Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

So Jacob went down to Egypt and died there, along with our ancestors,

“Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense that I now make to you.”

Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become disheartened.

Woe to you! You build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but raise them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

“There your fathers tested me and tried me, and they saw my works for forty years.

“Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets.

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you people say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.”

Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

Then a famine occurred throughout Egypt and Canaan, causing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food.

Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him, but pushed him aside and turned back to Egypt in their hearts,

“You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did!

So now why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?

To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, by human descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever! Amen.

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea,

and saying, “Where is his promised return? For ever since our ancestors died, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation.”

Rejoice in that day, and jump for joy, because your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors did the same things to the prophets.

This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread your ancestors ate, but then later died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”

So he replied, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our forefather Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,