The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the Acts of the Apostles, faithfully translated…The commentaries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles, faithfully translated…

11 Then they suborned men which said: We have heard this man speak blasphemous words against Moses, and God. 12 And they moved the people and the Elders and the Scribes. And invading him, they took him, and brought him into the Council, 13 And they brought forth false witnesses which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words, against this holy place and the Law. 14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the ordinances which Moses hath given us. 15 And when all which sate in the Council had beholden him, they saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel.

11 Then they suborned men which said: We haue heard this man speak blasphemous words against Moses, and God. 12 And they mooued the people and the Elders and the Scribes. And inuading him, they tooke him, and brought him into the Councell, 13 And they brought forth false witnesses which said, This man ceaseth not to speake blasphemous words, against this holy place and the Law. 14 For wee haue hearde him say, that this Iesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall chaunge the ordinances which Moses hath giuen vs. 15 And when all which sate in the Councell had beholden him, they saw his face as it had bene the face of an Angell.

12 Being overcome with the power of the Spirit, they give over disputing, but they prepare false witnesses, that with false and slanderous reports they may oppress him. Whereby it appeareth that they did strive with an evil conscience. For what can be more unmeet than in their cause to lean unto lies? Admit he were a wicked man, and guilty, yet he must not have false witness borne against him. But hypocrites which shroud themselves under zeal, do carelessly grant themselves leave to do that. We see how the Papists at this day corrupt manifest places of Scripture, and that wittingly, whiles that they will falsely wrest testimonies against us. I confess in deed that they offend for the most part through ignorance. Yet can we find none of them which doeth not grant himself liberty to corrupt both the sense and also the words of the Scripture, that they may bring our doctrine into contempt: yea they slander us monstrously even in the Pulpit. If you ask these Rabbins, Whether it be lawful to slander a man or no: they will deny that it is lawful generally: but when they come unto us, good zeal doth excuse them, because they think that nothing is unlawful, which may burden us or our cause. Therefore they flatter themselves in lying, falsehood and dogged impudency. Such hypocrisy did also blind them of whom Luke speaketh in this place, which used false witness to put Stephen to death. For when Satan reigneth, he doeth not only prick forward the reprobate unto cruelty, but also blind their eyes, so that they think that they may do whatsoever they will. We are especially taught by this example, how dangerous the colour of good zeal is, unless it be governed by the Spirit of God: for it breaketh out always into furious madness and in the mean season it is a marvellous visor to cover all manner of wickedness.