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- This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
- This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
- To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
- Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
- And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
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- "This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, 'GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN.'
- "This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.
- "Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,
- SAYING TO AARON, 'MAKE FOR US GODS WHO WILL GO BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES WHO LED US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT--WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.'
- "At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.
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- Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
- Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
- Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.
- Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;
- Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
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- "But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, 'IT WAS NOT TO ME THAT YOU OFFERED VICTIMS AND SACRIFICES FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS, WAS IT, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL?
- 'YOU ALSO TOOK ALONG THE TABERNACLE OF MOLOCH AND THE STAR OF THE GOD ROMPHA, THE IMAGES WHICH YOU MADE TO WORSHIP. I ALSO WILL REMOVE YOU BEYOND BABYLON.'
- "Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.
- "And having received it in their turn, our fathers brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the nations whom God drove out before our fathers, until the time of David.
- "David found favor in God's sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.
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- But Solomon built him an house.
- Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
- Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
- Hath not my hand made all these things?
- Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
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- "But it was Solomon who built a house for Him.
- "However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:
- 'HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET; WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?' says the Lord, 'OR WHAT PLACE IS THERE FOR MY REPOSE?
- 'WAS IT NOT MY HAND WHICH MADE ALL THESE THINGS?'
- "You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.
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- 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:
- Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
- When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
- 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,
- And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
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- "Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;
- you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it."
- Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.
- But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;
- and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
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- Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
- 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.
- And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
- 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.
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- But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.
- When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
- They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"
- Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.
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