1 Stephen, permitted to answer to the accusation of blasphemy,
2 shows that Abraham worshipped God rightly, and how God chose the fathers,
20 before Moses was born, and before the tabernacle and temple were built;
37 that Moses himself witnessed of Christ;
44 and that all outward ceremonies were ordained, according to the heavenly pattern, to last but for a time;
51 reprehending their rebellion, and murdering of Christ, the Just One, whom the prophets foretold should come into the world.
54 Whereupon they stone him to death, who commends his soul to Jesus, and humbly prays for them.

Are. 6:13,14 Mt 26:61,62 Mr 14:58-60 Joh 18:19-21,33-35

2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

Men. 22:1 23:7

The God. Ps 24:7,10 29:3 Isa 6:3 Mt 6:13 Lu 2:14 Joh 1:14 12:41 2Co 4:4-6 Tit 2:13 *Gr: Heb 1:3 Re 4:11 5:12,13

appeared. Ge 12:1 Ne 9:7 Isa 51:2

when. Jos 24:2

Charran. Ge 11:31 12:5 29:4

Haran.

3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

Get. Ge 12:1 Mt 10:37 Lu 14:33 2Co 6:17 Heb 11:8

the land. Ge 13:14-17 15:7 Jos 24:3 Ne 9:8

4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

came. Ge 11:31,32 12:4,5 Isa 41:2,9

5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

he gave. Ge 23:4 Ps 105:11,12 Heb 11:9,10,13-16

not. De 2:5

yet. Ge 12:7 13:15 15:3,18 17:8 26:3 28:13-15 Ex 6:7,8 De 6:10,11 9:5 10:11 11:9 34:4 Ne 9:8 Ps 105:8-11

when. Ge 15:2-5 16:2 17:16-19

6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

That. Ge 15:13,16

four. Ex 12:40,41 Ga 3:17

7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.

the nation. Ge 15:14-16 Ex 7:1-14:31 Ne 9:9-11 Ps 74:12-14 78:43-51 Ps 105:27-36 135:8,9 136:10-15 Isa 51:9,10

and serve. Ex 3:12

8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

the covenant. Ge 17:9-14 Joh 7:22 Ro 4:10 Ga 3:15,17

and so. Or, 'and thus,' [kai houtos,] in this covenant.

Ge 17:12 21:1-4

and Isaac. Ge 25:21-26 1Ch 1:34 Mt 1:2 Ro 9:9-13

and Jacob. Ge 29:31-35 30:1-24 35:16,23-26 Ex 1:1-4 1Ch 2:1,2

patriarchs. 2:29 Heb 7:4

9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

moved. Ge 37:4-11 49:23 Mt 27:18

sold. Ge 37:18-29 45:4 50:15-20 Ps 105:17

but. Ge 39:2,5,21-23 49:24 Isa 41:10 43:2

10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

delivered. Ge 48:16 Ps 22:24 34:17-19 37:40 40:1-3 2Ti 4:18 Jas 5:11 Re 7:14

gave. Ge 41:12-46 42:6 44:18 45:8,9 Ps 105:19-22 Pr 2:6 3:4 16:7

11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

Ge 41:54-57 43:1 45:5,6,11 47:13-15 Ps 105:16

12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.

Ge 42:1 *etc: Ge 43:2

13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.

Joseph. Ge 45:1-18 46:31-34 47:1-10

14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

sent. Ge 45:9-11 Ps 105:23

threescore. Ge 46:12,26,27 De 10:22 1Ch 2:5,6

15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,

Jacob. Ge 46:3-7 Nu 20:15 De 10:22 26:5 Jos 24:4

died. Ge 49:33 Ex 1:6 Heb 11:21,22

16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

were. Of the two burying-places of the patriarchs, one was at Hebron, the cave and field which Abraham purchased of Ephron the Hittite, (Ge. 23:16, etc.); the other in Sychem, which Jacob (not Abraham) bought of the sons of Emmor, (Ge. 33:19.) To remove this glaring discrepancy, Markland interprets [para,] from, as it frequently signifies with a genitive, and renders, 'And were carried over to Sychem; and afterwards from among the descendants of Emmor, the father, or son, of Sychem, they were laid in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money.' This agrees with the account which Josephus gives of the patriarchs; that they were carried out of Egypt, first to Sychem, and then to Hebron, where they were buried.

Ex 13:19 Jos 24:32

the sepulchre. Ge 33:9-20 35:19 49:29-32

Emmor. Ge 34:2 *etc:

Hamor, Shechem.

17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

when. 6 Ge 15:13-16 2Pe 3:8,9

the people. 13:17 Ex 1:7-12,20 Ps 105:24,25

18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.

Ex 1:8

19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

Ex 1:9-22 Ps 83:4,5 105:25 129:1-3 Re 12:4,5

20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:

Moses. Ex 2:2-10

and was. 1Sa 16:12 Heb 11:23

exceeding fair. or, fair to God.

21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.

when. Ex 2:2-10 De 32:26

for. Heb 11:24

22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

was learned. 1Ki 4:29 2Ch 9:22 Isa 19:11 Da 1:4,17-20

and was. Lu 24:19

23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

when. Ex 2:11,12 Heb 11:24-26

it came. Ex 35:21,29 1Ch 29:17-19 2Ch 30:12 Ezr 1:1,5 7:27 Pr 21:1 2Co 8:16 Php 2:12,13 Jas 1:17 Re 17:17

to. 15:36 Ex 4:18

24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:

28 Joh 18:10,11,25-27

25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

For. or, Now. God. 14:27 15:4,7 21:19 1Sa 14:45 19:5 2Ki 5:1 Ro 15:18 1Co 3:9 1Co 15:10 2Co 6:1 Col 1:29

but. Ps 106:7 Mr 9:32 Lu 9:45 18:34

26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?

the next. Ex 2:13-15

ye are. Ge 13:8 45:24 Ps 133:1 Pr 18:19 Joh 15:17,18 1Co 6:6-8 Php 2:1,3 1Jo 3:11-15

27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

he that. 54 5:33 Ge 19:19 1Sa 25:14,15 Pr 9:7,8

Who. 35,39 3:13-15 4:7,11,12 Mt 21:23 Lu 12:14 Joh 18:36,37 19:12-15

28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?

29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

Ex 2:14-22 4:19,20

Midian. Ex 18:2-4

30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.

when. 17 Ex 7:7

there. Ex 3:1 19:1,2 1Ki 19:8 Ga 4:25

Sinai.
an. 32,35 Ge 16:7-13 22:15-18 32:24-30 48:15,16 Ex 3:2,6 Isa 63:9 Ho 12:3-5 Mal 3:1

in a flame. De 4:20 Ps 66:12 Isa 43:2 Da 3:27

in a bush. 35 De 33:16 Mr 12:26 Lu 20:37

31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the LORD came unto him,

and as. Ex 3:3,4

32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

I am. 3:13 Ge 50:24 Ex 3:6,15 4:5 Mt 22:32 Heb 11:16

Then. 9:4-6 Ge 28:13-17 Ex 33:20 1Ki 19:13 Job 4:14 37:1,2 42:5,6 Ps 89:7 Isa 6:1-5 Da 10:7,8 Mt 17:6 Lu 5:8 Re 1:17

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

Put. Ex 3:5 Jos 5:15 Ec 5:1 2Pe 1:18

34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.

I have seen. Ex 2:23-25 3:7,9 4:31 6:5,6 Jud 2:18 10:15,16 Ne 9:9 Ps 106:44 Isa 63:8,9

and am. Ge 11:5,7 18:21 Ex 3:8 Nu 11:17 Ps 144:5 Isa 64:1 Joh 3:13 Joh 6:38

And now. Ex 3:10,14 Ps 105:26 Ho 12:13 Mic 6:4

35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.

Moses. 9-15,27,28,51 1Sa 8:7,8 10:27 Lu 19:14 Joh 18:40 19:15

the same. Ps 75:7 113:7,8 118:22,23

a ruler. 2:36 3:22 5:31 1Sa 12:8 Ne 9:10-14 Ps 77:20 Isa 63:11,12 Re 15:3

by. See on ver. 30 Ex 14:19,24 23:20-23 32:34 33:2,12-15 Nu 20:16 Isa 63:9 Col 1:15 Heb 2:2

36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

brought. Ex 12:41 33:1

after. Ex 7:1-14:31 De 4:33-37 6:21,22 Ne 9:10 Ps 78:12,13,42-51 Ps 105:27-36 106:8-11 135:8-12 136:9-15

in the Red. Ex 14:21,27-29

and in the wilderness. Ex 15:23-25 16:1-17:16 19:1-20:26 Nu 9:15 *etc: Nu 11:1-35 14:1-45 16:1-17:13 20:1-21:35 De 2:25-37 8:4 Ne 9:12-15,18-22 Ps 78:14-33 105:39-45 106:17,18 135:10-12 Ps 136:16-21

37 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.

that. 38 2Ch 28:22 Da 6:13

A prophet. 3:22 De 18:15-19

like unto me. or, as myself. him. 3:23 Mt 17:3-5 Mr 9:7 Lu 9:30,31,35 Joh 8:46,47 18:37

38 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:

in the church. Ex 19:3-17 20:19,20 Nu 16:3 *etc: Nu 16:41,42

with the. See on ver. 30,35,53 Isa 63:9 Ga 3:19 Heb 2:2

who. Ex 21:1 *etc: De 5:27-31 6:1-3 33:4 Ne 9:13,14 Joh 1:17

lively. De 30:19,20 32:46,47 Ps 78:5-9 Joh 6:63 Ro 3:2 9:4 10:6-10 Heb 5:12 1Pe 4:11

39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

whom. 51,52 Ne 9:16 Ps 106:16,32,33 Eze 20:6-14

but. 27 Jud 11:2 1Ki 2:27

and in. Ex 14:11,12 16:3 17:3 Nu 11:5 14:3,4 21:5 Ne 9:17

40 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.

unto. Ex 32:1

41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

they. Ex 32:2-8,17-20 De 9:12-18 Ne 9:18 Ps 106:19-21

rejoiced. Isa 2:8,9 44:9-20 Ho 9:1,10 Hab 2:18-20

42 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?

and gave. Ps 81:11,12 Isa 66:4 Eze 14:7-10 20:25,39 Ho 4:17 Ro 1:24-28 2Th 2:10-12

the host. De 4:19 17:3 2Ki 17:16 21:3 Job 31:26-28 Jer 19:13 Eze 8:16

O ye. Am 5:25,26

have ye. Isa 43:23

of forty. Ps 95:10 Heb 3:9,15-17

43 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.

ye took. Le 18:21 20:2-5 2Ki 17:16-18 21:6

figures. Ex 20:4,5 De 4:16-18 5:8,9

and I. 2Ki 17:6 18:11 Am 5:27

Babylon. In the passage of Amos, to which Stephen refers, it is beyond Damascus; but as Assyria and Media, to which they were carried, were not only beyond Damascus, but beyond Babylon itself, he states that fact, and thus fixes more precisely the place of their captivity.

44 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.

the tabernacle. Ex 38:21 Nu 1:50-53 9:15 10:11 17:7,8 18:2 Jos 18:1 2Ch 24:6

speaking. or, who spake. that he. Ex 25:40 26:30 1Ch 28:11,19 Heb 8:2,5

45 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;

Which. Jos 3:11-14 18:1 Jud 18:31 1Sa 4:4 1Ki 8:4 1Ch 16:39 21:29

that came after. or, having received. Jesus. Jos 3:6,7

Joshua. Heb 4:8

whom. 13:19 Ne 9:24 Ps 44:2 78:55

unto. 2Sa 6:1-23 1Ch 15:1-17:27

46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

found. 13:22 1Sa 15:28 16:1,11-13 2Sa 6:21 7:1,8,18,19 1Ch 28:4,5 Ps 78:68-72 89:19-37 132:11

and desired. 2Sa 7:1-5 1Ki 8:17-19 1Ch 17:1-4 22:7,8 28:2,3 29:2,3 Ps 132:1-5

47 But Solomon built him an house.

2Sa 7:13 1Ki 5:1-18 6:1,37,38 7:13-51 8:20 1Ch 17:1 2Ch 2:1-4:22 Zec 6:12,13

48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

the most High. De 32:8 Ps 7:17 46:4 91:1,9 92:8 Da 4:17,24,25,34 Ho 7:16

dwelleth. 17:24,25 1Ki 8:27 2Ch 2:5,6 6:18

as. Isa 66:1,2

49 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?

Heaven. 1Ki 22:19 Ps 11:4 Jer 23:24 Mt 5:34,35 23:22 Re 3:21

what house. Jer 7:4-11 Mal 1:11 Mt 24:2 Joh 4:21

50 Hath not my hand made all these things?

14:15 Ex 20:11 Ps 33:6-9 50:9-12 146:5,6 Isa 40:28 44:24 Isa 45:7,8,12 Jer 10:11 32:17

51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

stiffnecked. Ex 32:9 33:3,5 34:9 De 9:6,13 31:27 2Ch 30:8 Ne 9:16 Ps 75:5 Ps 78:8 Isa 48:4 Jer 17:23 Eze 2:4 Zec 7:11,12

uncircumcised. Le 26:41 De 10:16 30:6 Jer 4:4 6:10 9:25,26 Eze 44:7,9 Ro 2:25,28,29 Php 3:3 Col 2:11

resist. 6:10 Ne 9:30 Isa 63:10 Eph 4:30

as. 9,27,35,39 Mt 23:31-33

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:

Which of. 1Sa 8:7,8 1Ki 19:10,14 2Ch 24:19-22 36:16 Ne 9:26 Jer 2:30 Jer 20:2 26:15,23 Mt 5:12 21:35-41 23:31-37 Lu 11:47-51 Lu 13:33,34 1Th 2:15

which shewed. 3:18,24 1Pe 1:11 Re 19:10

the Just One. 3:14 22:14 Zec 9:9 1Jo 2:1 Re 3:7

of whom. 2:23 3:15 4:10 5:28-30

53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

have received. Ex 19:1-20:26 De 33:2 Ps 68:17 Ga 3:19 Heb 2:2

and have. Eze 20:18-21 Joh 7:19 Ro 2:23-25 Ga 6:13

54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

they were. 5:33 22:22,23

they gnashed. Job 16:9 Ps 35:16 112:10 La 2:16 Mt 8:12 13:42,50 22:13 24:51 Mt 25:30 Lu 13:28

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,

full. 2:4 4:8 6:3,5,8,10 13:9,10 Mic 3:8

looked. 1:10,11 2Co 12:2-4 Re 4:1-3

and saw. Isa 6:1-3 Eze 1:26-28 10:4,18 11:23 Joh 12:41 2Co 4:6 2Pe 1:17 Re 21:11

standing. Ps 109:31 110:1 Joh 14:3 Heb 1:3 8:1

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

I see. 10:11,16 Eze 1:1 Mt 3:16 Mr 1:10 Lu 3:21 Re 4:1 11:19 19:11

the Son. Da 7:13,14 Mt 16:27,28 25:31 26:64,65 Joh 5:22-27

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

they cried. 54 21:27-31 23:27

stopped. Ps 58:4 Pr 21:13 Zec 7:11

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.

cast. Nu 15:35 1Ki 21:13 Lu 4:29 Heb 13:12,13

stoned. 6:11 Le 24:14-16 Joh 10:23-26

the witnesses. 6:13 De 13:9,10 17:7

their. 8:1 22:20 9:1

59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

calling. 2:21 9:14,21 22:16 Joe 2:32 Ro 10:12-14 1Co 1:2

Lord. Ps 31:5 Lu 23:46

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.

he kneeled. 9:40 20:36 21:5 Ezr 9:5 Da 6:10 Lu 22:41

Lord. Mt 5:44 Lu 6:28 23:34 Ro 12:14-21

he fell. 13:36 1Co 11:30 15:6,18,20,51 1Th 4:13,14 5:10