Acts 7
1 Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”
Then the high priest said, “Are these accusations true?”
2 And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
Stephen said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
3 and told him, ‘Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you.’
and said to him, ‘Leave yoʋr land and yoʋr relatives, and go to a land I will show yoʋ.’
4 So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God brought him out of that place and into this land where you are now living.
Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. After his father died, God relocated him to this land in which you now dwell.
5 He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a child.
He gave him no inheritance in it, not even the length of a footstep, but promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him, even though he had no child.
6 God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
God told him that his descendants would be sojourners in a foreign land, and that the people of that land would enslave them and mistreat them for four hundred years.
7 ‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.’
‘But I will judge the nation whom they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and serve me in this place.’
8 Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
9 Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
“The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. But God was with him
10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
and delivered him out of all his afflictions. He gave Joseph favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, so Pharaoh appointed him as ruler over Egypt and over all his household.
11 Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.
Then a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, along with great suffering, and our fathers could find no food.
12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.
But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers out the first time.
13 On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
On their second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh.
14 Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all.
Then Joseph sent and called for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five people in all.
15 So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.
So Jacob went down to Egypt, and there he died, he and our fathers.
16 Their bones were carried back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a price he paid in silver.
Later their bodies were moved to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.
17 As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number.
“As the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had sworn to Abraham, our people increased and multiplied in Egypt
18 Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt.
until there arose another king who did not know Joseph.
19 He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.
This king dealt shrewdly with our people and mistreated our fathers, making them abandon their newborn babies so that they would not survive.
20 At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God. For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house.
At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in God's sight. For three months he was brought up in his father's house,
21 When he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.
and when he was abandoned, Pharaoh's daughter took him in and brought him up as her own son.
22 So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.
So Moses was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in words and deeds.
23 When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
“When Moses reached forty years of age, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.
24 And when he saw one of them being mistreated, Moses went to his defense and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him.
When he saw one of them being wronged, he came to the aid of the man who was being oppressed and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him.
25 He assumed his brothers would understand that God was using him to deliver them, but they did not.
Moses assumed that his brothers would understand that God was granting them deliverance by his hand, but they did not understand.
26 The next day he came upon two Israelites who were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?’
The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting and urged them to make peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why are you hurting each other?’
27 But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?
But the one who was hurting his neighbor thrust Moses aside and said, ‘Who appointed yoʋ to be a ruler and judge over us?
28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
Do yoʋ want to kill me as yoʋ killed that Egyptian yesterday?’
29 At this remark, Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he lived as a foreigner and had two sons.
At this remark Moses fled and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
30 After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.
“After forty years had passed, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight. As he approached to look more closely, the voice of the Lord came to him:
When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. As he drew near to look at it, the voice of the Lord came to him:
32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.
‘I am the God of yoʋr fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look.
33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Remove the sandals from yoʋr feet, for the place where yoʋ are standing is holy ground.
34 I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’
I have surely seen the mistreatment of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send yoʋ to Egypt.’
35 This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be their ruler and redeemer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
“This is the same Moses they had rejected, saying, ‘Who appointed yoʋ to be a ruler and judge?’ He is the one God sent as a ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 He led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.
He is the one who led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.
37 This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’
This is the same Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’
38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received living words to pass on to us.
This is the man who was with our fathers in the assembly in the wilderness when the angel spoke to him on Mount Sinai. He received a living word to give to us.
39 But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
Our fathers were unwilling to obey him. Instead, they thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,
40 They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’
saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us, for we do not know what has happened to this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt.’
41 At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.
In those days they made an idol in the form of a calf, brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced at the works of their hands.
42 But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
But God turned away from them and gave them up to serve the host of heaven, just as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Was it to me that you offered slain beasts and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
No! You took up the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Remphan, the images you made so that you could worship them, so I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.
“Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, just as God had directed when he spoke to Moses and told him to make it according to the pattern he had seen.
45 And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David,
Receiving it in turn, our fathers brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations whom God drove out from their presence. It remained there until the days of David,
46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.
who found favor before God and asked if he could provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.
47 But it was Solomon who built the house for Him.
But it was Solomon who built a house for him.
48 However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
Yet the Most High does not dwell in temples made by human hands, just as the prophet says,
49 ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be?
‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what place is there for my rest?
50 Has not My hand made all these things?’
Has not my hand made all these things?’
51 You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do also.
52 Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—
Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become,
53 you who received the law ordained by angels, yet have not kept it.”
you who received the law as ordained by angels yet have not kept it.”
54 On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
When the members of the Sanhedrin heard these things, they were cut to the heart and began gnashing their teeth at him.
55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
He said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
57 At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him.
But they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord.
58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Then they drove him out of the city and began stoning him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
They continued stoning Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60 Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Then he fell to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” After saying this, he fell asleep.
