Stephen

number and there is naught to shield us from their fury. Thou didst see when we praised God in the temple even this day, how the chief priests and th

many days hence; depart not from Jerusalem till that the promise is fulfilled to you!' And how sayest thou that there is naught to shield us.

e me because of mine infirmities. The Lord said to thee, 'Thou art Peter, the rock!' unto me he said, 'Be not faithless but believing.' It is not easy for me to believe, it is not easy for me to rejoice, when the Lord ha

spoken also turned, and again Peter felt the indignant fire of his gaze. "It matters not," he said after a pause, "what the heart of man shall devise, the will of the Almi

heir Lord, they found them which believed. It was to this place they had come after they had seen the cloud receive him out of their sight, the words of the angels yet ringing in their ears: "This Jesus which was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into

ayed our Lord into the hands of them that slew him. But now he is dead, and hath gone to his own place, and it is written in the book of the Psalms, 'Let his habitation be made desolate, let no man dwell therein. His office let another take.' Of t

vely. "We have not the spirit of discernment, for did we not trust eve

old to decide such matters by lot. So did God select his chosen priests from the family of

en to the resurrection of Jesus. And the tablets were cast into a basin; and it was found that Joseph Barsabas, called Justus, and Matthias

e one whom thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apo

Matthias, into the brazen cup; and Peter shook the cup, and the name of M

f Jesus, and Salome, and Mary of Magdala together with John, the beloved discipl

th a sigh, for he bethought him of

hen thoughtfully, his eyes fixed upon a bright star which shone above the horizon lik

mean?" he said quickly, turning to loo

hed it? Could he not yet choose, bein

doings of God's elect?" said John,

hether indeed the casting of lots be pleasing to God. God hath p

the like to apportion their booty. And did not the Roman soldiers also

his face full of trouble. "We have not yet the spirit of

come he will teach you all

have need of it, sore need; did we not forget on that day of dread that he had even told us, told us pla

n a babe before the Lord, 'Behold, this child is set for the falling and rising up of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. Yea, and a sword shall pie

hand. "He is alive! He is ascended! and yet is he with us, for he

atthias be not the elect of God for the Apostleship, yet shall he walk with us, and the pierced hand of the Master h

the place of their