God’s True Tabernacle

44 “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses pto make it according to the pattern that he had seen, 45 qwhich our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, rwhom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the sdays of David, 46 twho found favor before God and uasked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. 47 vBut Solomon built Him a house.

48 “However, wthe Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:

49 ‘Heaven xis My throne,

And earth is My footstool.

What house will you build for Me? says the Lord,

Or what is the place of My rest?

50 Has My hand not ymade all these things?’

Israel Resists the Holy Spirit

51 “You zstiff-necked 7and auncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 52 bWhich of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of cthe Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53 dwho have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”

Stephen the Martyr

54 eWhen they heard these things they were 8cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, fbeing full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the gglory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! hI see the heavens opened and the iSon of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And jthe witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, kreceive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, l“Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Saul Persecutes the Church

8 Now Saul was consenting to his death.

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and athey were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and bmade great lamentation over him.

3 As for Saul, che made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Christ is Preached in Samaria

4 Therefore dthose who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then ePhilip went down to 1the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For funclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.