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JUNE 23
them before the council. And the high priest some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be
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asked them, saying, “Did we not strictly com- somebody. A number of men, about four hun-
mand you not to teach in this name? And look, dred, joined him. He was slain, and all who
you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, obeyed him were scattered and came to noth-
37
and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” ing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in
29 But Peter and the other apostles answered the days of the census, and drew away many
and said: “We ought to obey God rather than people after him. He also perished, and all who
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men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to
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whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him you, keep away from these men and let them
God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it
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and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and for- will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you
giveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to
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these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom fight against God.”
God has given to those who obey Him.” 40 And they agreed with him, and when they
33 When they heard this, they were furious had called for the apostles and beaten them,
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and plotted to kill them. Then one in the coun- they commanded that they should not speak in
cil stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they
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teacher of the law held in respect by all the peo- departed from the presence of the council, re-
ple, and commanded them to put the apostles joicing that they were counted worthy to suffer
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outside for a little while. And he said to them: shame for His name. And daily in the temple,
“Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what and in every house, they did not cease teach-
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you intend to do regarding these men. For ing and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
DAY 22: How was the church in Jerusalem spared initially from persecution?
In Acts 5:28, the high priest reminds Peter and the other apostles,“Did we not strictly com-
mand you not to teach this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine.” The
gospel of Jesus Christ (2:14–40;4:12,13).“And intend to bring this Man’s blood on us.”The Sanhedrin
had apparently forgotten the brash statement its supporters had made before Pilate that the
responsibility for Jesus’death should be on them and their children (Matt. 27:25).
The apostles’response was so fearlessly delivered that the Jews were infuriated and plotted to
kill them.Then Gamaliel stood up in the Sanhedrin.Like his grandfather,the prominent rabbi Hillel,
Gamaliel was the most noted rabbi of his time and led the liberal faction of the Pharisees.His most
famous student was the apostle Paul (22:3). He argued that they needed to take heed as to what
they were plotting. He mentioned Theudas (v. 36), an otherwise unknown individual who led a
revolt in Judea in the early years of the first century, not to be confused with a later Theudas cited
in Josephus as a revolutionary.
And Gamaliel reminded them of how Judas of Galilee rose up (v.37).He was the founder of the
Zealots who led another revolt in Palestine early in the first century. Zealots, a party of Jews who
were fanatical nationalists, believed that radical action was required to overthrow the Roman
power in Palestine.They even sought to take up arms against Rome.
Gamaliel’s counsel was to “let them alone”(v. 38); for if it was the work of men, it would come
to nothing. But if it was of God, none could overcome it. Fortunately, the members of the Sanhedrin
heeded Gamaliel’s words concerning the apostles and restricted their punishment to beating them.

3 Now in Jerusalem the children of Judah
JUNE 23 dwelt, and some of the children of Benjamin,
4 and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh:
Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri,
the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the descen-
1 Chronicles 9:1–10:14
dants of Perez, the son of Judah. Of the
5
So all Israel was recorded by genealogies, Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.
9 and indeed, they were inscribed in the book 6 Of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel, and their
of the kings of Israel. But Judah was carried brethren—six hundred and ninety. Of the
7
away captive to Babylon because of their sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam,
2
unfaithfulness. And the first inhabitants who the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah;
dwelt in their possessions in their cities were Is- 8 Ibneiah the son of Jeroham; Elah the son of
raelites, priests, Levites, and the Nethinim. Uzzi, the son of Michri; Meshullam the son of
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