Study Desk

These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.

God also told him that his descendants would live in a foreign land, where they would be oppressed as slaves for 400 years.

Then Joseph sent for his father, Jacob, and all his relatives to come to Egypt, seventy-five persons in all.

Their bodies were taken to Shechem and buried in the tomb Abraham had bought for a certain price from Hamor's sons in Shechem.

"At that time Moses was born—a beautiful child in God's eyes. His parents cared for him at home for three months.

"Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.

I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groans and have come down to rescue them. Now go, for I am sending you back to Egypt.'

And by means of many wonders and miraculous signs, he led them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and through the wilderness for forty years.

"Moses himself told the people of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people.'

They told Aaron, ‘Make us some gods who can lead us, for we don't know what has become of this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.'

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

Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.

A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great.

They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

But Peter replied, "May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God's gift can be bought!

You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.

for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin."

"Pray to the Lord for me," Simon exclaimed, "that these terrible things you've said won't happen to me!"