(Stephen, a first martyr, continues.) 38 “Moses was with our ancestors, the assembly of God’s people in the wilderness, when the angel spoke to him at Mount Sinai. And there Moses received life-giving words to pass on to us. 39 But our ancestors refused to listen to Moses. They rejected him and wanted to return to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make for us gods [statues, idols] who will go before us. for we don’t know what has become of this Moses who brought us out of Egypt.’ 41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and were reveling and happy with what they’d done. 42 Then God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars. In the book of the prophets it is written, ‘Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during those forty years in the wilderness, Israel? 43 You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship, so I will take you into exile as far as Babylon.' 44 Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. 45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. [The nations that were burning children alive to Baal-Molech, while beating drums (tophet) to drown out the cries.] The tabernacle remained in the land until the time of David. 46 David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob (whose later name was Israel). 47 But it was Solomon who actually built it. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, 49 ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool. What house will you build me? saith the LORD, or what is the place of my resting? 50 Didn't I make all these things?’ 51 You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears (especially the Pharisees and scribes of the law) you always resist the Holy Ghost. As your fathers did, you do also. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the righteous one, the messiah whom you have now betrayed and murdered. 53 You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.” 54 When the leaders and members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 Then they put their hands over their ears, began shouting, and rushed at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul (later Paul). 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
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