Acts.7.44

"And all this time our ancestors had a tent shrine for true worship, made to the exact specifications God provided Moses.

Acts.7.44

"Our forefathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the desert. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.

Acts.7.44

"Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen,

Acts.7.44

"Our ancestors carried the Tabernacle with them through the wilderness. It was constructed in exact accordance with the plan shown to Moses by God.

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They had it with them as they followed Joshua, when God cleared the land of pagans, and still had it right down to the time of David.

Acts.7.45

Having received the tabernacle, our fathers under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David,

Acts.7.45

which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David,

Acts.7.45

Years later, when Joshua led the battles against the Gentile nations that God drove out of this land, the Tabernacle was taken with them into their new territory. And it was used there until the time of King David.

Acts.7.46

David asked God for a permanent place for worship.

Acts.7.46

who enjoyed God's favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

Acts.7.46

who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob.

Acts.7.46

"David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob.

Acts.7.47

But Solomon built it.

Acts.7.47

But it was Solomon who built the house for him.

Acts.7.47

But Solomon built Him a house.

Acts.7.47

But it was Solomon who actually built it.

Acts.7.48

"Yet that doesn't mean that Most High God lives in a building made by carpenters and masons. The prophet Isaiah put it well when he wrote,

Acts.7.48

"However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says:

Acts.7.48

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

Acts.7.48

However, the Most High doesn't live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,

Acts.7.49

"Heaven is my throne room; I rest my feet on earth. So what kind of house will you build me?" says God. "Where I can get away and relax?

Acts.7.49

"'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?

Acts.7.49

"Heaven is 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?

Acts.7.49

'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you ever build me a temple as good as that?' asks the Lord. 'Could you build a dwelling place for me?

Acts.7.50

It's already built, and I built it."

Acts.7.50

Has not my hand made all these things?'

Acts.7.50

Has My hand not made all these things?'

Acts.7.50

Didn't I make everything in heaven and earth?'

Acts.7.51

"And you continue, so bullheaded! Calluses on your hearts, flaps on your ears! Deliberately ignoring the Holy Spirit, you're just like your ancestors.

Acts.7.51

"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!

Acts.7.51

"You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

Acts.7.51

"You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? But your ancestors did, and so do you!

Acts.7.52

Was there ever a prophet who didn't get the same treatment? Your ancestors killed anyone who dared talk about the coming of the Just One. And you've kept up the family tradition--traitors and murderers, all of you.

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Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him--

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Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,

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Name one prophet your ancestors didn't persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One--the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered.

Acts.7.53

You had God's Law handed to you by angels--gift-wrapped!-and you squandered it!"

Acts.7.53

you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."

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who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it."

Acts.7.53

You deliberately disobeyed God's law, though you received it from the hands of angels. "

Acts.7.54

At that point they went wild, a rioting mob of catcalls and whistles and invective.

Acts.7.54

When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.

Acts.7.54

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

Acts.7.54

The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen's accusation, and they shook their fists in rage.

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But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, hardly noticed--he only had eyes for God, whom he saw in all his glory with Jesus standing at his side.

Acts.7.55

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

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But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,

Acts.7.55

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand.

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He said, "Oh! I see heaven wide open and the Son of Man standing at God's side!"

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"Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

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and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"

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And he told them, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!"

Acts.7.57

Yelling and hissing, the mob drowned him out. Now in full stampede,

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At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,

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

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Then they put their hands over their ears, and drowning out his voice with their shouts, they rushed at him.

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they dragged him out of town and pelted him with rocks. The ringleaders took off their coats and asked a young man named Saul to watch them.

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dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

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and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

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They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. The official witnesses took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Acts.7.59

As the rocks rained down, Stephen prayed, "Master Jesus, take my life."

Acts.7.59

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

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And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

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And as they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

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Then he knelt down, praying loud enough for everyone to hear, "Master, don't blame them for this sin"--his last words. Then he died. Saul was right there, congratulating the killers.

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Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

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Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Acts.7.60

And he fell to his knees, shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin!" And with that, he died.

Acts.8.1

That set off a terrific persecution of the church in Jerusalem. The believers were all scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. All, that is, but the apostles.

Acts.8.1

And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.

Acts.8.1

Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Acts.8.1

Saul was one of the official witnesses at the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles fled into Judea and Samaria.

Acts.8.2

Good and brave men buried Stephen, giving him a solemn funeral--not many dry eyes that day!

Acts.8.2

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.

Acts.8.2

And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

Acts.8.2

(Some godly men came and buried Stephen with loud weeping.)

Acts.8.3

And Saul just went wild, devastating the church, entering house after house after house, dragging men and women off to jail.

Acts.8.3

But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

Acts.8.3

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

Acts.8.3

Saul was going everywhere to devastate the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into jail.