Study Desk

"Our fathers had ^(C1)the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it ^(C2)according to the pattern which he had seen.

"Our fathers in turn received it, and they also ^(C1)brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the ^(F1)nations that God drove out from our fathers, until the time of David.

"^(F1)(C1)David found favor in God's sight, and ^(C2)asked that he might ^(F2)find a dwelling place for the ^(F3)house of Jacob.

"But it was ^(C1)Solomon who built a house for Him.

"However, ^(C1)the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

'^(C1)HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND THE EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET; WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?' says the Lord, 'OR WHAT PLACE IS THERE FOR MY REST?

-'^(C1)WAS IT NOT MY HAND THAT MADE ALL THESE THINGS?'

"You men who are ^(C1)stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

"^(C1)Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of ^(C2)the Righteous One, and ^(C3)you have now become betrayers and murderers of Him;

you who received the Law as ^(C1)ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it."

Now when they heard this, they were ^(C1)infuriated, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.

But he, being ^(C1)full of the Holy Spirit, ^(C2)looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing ^(C3)at the right hand of God;

and he said, "Behold, I see the ^(C1)heavens opened and ^(C2)the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one ^(F1)mind.

When they had ^(C1)driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and ^(C2)the witnesses ^(C3)laid aside their cloaks at the feet of ^(C4)a young man named Saul.

They went on stoning Stephen as he ^(C1)called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"

Then he ^(C1)fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, ^(C2)do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he ^(F1)(C3)fell asleep.