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   the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.   
   [52] Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have   
   slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye   
   have been now the betrayers and murderers:   
   [53] Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not   
   kept it.   
      
   The Stoning of Stephen   
      
   54 (Ac 5:33; Job 16:9) When they heard these things,   
   they were cut to the heart,   
   and they gnashed their teeth at him.   
   55 (Mk 16:19; Jn 12:41) But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed into   
   heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,   
   56 (Mt 3:16) and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man   
   standing at the right hand of God."   
   57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, closed their ears,   
   and rushed at him in unison.   
   58 (Ac 22:20; Lk 4:29; Ac 8:1) And they threw him out of the city   
   and stoned him. The witnesses laid down their garments at the feet   
   of a young man named Saul.   
   59 (Ps 31:5; Lk 23:46) They stoned Stephen as he was calling on God,   
   praying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."   
   60 (Mt 5:44; Lk 22:41) Then he knelt down and cried with a loud voice,   
   "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."   
   Having said this, he fell asleep.   
      
   [54] When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they   
   gnashed on him with their teeth.   
   [55] But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven,   
   and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,   
   [56] And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing   
   on the right hand of God.   
   [57] Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran   
   upon him with one accord,   
   [58] And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid   
   down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.   
   [59] And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus,   
   receive my spirit.   
   [60] And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this   
   sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.   
      
   Acts 8   
      
   1 (Ac 7:58; 5:33)And Saul was consenting to his death.   
      
   Saul Persecutes the Church   
      
   On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem.   
   And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria,   
   except the apostles.   
   2 Devout men carried Stephen to his burial   
   and made great lamentation over him.   
   3 (1Co 15:9; Gal 1:13) But Saul ravaged the church, entering house by house   
   and dragging out both men and women and committing them to prison.   
      
   [1] And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a   
   great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were   
   all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except   
   the apostles.   
   [2] And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation   
   over him.   
   [3] As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house,   
   and haling men and women committed them to prison.   
   The Gospel Preached in Samaria   
      
   4 (Ac 8:1) Therefore those who were scattered   
   went everywhere preaching the word.   
   5 (Ac 6:5) Philip went down to the city of Samaria   
   and preached Christ to them.   
   6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miracles which he did,   
   they listened in unity to what he said.   
   7 (Mk 16:17-18) For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice,   
   came out of many who were possessed. And many who were paralyzed   
   or lame were healed.   
   8 So there was much joy in that city.   
      
   [4] Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the   
   word.   
   [5] Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto   
   them.   
   [6] And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip   
   spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.   
   [7] For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were   
   possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were   
   healed.   
   [8] And there was great joy in that city.   
      
   Simon the Sorcerer Believes   
      
   9 (Ac 5:36; 13:6) Now a man named Simon was previously in the city practicing   
   sorcery and astonishing the nation of Samaria, saying he was someone great,   
   10 (Ac 14:11; 28:6) to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest,   
   saying, "This man is the great power of God."   
   11 (Gal 3:1) They listened to him, because for a long time he had astonished   
   them by his sorceries.   
   12 (Ac 1:3; 2:38) But when they believed Philip preaching about the kingdom   
   of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.   
   13 (Ac 8:6-7; 19:11) Even Simon himself believed. And when he was baptized,   
   he continued with Philip and was amazed as he watched the miracles   
   and signs which were done.   
      
   [9] But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same   
   city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that   
   himself was some great one:   
   [10] To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying,   
   This man is the great power of God.   
   [11] And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched   
   them with sorceries.   
   [12] But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the   
   kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men   
   and women.   
   [13] Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he   
   continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which   
   were done.   
      
   Samaritans Receive the Holy Spirit   
      
   14 (Ac 8:1) Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria   
   had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.   
   15 (Ac 2:38) When they came down, they prayed for them   
   that they might receive the Holy Spirit,   
   16 (Mt 28:19; Ac 2:38; 19:2) for still He had come on none of them.   
   They were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.   
   17 (Ac 6:6; 9:17) Then they laid their hands on them,   
   and they received the Holy Spirit.   
   18 When Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands   
   the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,   
   19 saying, "Give me also this power, that whomever I lay hands on may   
   receive the Holy Spirit."   
   20 (Da 5:17; Ac 2:38) Peter said to him, "May your money perish with you,   
   because you thought you could purchase the gift of God with money!   
   21 You have neither part nor share in this matter, for your heart   
   is not right before God.   
   22 (Da 4:27) Therefore repent of your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps   
   the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.   
   23 (Heb 12:15) For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness   
   and in the bond of iniquity."   
   24Ex 8:8; Nu 21:7Then Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me that nothing   
   you have spoken may come upon me."   
   25 When they had testified and preached the word of the Lord,   
   they returned to Jerusalem and preached the gospel in many villages   
   of the Samaritans.   
      
   [14] Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had   
   received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:   
   [15] Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive   
   the Holy Ghost:   
   [16] (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in   
   the name of the Lord Jesus.)   
   [17] Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.   
   [18] And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the   
   Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,   
   [19] Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may   
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)