Gevurot 1:1-8:3

Orthodox Jewish Bible

1 In the sefer harishon I wrote about everything, O Theophilus, about Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, both what he began to do and the shiurim he began to say,

² Until HaYom, when he made aliyah ascent to Shomayim, having given Moshiach’s mitzvot through the Ruach Hakodesh to the Shlichim whom he chose,

³ To whom also he presented himself chai (alive), after his Messianic yissurim (sufferings), by many convincing proofs, during arba’im yamim appearing to his Shlichim and speaking concerning the Malchut Hashem:

⁴ And, while gathering them at a yechidus, Moshiach gave instructions to them not to depart from Yerushalayim, but to wait for the havtachah (promise) of [Elohim] HaAv which he said, "You heard of from Me. [TEHILLIM 27:14]

⁵ "For Yochanan gave a tevilah of teshuva with a mikveh mayim, but you will receive a tevilah in the Ruach Hakodesh not many yamim from now." [YOEL 3:1;(2:28)]

⁶ And at yechidus, having come together, they were asking him saying, "Adoneinu, is it at this time that You are restoring the Malchut Hashem to Am Yisroel?"

⁷ But he said to them, "It is not for you to have da’as of the itim (times) or moadim (seasons) which [Elohim] HaAv has set by His own samchut (authority). [Dt 29:29; Ps 107:13]

⁸ "But you will receive ko’ach when the Ruach Hakodesh has come upon you, and you all will be the Eidus (the Witness) of me, in Yerushalayim, and in all Yehudah, and Shomron and as far as ad ketzeh ha’aretz."

⁹ And having said these things, while they were looking on, in an aliyah ascent to Shomayim, Moshiach was taken up; and an anan (cloud) took him away from their eyes.

¹⁰ And as they were gazing intently into Shomayim, while Moshiach was going—hinei—two beings, enrobed in white, had been present with them.

¹¹ Also, these said, "Men of the Galil, why do you stand looking into Shomayim? This Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, the one having been taken up from you into Shomayim, will also come again in like manner as you saw him going into Shomayim."

¹² Then they returned to Yerushalayim from Har HaZeytim, which from Yerushalayim is a Shabbos walk.

¹³ And when they entered, they went up to the aliyyah where they were staying, that is, Kefa and Yochanan and Ya’akov and Andrew and Philippos and T’oma and Bar-Talmai and Mattityahu and Ya’akov Ben Chalfai and Shimon the Zealot and Yehudah Ben Ya’akov.

¹⁴ These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to tefillah, with the nashim and with Miryam the Em of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and with his achim.

¹⁵ And at this time, having stood up, Kefa, in the midst of the Achim b’Moshiach (there were 120 persons in the place)

¹⁶ —Said, "Achim b’Moshiach, the Kitvei Hakodesh had to be fulfilled, which the Ruach Hakodesh foretold through the peh of Dovid Hamelech concerning Yehudah, who became a guide to the ones arresting Yehoshua.

¹⁷ "For he had been numbered among us, and he received his ministry in the Messianic avodas kodesh of the Moshiach’s Shlichim.

¹⁸ (Now this man, therefore, acquired a sadeh out of the sachar [reward] of his peysha and, having fallen headlong, he plotst [burst] open in the middle and all the inward parts of him were poured out.

¹⁹ And this became known to all the ones inhabiting Yerushalayim, so that the sadeh [field] became known in their language as 'Akeldama’‖that is 'Sadeh of Dahm.')

²⁰ "For it has been written in the Sefer Tehillim, "TEHI the place of him NESHAMMAH (one being deserted)... V’AL YEHI YOSHEV" ("May his place be deserted and let him not be the one dwelling in it": TEHILLIM 69:26) and "PEKUDATO YIKACH ACHER" ("his place of leadership may another take". TEHILLIM 109:8)

²¹ "It is necessary, therefore, that one of the anashim who accompanied us during all the time in which Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua went in and went out among us,

²² "Beginning from the tevilah of teshuva of Yochanan until the day when Moshiach was taken up from us—one of these should become Eidus (Witness) with us to the Techiyas HaMoshiach."

²³ And they put forward two anashim, Yosef Bar-Sabba, also called Justus, and Mattityahu.

²⁴ And having davened, they said, "Adonoi, you have da’as of the levavot of Kol B’nei Adam. Therefore, show which of these two is your bechirah [1Sm 14:41]

²⁵ "To take the place of this avodas kodesh ministry and Shlichus from which Yehudah turned aside to go to his own place."

²⁶ And they drew lots, and the lot fell to Mattityahu, and he was numbered with the Achad Asar of Moshiach’s Shlichim. [T.N. Lukas wrote this work around 63 C.E., near the time of his awaiting the first hearing of Rav Sha’ul before Nero in Rome.]

2 And when the day of Shavuos is fulfilled, they were all together in one place. [Lv 23:15,16]

² And there was mitamuhl (suddenly) from Shomayim a sound like the rushing of a violent wind, and it filled the whole bais where they were sitting.

³ And leshonot appeared to them, being divided as eish resting on each one of them,

⁴ And all were filled with the Ruach Hakodesh, and they began to speak in leshonot acherot as the Ruach Hakodesh was giving the utterance to them.

⁵ Now there were in Yerushalayim frum, charedi (orthodox) Yehudim from all the nations under Shomayim.

⁶ And at this sound, the multitude assembled and was bewildered, because they were hearing, each one in his own native language, the Achim b’Moshiach speaking.

⁷ And they were mishpoyel (standing in awe) and marveled, saying, "Hinei, are not all of these Galileans speaking?

⁸ "And how are we hearing, each in our own language in which we were born?

⁹ "We Parthians and Medes and Elamites; the ones living in Mesopotamia, Yehudah, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,

¹⁰ Phrygia, Pamphylia, Mitzrayim (Egypt), and the regions of Libya around Cyrene; and the visiting Romans,

¹¹ Both Yehudim and Gerim (Proselytes), Cretan, and Arabic, we hear them speaking in other languages [than their own] of the Gevurot (mighty acts) of Hashem".

¹² And all had real hispailus (overwhelming awe) and were bewildered saying one to another, "What can this mean?"

¹³ But others, mocking, were saying, "Of sweet wine they have been filled!”

¹⁴ But Kefa, having stood with the Achad Asar, lifted up his voice and declared to them, "Anashim Yehudim! And the ones inhabiting Yerushalayim, have da’as of all this and be goires (listen to) my dvarim:

¹⁵ "For these ones are not, as you assume, in their schnaps, for it is only the third hour of the day (nine o’clock in the morning).

¹⁶ "But this is what has been spoken by Yoel HaNavi;

¹⁷ `And it shall be in the Acharit Hayamim, ne’um Hashem, ESHPOCH ES RUCHI AL KOL BASAR V’NIB’U BNEICHEM U’VENOTEICHEM ZIKNEICHEM CHALOMOT YACHALOMUN BACHUREICHEM CHEZYONOT YIRU ("I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh: and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams and your bochrim will see visions": Yoel 3:1 [2:28]) [Num 11:25; Isa 44:3; Ezek 39:29]

¹⁸ ‘And upon My avadim and upon My shfakhot in BAYYAMIM HAHEMMAH ESHPOCH ES RUCHI ("in those days I will pour out my Ruach Hakodesh") and they will speak dvarim hanevu’ah:

¹⁹ ‘And I will give MOFTIM BASHOMAYIM and signs on ha’aretz below DAHM VA’EISH V’TIMROT ASHAM ("blood and fire and billows of smoke")

²⁰ ‘The shemesh (sun) will be transformed into choshech (darkness) and the moon into blood before the great and dreadful YOM HASHEM.")

²¹ ("And it will be that everyone whoever calls upon the Name of Adonoi will be saved".)' [BERESHIS 4:26; 26:25; TEHILLIM 105:1; YOEL 3:1-5 (2:28 32)]

²² "Anshei Yisroel, listen to these dvarim: Yehoshua of Natzeret, a man having been attested by Hashem to you by gevurot and moftim which Hashem did through him in your midst, just as you yourselves have da’as

²³ "This one, delivered up by the determined cheshbon (plan) and yedi’ah mukdemet (foreknowledge) of Hashem, and by the hand of lawless Bnei Adam you made him talui al HaEtz (being hanged on the Tree, DEVARIM 21:23) and put him to death. [YESHAYAH 53:10]

²⁴ "But in fact Hashem made Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach to stand up alive again, having destroyed the Chevlei HaMavet, because it was impossible for Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach to be held by Death’s ko’ach.

²⁵ "For Dovid Hamelech says of him, SHIVVITI HASHEM L’NEGDI TAMID KI MIMINI BAL EMMOT ("I set Adonoi before me always, because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken.") [TEHILLIM 16:8-11]

²⁶ "Therefore my heart was cheered up and my tongue exulted and in addition also my flesh, my body, will live in secure [hope].") [BERESHIS 47:18; TEHILLIM 16:9-10; IYOV 19:25-27; YESHAYAH 53:11]

²⁷ "Because you will not abandon the nefesh (soul) of me to destruction nor will you give your Chasid [T.N. i.e., Moshiach the ultimate Chasid] to see corruption.")

²⁸ TODIEINI ORACH CHAYYIM SOVA SEMACHOT ES PANECHA ("You made known to me the path of Chayyim, you will fill me with simcha in your presence.") [TEHILLIM 16:8-11]

²⁹ "Anashim Achim, it is permitted to speak with bitachon (confidence) to you benoigeia (regarding) Dovid Avinu, that also he died and was buried and his kever (tomb) is with us until this day. [MELACHIM ALEF 2:10; NECHEMYAH 3:16]

³⁰ "Therefore, being a Navi and having da’as that with a shevu’ah (an oath) HASHEM swore to him that from his loins his zera would sit upon his KISSE... [TEHILLIM 132:11; 89:3-4; SHMUEL BAIS 7:12-13]

³¹ "Foreseeing this, Dovid Hamelech spoke about the Techiyas HaMoshiach: neither was he "abandoned to destruction nor did his BASAR see corruption." [BERESHIS 47:18; TEHILLIM 16:9-10; IYOV 19:25-27; YESHAYAH 53:11]

³² "This Yehoshua in fact Hashem made to stand up alive again, of which we all are Edim (T.N. i.e., here the original language means “martyr witnesses unto mavet al Kiddush ha-Shem”).

³³ "Having been exalted to the right hand of Hashem and having received the havtachah of the Ruach Hakodesh from [Elohim] HaAv, Moshiach poured out this which you also see and hear.

³⁴ "For Dovid Hamelech did not ascend into Shomayim, but he says, "Hashem says to Adoni, SHEV LIMINI ("sit down at my right hand")

³⁵ Until I make OYVECHA ("your enemies") your footstool." [TEHILLIM 110:1]

³⁶ "Therefore, assuredly let Klal Yisroel have da’as that this Yehoshua, whom you made talui al HaEtz (being hanged on the Tree, DEVARIM 21:23), this one Hashem has made both Adoneinu and Rabbeinu, Melech HaMoshiach."

³⁷ And when they heard this, they were pierced with conviction in their levavot, and they said to Kefa and to the other of Moshiach’s Shlichim, "Achim, what shall we do?"

³⁸ And Kefa said to them, "Make teshuva (repentance, turning from chet to Hashem) and each of you submit to a tevilah of teshuva in the Shem of Yehoshua HaMoshiach, for the selichat avon of you, and you will receive the matanah of the Ruach Hakodesh.

³⁹ "For to you is the havtachah and to your yeladim and to all the ones at a distance, as many as may YIKRA B’SHEM ADONOI ELOHEINU." [YOEL 3:5; 2:28; YESHAYAH 44:3; 65:23; 57:19]

⁴⁰ And with many other dvarim, Kefa gave solemn edut (testimony) and was warning them, "Receive yeshu’at Eloheinu from this DOR IKKESH U’FETALTOL (warped and crooked generation)!" DEVARIM 32:5]

⁴¹ Those, who were mekabel Besuras HaGeulah and welcomed his dvar, submitted to a tevilah of teshuva and there were added in that day nefashot (souls) beerech (approximately, dacht zich) shloshet alafim (three thousand).

⁴² And they were keseder (constantly) shtark (steadfastly) devoting themselves to the Moshiach’s pnimiyus (innermost) Torah as handed on by Moshiach’s Shlichim (emmisaries of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach) and to being mishtatef (involved, joining) in the Messianic Chavurah (fellowship, company, group, especially one eating the paschal lamb together) and to the tishen (shared meals) with Betzi’at HaLechem (Breaking Bread) at the Seudos Moshiach and to the Tefillos.

⁴³ All were filled with yirat Shomayim and mishpoyel (awe), and many moftim and otot through Moshiach’s Shlichim were taking place.

⁴⁴ And all the [Jewish] Ma’aminim HaMeshichiyim were together and they were having all things in common.

⁴⁵ And they were selling their properties and possessions and were distributing tzedakah to everyone as someone had need. [DEVARIM 28:1-14]

⁴⁶ And yom yom, devoting themselves with one mind in the courts of the Beis Hamikdash, and from bais to bais, offering the Betzi’at HaLechem, they were together at tish with single-hearted exultation and hitlahavut.

⁴⁷ Praising Hashem, and having favor with all the people while G-d was adding to their number yom yom those receiving yeshu’at Eloheinu.

3 Now Kefa and Yochanan were going up to the Beis Hamikdash at the hour of tefillah, the ninth hour (three o’clock in the afternoon). [TEHILLIM 55:17]

² And a certain ish, an ish (pisei’ach from the womb of his em), was being carried and they were putting him bederech klal (usually) yom yom at the sha’ar of the Beis Hamikdash, the one being called the Sha’ar Hatiferet, in order to beg for tzedakah from the ones entering into the Beis Hamikdash.

³ When the ish pisei’ach (lame man) saw Kefa and Yochanan being about to enter into the Beis Hamikdash, he began begging them for tzedakah.

⁴ But Kefa, as did Yochanan, gazed at him, saying, "Look at us!"

⁵ And the ish pisei’ach was paying heed to them, expecting to receive something from them.

⁶ And Kefa said, "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give to you. In ha-Shem of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua of Natzeret, get up and walk!"

⁷ And having grasped him by the yad yamin, Kefa lifted him up, and immediately the man’s feet and ankles were strengthened.

⁸ And leaping up, he stood and was walking around, and he entered with them into the Beis Hamikdash, walking and leaping and shouting "Baruch Hashem!" [YESHAYAH 35:6]

⁹ And all the people saw him walking and shouting, "Baruch Hashem!"

¹⁰ And they recognized him, that he was the one sitting at the Sha’ar Hatiferet (Beautiful Gate) of the Beis Hamikdash begging for tzedakah; and they were mishpoyel (standing in awe) and amazement at what had happened to him.

¹¹ Now while Kefa and Yochanan were being held by him, all the people ran together to them at the Portico which is called Ulam Sh’lomo, and the people were utterly astonished.

¹² And when Kefa saw this, he answered the people, preaching, "Anshei Yisroel, why are you bewildered at this or at us? Why are you gazing as if it were by our own ko’ach or chassidus that this man has become able to walk?

¹³ "Hashem, Elohei Avraham V’Elohei Yitzchak V’Elohei Ya’akov, the G-d of Avoteinu, has brought kavod to his mesharet, his Eved, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate when you decided to release the other one. [SHEMOT 3:6,15; YESHAYAH 52:13;53:11]

¹⁴ "But you denied HaKadosh and the Tzaddik and you asked for a man who was a rotzeach (murderer) to be granted unto you,

¹⁵ "but the Sar HaChayyim you did away with, whom Hashem made to stand up alive again from the mesim, of which we are edim (witnesses).

¹⁶ "And on the basis of emunah in Shmo (Name), this ish whom you see and know, the Shem of Yehoshua has made him strong; ken, and it is emunah (faith) that comes through Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, which has given a refu’ah shleimah (complete healing) to this man in the presence of all of you.

¹⁷ "And now, Achim, I realize that according to a lack of da’as you acted, as did also your manhigim (leaders).

¹⁸ "But Hashem has thus fulfilled the things which he announced beforehand through the mouth of all the Nevi’im that the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach should undergo Messianic yissurim (sufferings).

¹⁹ "Therefore, make teshuva (repentance, turning from chet [sin] to G-d) and turn in order that your chatta’im, your averos (sins) may be removed, [TEHILLIM 51:1; YESHAYAH 43:25; 44:22]

²⁰ "In order that times of rest may come from the presence of Adonoi, and that he may send the one having been proclaimed beforehand to you, that is, the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach,

²¹ "Whom it is necessary for Shomayim to receive until the times of the Tikkun of all things of which Hashem spoke long ago through the mouth of his Nevi’im hakedoshim."

²² "Moshe Rabbenu indeed said, "NAVI KAMOCHA [T. N. i.e., a prophet like Moses] for you Hashem Adonoi will raise up from your achim; to him you will give heed according to everything whatever he may speak to you." [DEVARIM 18:15,18]

²³ "And it will be that every nefesh (soul) whoever LO YISHMA (does not listen) to that Navi (prophet) will be utterly destroyed from among the people. [DEVARIM 18:19; VAYIKRA 23:29]

²⁴ "And likewise all the Nevi’im (prophets) from Shmuel and his successors onward, also announced HaYom HaZeh.

²⁵ "You are the Bnei HaNevi’im (prophets) and you are the Bnei HaBrit which Hashem decreed to your Avot, saying to Avraham Avinu, V’NIVRAKHU (“and they will be blessed”) in your ZERA (“Seed”), KOL MISHPEKHOT HA’ADAMAH ("and in your Zera will be blessed all the families of the earth.") [BERESHIS 12:3; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14]

²⁶ "To you rishonah (first) Hashem raised up his EVED [Moshiach], sending him to give you a bracha, turning every one of you in teshuva away from your wicked ways."

4 Now while they were speaking to the people, the kohanim and the Sar Tzeva HaHeikhal, and the Tzedukim (Sadducees), approached them,

² Being greatly annoyed, because they were teaching HaAm and preaching in Yehoshua the Techiyas HaMesim.

³ And they took them with their hands, and put them in the beis hasohar until the next day, for it was already erev.

⁴ And many of the ones having listened to the dvar Hashem had emunah; and the number of the men came to be lav davka (approximately) chameshet alafim.

⁵ And it came about on the next day their manhigim and Zekenim and the Sofrim were gathered together in Yerushalayim,

⁶ And also Anan the Kohen Gadol and Caiapha and Yochanan and Alexander and as many as were of the mishpochah of the Kohen Gadol.

⁷ And when they had placed the Moshiach’s Shlichim in their midst, they were inquiring, "By what ko’ach or in what Shem have you done this?"

⁸ Then Kefa, having been filled with the Ruach Hakodesh, said to them, "Sarei HaAm and Zekenim,

⁹ "If we today are being examined on account of a ma’aseh tov done to a handicapped man, as to by what means this one has been given refuah shleimah,

¹⁰ "Let it be known to all of you and to Klal Yisroel, that b’Shem Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yeshoshua of Natzeret, whom you hanged on HaEtz (DEVARIM 21:22), whom Hashem made to stand up alive again from HaMesim‖by this Shem this man stands here before you shalem b’guf (healthy).

¹¹ "He [Yehoshua] is HAEVEN MA’ASU ("the Stone which was rejected") by you, HABONIM ("the builders”), which HAY’TAH LEROSH PINNAH ("became the very corner") stone. [Ps 118:22; Isa 28:16; Zech 10:4]

¹² "And there is no Yeshu’at Eloheinu in any other, for there is no other Shem under Shomayim that has been given among Bnei Adam, by which it is necessary for you to be spared [the Mishpat Hashem in the Yom HaDin]."

¹³ Now observing the boldness of Kefa and Yochanan, and having perceived that they are not yeshiva-trained Torah teachers, they were marveling and began to recognize them, that they had been with Yehoshua.

¹⁴ And seeing the man who had received refuah shleimah standing with them, they had nothing to say keneged to it.

¹⁵ And having ordered the Shlichim to step outside the Sanhedrin chambers, they began conferring with one another,

¹⁶ Saying, "What should we do with these anashim? For that a remarkable ot has occurred through them is evident to all the ones inhabiting Yerushalayim, and we are not able to make hakhchashah of the fact.

¹⁷ "But lest it may be spread further among the Am Yisroel, let us warn them no longer to speak to any man b’shem hazeh (in this name)."

¹⁸ And, having summoned them, they commanded them not to say drashot or shiurim b’shem Yehoshua at all. [AMOS 7:13]

¹⁹ But Kefa and Yochanan in reply said to them, "If it is tov before Hashem to listen to you rather than to Hashem, you be the Beit Din Dayan;

²⁰ "For we are not able to cease speaking about what we saw and heard [as edei re’iyah (eyewitnesses)]." [IYOV 32:18; YIRMEYAH 20:9; AMOS 3:8]

²¹ And when they had threatened them further, they released them, finding no basis on which they might punish them, because of the people, vi-bahlt all were crying "Baruch Hashem!" on account of what had happened.

²² For the man was more than ben arba’im shanah, upon whom this ot of refu’ah had been brought about.

²³ And, after having been released, the Moshiach’s Shlichim came to their own, and reported all the things the Rashei Hakohanim and the Zekenim had said to them.

²⁴ And having heard this, the people lifted their voices to Hashem with one mind, and said, "Rabbono Shel Olam, you are the one BARAH ES HASHOMAYIM V’ES HA’ARETZ and the yam and all that is in them, [BERESHIS 1:1; NECHEMYAH 9:6; IYOV 41:11; YESHAYAH 37:16; TEHILLIM 146:6; SHEMOT 20:11]

²⁵ "And You are the One Who by the Ruach Hakodesh through the mouth of Avinu Dovid Your eved, said, LAMMAH RAGESHU GOYIM UL’UMMIM YEHIGU RIK ("Why did the Goyim rage and the peoples plot vain and futile things?")

²⁶ YITYATZVU MALKHEI ERETZ V’ROZNIM NOSEDU YACHAD AL HASHEM V’AL MOSHIACHO (‘The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers assembled together against Hashem and against His Moshiach.') [TEHILLIM 2:1,2; DANIEL 9:25]

²⁷ "For be’emes (in truth) in this Ir (City), keneged (in opposition, against) Your Eved HaKadosh Yehoshua whom You did anoint, there were assembled both Herod and Pontius Pilate along with the Goyim and HaAm Yisroel, [TEHILLIM 61:1, 2:1f; YESHAYAH 53; ZECHARYAH 12:10]

²⁸ "To do whatever that was by Your hand and by Your ratzon (will) it was nigzar merosh (predestined) to occur.

²⁹ "And now, Adonoi, look upon their threats and grant that Your avadim may speak Your dvar with all ometz lev (courage, boldness), [TEHILLIM 138:3]

³⁰ "While You stretch out Your hand for refu’ah and otot and moftim to occur through the Shem of Your Eved HaKadosh Yehoshua."

³¹ And after they had davened, the place in which they had assembled was shaken and everyone was filled with the Ruach Hakodesh and they were speaking the dvar Hashem with ometz lev (courage, boldness).

³² Now the Messianic Kehillah velt (community) of the ones having had emunah had achdus in lev (heart) and nefesh (soul), and not one was saying that any of the possessions belonging to him was his own, but everything to them was in common.

³³ And with gevaltike (extraordinary) ko’ach (power) the Moshiach’s Shlichim were giving eidus (testimony) of the Techiyas of Yehoshua Adoneinu. And great Chen v’Chesed Hashem was upon them all.

³⁴ For there was no one needy among them, for as many as were owners of sadot or batim were selling them and were bringing the proceeds of the sale

³⁵ And were placing them at the feet of Moshiach’s Shlichim and were distributing to each one as anyone was nitzrach (needy).

³⁶ And Yosef, a Levi from Cyprus, a man having been named Bar-Nabba by the Moshiach’s Shlichim, a name which being translated means, "Son of Encouragement,"

³⁷ This one owned a sadeh and, when he sold it, brought the kesef and laid it at the feet of Moshiach’s Shlichim.

5 And a certain man by the name Chananyah, with his wife Shappira, sold property

² And he, with his wife in collusion as to da’as, misappropriated from the price, and having brought a certain part, laid it at the feet of the Moshiach’s Shlichim. [YEHOSHUA 7:11]

³ But Kefa said, "Chananyah, why has Hasatan filled your lev (heart) that you lied to the Ruach Hakodesh and misappropriated from the price of the land? [DEVARIM 23:21]

⁴ "While it remained with you, did it not remain yours? And after it was sold, were the proceeds not under your samchut (authority)? How is it that you have hatched this deed in your lev (heart)? Your sheker (lie) was not to Bnei Adam but to the Ruach Hakodesh." [DEVARIM 23:22; VAYIKRA 6:2]

⁵ And hearing these dvarim, having fallen down, Chananyah died; and there came great yirat Shomayim upon all the ones listening. [TEHILLIM 5:6]

⁶ And having got up, the bochrim threw the tachrichin shroud over him and, having carried him out, they buried him in a kever.

⁷ And there was an interval of lav davka (approximately) shloshah sha’ot and then his isha, not having da’as of what had happened, entered.

⁸ And in reply to her, Kefa said "Tell me, you sold the sadeh for such and such a price, did you?" And she said, "Ken, for such and such a price, that was the amount."

⁹ And Kefa said to her, "Why was it agreed by the two of you to put the Ruach Hakodesh of Hashem to the test? Hinei! The feet of the ones having buried your ba’al are at the petach (doorway), and they will carry you out."

¹⁰ And she fell immediately at his feet and died. And, the bochrim, having entered, found her dead; and, having carried her out, they buried her with her ba’al.

¹¹ And there came great yirat Shomayim upon the whole Messianic kehillah and upon all the ones hearing these things.

¹² Now by the hands of the Moshiach’s Shlichim were being effected many otot and moftim among the people and with a sense of achdus they were all in the Ulam Sh’lomo.

¹³ But none of the rest was daring to be mishtatef in a chavura (becoming involved, joining a fellowship) with them; however, the Am Yisroel held the Messianic Jews in high esteem.

¹⁴ And more and more ma’aminim hameshichiyim in Adoneinu were being added, multitudes of anashim and nashim,

¹⁵ So much so that even out into the rekhovot they would carry the cholim and put them on pallets and mats, that when Kefa came by, at least his shadow might fall upon some of them.

¹⁶ And also the multitudes from the shtetlach surrounding Yerushalayim were coming together, carrying the cholim and the ones being tormented by ruchot teme’ot (unclean spirits); and they were all receiving refu’ah shleimah.

¹⁷ But there was an uprising of the Kohen Gadol and all the ones with him of the Tzedukim kat, and they were filled with kinah.

¹⁸ And they laid their hands upon the Moshiach’s Shlichim and they put them in a public beis hasohar.

¹⁹ And a malach Adonoi (an angel of Hashem) opened the doors of the beis hasohar balailah, and having led them out, said, [BERESHIS 16:7; SHEMOT 3:2; TEHILLIM 34:7]

²⁰ "Go and stand and speak in the Beis Hamikdash to the people kol divrei HaChayyim haelleh."

²¹ And having heard, the Moshiach’s Shlichim entered the Beis Hamikdash at Shachrit and were saying shiurim. And when the Kohen Gadol and the ones with him had come, they called together the Sanhedrin and all the assembly of Zekenim of the Bnei Yisroel, and they sent to the beis hasohar for the prisoners to be brought to them.

²² But their mesharetim, having come, did not find them in the beis hasohar. And having returned, they reported these things

²³ Saying, "We found the beis hasohar locked tight and the shomrim standing at the doors; but when we opened up, we found no one inside."

²⁴ And when the Sar Tzeva HaHeikhal of the Beis Hamikdash and the Rashei Hakohanim heard these words, they were perplexed about them, as far as what would come of all this.

²⁵ But someone came and reported to them, "Hinei, the men whom you put in the beis hasohar are in the Beis Hamikdash standing and saying shiurim to the people."

²⁶ Then the Sar Tzeva HaHeikhal went along with the mesharetim and brought the Moshiach’s Shlichim back, but not with force—for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.

²⁷ And when they had brought them, they stood the Moshiach’s Shlichim before the Sanhedrin, and the Kohen Gadol questioned them,

²⁸ Saying, "Did we not with a strict command charge you not to say shiurim b’shem hazeh and, hinei, you have filled Yerushalayim with your torah and are determined to bring upon us the dahm of this man."

²⁹ And in reply Kefa and the Moshiach’s Shlichim said, "It is necessary to obey Hashem rather than Bnei Adam. [SHEMOT 1:17]

³⁰ "Elohei Avoteinu made Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua to stand up alive again, the very one whom you killed, having made him talui al haEtz (being hanged on the tree). [DEVARIM 21:23]

³¹ "This one Hashem exalted as Sar and Moshi’a (Oisleizer) to His right hand to grant teshuva to Yisroel and selicha (forgiveness) of chatta’im (averos, sins).

³² "And we are the eidus (witness) of these matters and so is the Ruach Hakodesh whom Hashem gave to the ones obeying Him."

³³ And the ones having heard were cut to the quick and in fury were deciding to do away with them.

³⁴ But a certain Parush got up in the Sanhedrin, a moreh of Torah by name Rabban Gamli’el, respected by kol Am Yisroel, and he gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.

³⁵ And Rabban Gamli’el said to them, "Anshei Yisroel, pay attention to yourselves what you are about to do with these anashim.

³⁶ "For at an earlier tekufa (era, period), there was the uprising of Theudas, who claimed to be somebody himself, with whom were associated a number of anashim lav davka (approximately) four hundred; who was done away with and as many as were obeying him were all dispersed and it came to nothing.

³⁷ "After this there was Yehudah HaGelili in the yamim of the census; who misled the people to follow after him and that man perished and, as many as were obeying him, were all scattered.

³⁸ "And now I say to you, stay away from these anashim, and leave them alone, because if this cheshbon (plan) or this matter is of Bnei Adam, it will be overthrown.

³⁹ "But if it is from Hashem, you are not able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found to be fighting keneged (against, opposing) Hashem." And they were persuaded by Rabban Gamli’el. [2Ch 13:12; Prov 21:30; Isa 46:10]

⁴⁰ And having called together the Moshiach’s Shluchim and having flogged them, they warned them not to speak in the shem of Yehoshua, and they released them.

⁴¹ Therefore Moshiach’s Shluchim were going rejoicing from the presence of the Sanhedrin, that they were considered worthy to suffer shame for ha-Shem (the Name).

⁴² And every day in the Beis Hamikdash and from bais to bais they did not stop saying shiurim and drashot about Yehoshua as Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.

6 Now in these yamim of the Messianic talmidim being increased, there was a complaint by the Greekspeaking Yehudim keneged (against) the Sabra Yehudim mitzad (as to) their Greekspeaking Jewish almanot being overlooked in the daily support.

² And the Sheneym Asar, having called the multitude of the talmidim together, said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the dvar Hashem in order to serve tishen.

³ "But select from among you Achim b’Moshiach, that is, shivah anashim, being of shem tov (good reputation) and full of the Ruach Hakodesh and chochmah, whom we will appoint over this duty; [SHEMOT 18:21; NECHEMYAH 13:13]

⁴ "But we will be devoted to tefillah and to the avodas kodesh service of the Dvar of the Besuras HaGeulah."

⁵ And this dvar found approval before all the multitude and they chose Stefanos, a man full of emunah (faith) and of the Ruach Hakodesh, and they also chose Philippos and Prochorus and Nikanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas, a ger (proselyte) of Antioch

⁶ Whom they placed before the Moshiach’s Shlichim. And having davened, Moshiach’s Shlichim gave them s’michah, laying their hands on them. [BAMIDBAR 8:10; 27:18]

⁷ And the Dvar Hashem was increasing, and the number of talmidim was being greatly multiplied in Yerushalayim, and a kama (quite a number) of the kohanim were obeying the [Orthodox Jewish Messianic] emunah (faith).

⁸ And Stefanos, full of the Chen v’Chesed Hashem and ko’ach (power), was effecting otot and moftim gedolim among the people.

⁹ But some of the men from the shul called the Beit Knesset of the Meshuchrarim (the Freedmen) and the Cyrenians and the Alexandrians, and the ones from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stefanos,

¹⁰ And they were not able to contradict the chochmah and the Ruach Hakodesh with which he was speaking.

¹¹ Then they secretly induced anashim to say, "We have heard him commit Chillul Hashem in the words he spoke keneged (against) Moshe Rabbenu and Hashem." [MELACHIM ALEF 21:10]

¹² And they aroused the people and the Zekenim and the Sofrim and they came upon Stefanos and they seized him and they brought him to the Sanhedrin,

¹³ And edei sheker (false witnesses) swore falsely, saying, "This man is not ceasing to speak words keneged (against) Makom HaKadosh HaZeh and the Torah. [SHEMOT 23:1; TEHILLIM 27:12]

¹⁴ "For we have heard him saying that this Yehoshua from Natzeret will destroy this place [the Beis Hamikdash] and will change the chukim of the Torah which Moshe Rabbenu handed down to us."

¹⁵ And having stared intently at him, all the ones sitting in the Sanhedrin saw his ponem looking like the face of a malach.

7 And the Kohen Gadol said, "Are these things so?"

² And Stefanos said, "Achim and Avot, hear me! Elohei Hakavod appeared to Avraham Avinu while he was in Mesopotamia before he lived in Charan [TEHILLIM 29:3; BERESHIS 11:31; 15:7]

³ “And Hashem said to Avram, ‘Depart from your country and from your people and come to the land which I shall show you.') [Gn 12:1; 48:4]

⁴ "Then having departed from the land of the Chaldeans, he settled in Charan. And from there, after the mavet of his Av, he was settled by Hashem here in this land in which we now are living. [BERESHIS 12:5]

⁵ "And Hashem did not give to him a nachalah (inheritance) in it nor AD MIDRACH KAF REGEL ("even enough to put your foot on" DEVARIM 2:5); and yet, even when he had no ben, the havtachah (promise) of Hashem to him was ES HAARETZ HAZOT E’TEN ("This land I will give") to him and to his zera (seed) after him. [DEVARIM 2:5; BERESHIS 12:7; 13:15; 17:8; 26:3; 48:4]

⁶ "And Hashem spoke thus, that GER YIHIYEH ZAR’ACHA ("your seed will be strangers (aliens)") in another’s [i.e., foreign] land and them they will enslave and they will mistreat them ARBA ME’OT SHANAH ("four hundred years"). [Gn 15:13f; Ex 1:8 11; 12:40]

⁷ "V’GAM ES HAGOY ASHER YA’AVODU DAN ANOCHI ("And whatever nation to which they shall be in bondage I myself will judge" said Hashem, VACHAREI KHEN YETZU ("And after that they will come out") and serve me in this place." [BERESHIS 15:13,14; SHEMOT 3:12]

⁸ "And he gave to him bris milah. And thus Avraham Avinu became the father of Yitzchak and he did his bris milah on the Yom HaShemini and Yitzchak became the father of Ya’akov and Ya’akov of the Sheneym Asar HaAvot. [BERESHIS 17:9-14; 21:2-4; 25:26; 29:31-35; 30:5-13, 17-24; 35:16-26]

⁹ "And the Avot had kinah toward Yosef and sold him into Mitzrayim (Egypt), and Hashem was with him. [Gn 37:4,11:28; 37:28; Ps 105:17; Gn 39:1,2,21,23; 45:4; Hag 2:4]

¹⁰ "And Hashem delivered Yosef from all his tzoros and gave to him Chen v’Chesed Hashem and chochmah before Pharaoh king of Mitzrayim (Egypt) and he appointed him his grand vizier to rule over Mitzrayim and over his whole bais. [Gn 41:37-45; Ps 105:20-22]

¹¹ "Now a famine came over all Mitzrayim (Egypt) and Canaan and tzarah gedolah (great tribulation) and Avoteinu were not finding okhel. [Gn 41:54; 42:2,5]

¹² "And when Ya’akov Avinu heard that there was grain in Mitzrayim (Egypt), he sent Avoteinu there pa’am harishonah (the first time). [BERESHIS 42:1,2]

¹³ "And on the second visit Yosef was recognized by his Achim, and Yosef’s mishpochah became known to Pharaoh. [Gn 45:1 4, 16]

¹⁴ "And having sent, Yosef summoned Ya’akov his Abba and all his mishpochah, SHIVIM (Seventy, BERESHIS 46:27) nefashot (souls). [Gn 45:9,10; 46:26,27; Ex 1:5; Dt 10:22]

¹⁵ "And Ya’akov Avinu went down to Mitzrayim (Egypt) and he died, as did Avoteinu. [Gn 46:5 7; 49:33; Ex 1:6]

¹⁶ "And they were brought back to Shechem and were placed in the kever (tomb) which Avraham bought for a sum of silver from the banim of Chamor in Shechem. [Gn 23:16-20; 33:18, 19; 50:13; Josh 24:32]

¹⁷ "Now as the time of the havtachah (promise) was drawing near, which Hashem promised to Avraham Avinu, the people grew and were multiplied in Mitzrayim [Ex 1:7; Ps 105:24]

¹⁸ "Until over Mitzrayim there appeared a MELECH CHADASH ASHER LO YADA ES YOSEF ("a new king who knew not Yosef"). [Ex 1:7,8]

¹⁹ "This king exploited by his shrewdness our nation and mistreated Avoteinu so as to make their ollelim (infants) exposed in order not to keep them alive. [Ex 1:10-22]

²⁰ "And at this time Moshe Rabbenu was born and he was well pleasing to Hashem; and he was nurtured for shloshah chodashim in the bais of his abba. [Ex 2:2]

²¹ "And after he had been exposed, the bat Pharaoh took Moshe Rabbeinu away, and brought him up as her own son.[Ex 2:3-10]

²² "And Moshe Rabbenu was instructed in all the chochmah of the Egyptians and in dvarim (words) and pe’ulot (deeds) he was given ko’ach. [1Kgs 4:30; Isa 19:11]

²³ "But when arba’im shanah of his days were completed, it entered into his lev (heart) to visit his Achim of the Bnei Yisroel. [Ex 2:11]

²⁴ "And having seen one of them being treated unjustly he retaliated and brought yashrus (justice) for the one being oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. [Ex 2:12]

²⁵ "Now he was assuming that his achim had binah that Hashem by the hand of Moshe was giving Yeshu’at Eloheinu to them, but they did not have binah (understanding).

²⁶ "And on the next day he came to them as they were fighting and Moshe was trying to reconcile them in shalom, saying, ‘Anashim, you are achim, why are you injuring one another?’ [Ex 2:13]

²⁷ "But the one injuring his re’a pushed Moshe aside, saying MI SAMECHA L’ISH SAR V’SHOFET ALENU ("Who made you ruler and judge over us?"—Ex 2:14)

²⁸ "HALEHARGENI ATAH OMER KA’ASHER HARAGTA yesterday ES HAMITZRI ("You do not mean to kill me in the same manner as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?")

²⁹ "And Moshe Rabbenu fled at this dvar and became a stranger in eretz Midyan, where he became the father of shnei banim. [Ex 2:11-15]

³⁰ "And at the fulfillment of arba’im shanah a MALACH appeared to him BELABAT EISH MITOCH HASENEH ("in flame of fire from within a burning thorn bush") in the desert of the mountain Sinai. [Ex 3:1-2]

³¹ "And Moshe Rabbenu having seen this, was mishpoyel (standing in awe) at the chazon and, as he was approaching it to look more closely, there came the kol (voice) of Hashem, [Ex 3:1-4]

³² "I am the G-d of your Avot, I am the G-d of Avraham and the G-d of Yitzchak and the G-d of Ya’akov". But Moshe Rabbenu was trembling with pachad and was not daring to look. [SHEMOT 3:6]

³³ "And Hashem said to him, SAL NE’ALECHA ME’AL RAGLECHA ("Take off your sandals from your feet") for the place on which you have stood is admat kodesh (holy ground)." [Ex 3:5; Josh 5:15]

³⁴ "I have seen the ONI AMMI ASHER B’MITZRAYIM ("misery of my people in Mitzrayim [Egypt]") and the groaning of them I heard and I came down to deliver them. And now come that I may send you to Mitzrayim (Egypt). [SHEMOT 3:5,7-10; 2:24]

³⁵ "This Moshe whom they denied, having said MI SAMECHA L’ISH SAR V’SHOFET? ("Who made you a ruler and a judge?") is the one whom G-d sent to be both SAR (ruler) and GO’EL (redeemer) with the help of the malach having appeared to him in the thorn bush. [SHEMOT 2:14]

³⁶ "This one led them out, effecting moftim and otot in eretz Mitzrayim (Egypt) and in the Yam Suf and in the midbar arba’im shanah. [SHEMOT 7:3, 12:41; 33:1; 11:10; 14:21; 15:25; 17:5,6; BAMIDBAR 14:33]

³⁷ "This is the Moshe who said to the Bnei Yisroel NAVI MIKIRBECHA ME’ACHECHA KAMONI YAKIM ("A prophet from among you from your brothers like me [Moshe] Hashem will raise up.") [DEVARIM 18:15,18]

³⁸ "This is the one having been in the kahal (assembly) in the midbar together with the malach speaking to him at the mountain of Sinai, who was with Avoteinu; he is the one who received torat chayyim to give to us. [SHEMOT 19:17; VAYIKRA 27:34; DEVARIM 32:45-47]

³⁹ "And Avoteinu were not willing to have mishma’at (obedience) to Moshe Rabbenu, but they pushed him aside and they turned their levavot back to Mitzrayim, (Egypt) [BAMIDBAR 14:3,4]

⁴⁰ "Having said to Aharon, Make for us g-ds who will go before us; for this Moshe who led us out of the land of Egypt we do not know what happened to him"). [SHEMOT 32:1,23]

⁴¹ "And at that time they made an egel (calf) and brought a sacrifice offering to the elil (idol) and were taking delight in the ma’asim (works) of their hands. [SHEMOT 32:4-6; TEHILLIM 106:19,20]

⁴² "But Hashem turned away and handed them over to serve the tzeva Shomayim, just as it has been written in the sefer haNevi’im, HAZEVACHIM UMINCHAH HIGASHTEM LI BAMIDBAR ARBA’IM SHANAH, BET YISROEL ("It was not to me that you offered victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, was it, O House of Israel?") [AMOS 5:25-27; YEHOSHUA 24:20; YESHAYAH 63:10; YIRMEYAH 19:13]

⁴³ "You also took up the ohel of Moloch and the KOKHAV of your g-d Reifan, the tzelamim (idols) which you made to worship them; therefore N’HIGLEITI ETKHEM MEHALAH ("I will exile you beyond") Babylon. [YIRMEYAH 7:18, TARGUM HASHIVIM 19:13; AMOS 5:27]

⁴⁴ "Avoteinu had the Mishkan HaEdut in the midbar just as the One who spoke to Moshe [Rabbeinu] directed him to make it according to the TAVNIT (pattern) which he had seen. [Ex 27:21; 38:21; Num 1:50; 17:7; Ex 25:8,9,40; Josh 3:14; 18:1]

⁴⁵ "And having received it in their turn, Avoteinu brought it in with Yehoshua (Joshua) upon the dispossessing of the land of the Goyim, which Hashem drove out from the presence of Avoteinu until the yamim of Dovid. [Josh 3:14-17; 18:1; 23:9; 24:18; Ps 44:2; 2Sm 7:2,6; Gn 17:8; 48:4; Dt 32:49]

⁴⁶ "And Dovid found Chen v’Chesed Hashem before G-d, and asked that he might find a mishkan for Elohei Ya’akov. [SHMUEL BAIS 7:2, 8-16;MELACHIM ALEF 8:17; TEHILLIM 132:1-5]

⁴⁷ "And Sh’lomo (Solomon) built for him a Beis. [MELACHIM ALEF 6:1-38]

⁴⁸ "But HaElyon does not dwell in battim made by human hands, just as the Navi (prophet) says, [MELACHIM ALEF 8:27; MELACHIM BAIS 2:6]

⁴⁹ "HASHOMAYIM KISSI V’HAARETZ HADOM RAGLAI ("Heaven is my throne and earth is the footstool for my feet"). EI-ZEH BAYIT ASHER TIVNU LI ("What kind of House will you build for me?") says Hashem, V’EI ZEH MAKOM MENUCHATI ("Or where will my resting place be?")

⁵⁰ "Did not my hand ASATAH (make) all these things?" [YESHAYAH 66:1,2]

⁵¹ "You AM KESHEH OREF ("stiff-necked people" SHEMOT 33:5), you who are without the “bris milah” of the lev (heart) and of the oznayim (ears), you always resist the Ruach Hakodesh; you are doing like your Avot. [Ex 32:9; 33:3,5; Lv 26:41; Dt 10:16; Jer 4:4; 9:26; Isa 63:10]

⁵² "Which of the Nevi’im (prophets) did your Avot not persecute? And they killed the ones having announced beforehand about the Bias HaMoshiach, the coming of the Tzaddik of whom now you became bogedim and rotzechim (murderers);

⁵³ "You who received the Torah at the directions of malachim and were not shomer of it."

⁵⁴ And hearing these things, they were infuriated in their levavot, and they were grinding their teeth at him.

⁵⁵ But being full of the Ruach Hakodesh and having gazed into Shomayim, Stefanos saw the kavod (glory) of Hashem and Yehoshua standing limin Hashem.

⁵⁶ And Stefanos said, "Hinei, I see Shomayim having been opened and the Ben HaAdam (Moshiach, DANIEL 7:13-14) standing limin Hashem."

⁵⁷ And having cried out with a kol gadol, they shut their oznayim and they rushed down with one impulse upon Stefanos.

⁵⁸ And having driven Stefanos outside the Ir (City), they were stoning him. And the edim took off their garments at the feet of a bochur named Sha’ul. [Lv 24:14,16; Dt 17:7]

⁵⁹ And they went on stoning Stefanos as he called upon Hashem, saying, "Adoneinu, receive my neshamah." [TEHILLIM 31:5]

⁶⁰ And having fallen down, he cried out in a kol gadol, "Adoneinu, may this aveirah not be held against them!" And having said this, Stefanos fell asleep.

8 And Rav Sha’ul was giving approval to the murder of Stefanos. And there came about in that day a great pogrom keneged (against) the Brit Chadasha Kehillah in Yerushalayim, and everyone was scattered throughout the regions of Yehudah and Shomron except the Moshiach’s Shlichim.

² And chasidim came and gave kevurah (burial) to Stefanos and they made loud lamentation over him.

³ But Rav Sha’ul was making havoc of the Moshiach’s Kehillah, barging in bais by bais, dragging off both anashim and nashim, and delivering them over to the beis hasohar.