The stoning of Stephen, Saul as persecutor - Acts 7:60; 8:1-3 - N. T. -

But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand. 'I can see heaven thrown open' Stephen said 'and the Son of Man at the right hand of God.' At this all the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they all rushed at him, sent him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses put down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul (Paul). As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit'. Then he knelt down and said aloud, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them'; and with these words he fell asleep.

Saul entirely approved of the killing. That day a bitter persecution started against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except the apostles fled to the country districts of Judaea and Samaria. There were some devout people, however, who buried Stephen and made great mourning for him.

Saul (Paul) then worked for the total destruction of the Church; he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison.

Cf. - Exodus 24:16-18 - O. T. - The cloud covered the mountain, and the glory of Yahweh settled on the mountain of Sinai; for six days the cloud covered it, and on the seventh day Yahweh called to Moses from inside the cloud. To the eyes of the sons of Israel the glory of Yahweh seemed like a devouring fire on the mountain top. Moses went right into the cloud. He went up the mountain, and stayed there for forty days and forty nights.

Cf. - Acts 2:33+ - 

Cf. - Matthew 26:64-66 - N. T. - 'Moreover, I tell you that from this time onward you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.' At this, the high priest tore his clothes and said, 'He has blasphemed. What need of witnesses have we now? There! You have just heard the blasphemy. What is your opinion?' They answered, 'He deserves to die'.

Cf. - Daniel 7:13 - O. T. - I gazed into the visions of the night. And I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man. He came to the one of great age and was led into his presence.

Cf. - Matthew 8:20-22 - N. T. - Jesus replied, 'Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head'. Another man, one of his disciples, said to him, 'Sir, let me go and bury my father first'. But Jesus replied, 'Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead'.

Cf. - Hebrews 13:12 - N. T. - Jesus too suffered outside the gate to sanctify the people with his own blood.

Cf. - Acts 22:20; 26:10 - 

Cf. - Galatians 1:13-14 - N. T. - You must have heard of my career as a practicing Jew, how merciless I (Saul/Paul) was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors. 

Cf. - Psalm 31:5 - O. T. - Into your hands I commit my spirit, you have redeemed me, Yahweh.

Cf. - Luke 23:46, 34; 22:20 - N. T. - When Jesus had cried out in a loud voice, he said, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit'. With these words he breathed his last. Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing'. Then they cast lots to share out his clothing. Jesus did the same with the cup after supper, and said, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood which will be poured out for you.

Cf. - John 16:2 - N. T. - They will expel you from the synagogues, and indeed the hour is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is doing a holy duty for God.

Cf. - Acts 9:1-2; 22:4; 26:10-11 - 

Cf. - 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 - N. T. - I (Saul/Paul) am the least of the apostles; in fact, since I persecuted the Church of God, I hardly deserve the name apostle; but by God's grace that is what I am, and the grace that he gave me has not been fruitless.

Cf. - Galatians 1:13-14 - N. T. - 

Cf. - Philippians 3:6 - N. T. - I was a Pharisee; as for working for religion, I was a persecutor of the Church; as far as the law can make you perfect, I was faultless. 

Cf. - 1 Timothy 1:13-14 - N. T. - Even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Mercy, however, was shown me, because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; and the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus.                                                                                                                                                                                               -  PAGE  106  -

Philip in Samaria 

Those who had escaped went...     -  PAGE  107  -

'Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?'

It is the Lord Jesus Christ that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name. - Acts 10:43 - 

How? And in what way, when it come to understanding matters: What I was always being told is: There are ways and preferences to comprehend all matters, whether it is of spirituality and unspirituality. Firstly, in a literally manner: That is, used for emphasis or to express strong feeling while not being literally true. Secondly, in a humanly manner: That is, from a human point of view, in a humanly manner, by human means; within ability; with human feeling and kindness. Thirdly, in a spiritually manner: That is, in a way that relates to or affects the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. Finally, in an unspiritual manner: That is, not spiritual. But secular, worldly and diabolical.

WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE / WORD OF GOD / HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY. - Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Hence, these two books (The Gospel According To Apostle/Saint Luke & The Acts Of The Apostles) of the New Testament were closely associated, and being call 'a history of the rise of Christianity'. Therefore, I faithfully believe that it is utmost importance for us; all human beings to comprehend these two books, [ All the others Old Testament and New Testament books are equally importance, but as for now, we will start studying and read these two books first, that is, being call 'a history of the rise of Christianity', before continuing the other books.] to the best of our knowledge and enabling our spirit to acknowledges: "Who is God, and how, and in what ways, that is, God is with us." Amen!  

IF WE LIVE BY THE TRUTH AND IN LOVE, WE SHALL GROW IN ALL WAYS INTO CHRIST JESUS, WHO IS THE HEAD BY WHOM THE WHOLE BODY IS FITTED AND JOINED TOGETHER, EVERY JOINT ADDING ITS OWN STRENGTH, FOR EACH SEPARATE PART TO WORK ACCORDING TO IT FUNCTION. SO THE BODY GROWS UNTIL IT HAS BUILT ITSELF UP, IN LOVE." - EPHESIANS 4:15-16 -

"I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE / SHE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE / SHE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE / SHE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE." - JOHN 16:12-15 -

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