high esteem by all the people, and ordered the apostles to be taken out for a little space; 35and he said unto them, Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves respecting these men, what ye mean to do to them. 36For before these days arose Theudas, saying that he himself was a singular personage: to whom a number of men, about four hundred, attached themselves: who was taken off; and as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nothing. 37And after him arose Judas the Galilean, in the days of the enrolment, and drew away a multitude of the populace after him: he also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38And as to the matters now before you, I say unto you, Abstain from these men, and leave them to themselves: for if this design or this work be of men, it will come to nothing: 39but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; and in that case would be found fighters against God. 40And to him they assented: and calling in the apostles, after scourging them, they commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them.
41Then they went rejoicing from the presence of the sanhedrim, that for his name’s sake, they had been counted worthy to suffer this injurious treatment. 42And all the day long in the temple, and from house to house, they never ceased teaching and preaching Jesus Christ.
[CHAP. VI.]
NOW in those days, when the disciples were multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian proselytes against the Hebrews, because their widows were overlooked in the daily distribution. 2Then the twelve assembling the multitude of the disciples, said, It is not fit that we should leave the word of God, to make distribution to the tables. 3Therefore, brethren, do ye look out for seven men from among yourselves, the best approved, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint to superintend this business. 4But we will devote ourselves constantly to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5And this saying was very agreeable to all the multitude: and they elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicholas a proselyte a man of Antioch: 6whom they presented before the apostles: and having prayed, they laid their hands upon them.
7And the word of God increased: and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem was multiplied greatly; and a vast body of the priests were obedient to the faith.
8Now Stephen, full of faith and of power, wrought great miracles and signs among the people. 9Then rose up certain men of the synagogue of the freed-men, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. 10And they could not resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. 11Then they suborned men to say, We heard him speak blasphemous things against Moses, and against God. 12And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and coming upon him, they seized him together, and dragged him to the sanhedrim; 13and they set up false witnesses, saying, This man doth not cease speaking blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: 14for we have heard him affirm, that Jesus the Nazarean, even he, will destroy this place, and change the accustomed ordinances which Moses delivered to us. 15And fixing their eyes upon him, all who sat in the sanhedrim, beheld his face as the face of an angel.
[CHAP. VII.]
THEN said the high-priest, Are these things so?
2He replied, Men, brethren, and fathers, hear me: