Acts 7
1 Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”
Ɔsɔfopanin no bisaa Stefano sɛ, “Nsɛm a wɔaka agu wo so no nyinaa yɛ nokorɛ anaa?”
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,
Stefano buaa sɛ, “Anuanom ne agyanom, montie me! Ansa na yɛn agya Abraham rebɛfiri Mesopotamia akɔtena Haran no, Onyankopɔn daa nʼanimuonyam adi kyerɛɛ no,
3 and told him, ‘Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you.’
ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, ‘Firi wʼabusuafoɔ nkyɛn ne wʼasase so kɔ baabi a mɛkyerɛ wo no.’
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.
“Enti, ɔfirii Kaldea asase so kɔtenaa Haran. Abraham agya wuo akyi no, Onyankopɔn maa ɔbɛtenaa asase a mote so seesei yi so.
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.
Onyankopɔn amfa asase no fa baabiara ankyɛ Abraham sɛ nʼankasa dea. Nanso, Onyankopɔn hyɛɛ no bɔ sɛ ɛbɛyɛ ɔne nʼasefoɔ nyinaa dea. Ɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn hyɛɛ Abraham bɔ yi no, na ɔnni mma.
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.
Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ Abraham sɛ, ‘Wʼasefoɔ bɛtena ananafoɔ asase so ayɛ nkoa wɔ hɔ na wɔayɛ wɔn ayayadeɛ mfeɛ ahanan.
7 ‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.’
Na mɛtwe ɔman a wɔbɛsom wɔn no aso; na ɛno akyi wɔbɛfiri saa ɔman no mu abɛsom me wɔ ha.’
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.
Onyankopɔn ne Abraham yɛɛ apam na wɔde twetiatwa yɛɛ apam no ho nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ. Yei enti, wɔwoo Isak nnawɔtwe akyi no, wɔtwaa no twetia; Isak nso twaa Yakob twetia, saa ara nso na Yakob twitwaa agyanom mpanin dumienu no twetia.
9 Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
“Agyanom mpanin no ani beree Yosef enti wɔtɔn no maa ɔkɔyɛɛ akoa wɔ Misraim. Nanso, ɛsiane sɛ na Onyankopɔn wɔ nʼafa enti,
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.
ɔyii no firii ne haw nyinaa mu. Ɛberɛ a Yosef bɛpuee Misraimhene Farao anim no, Onyankopɔn dom no ahobrɛaseɛ ne nyansa. Yei maa Farao yɛɛ Yosef ɔman no so amrado ne ahemfie hɔ sohwɛfoɔ.
11 Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.
“Saa ɛberɛ no mu, ɛkɔm kɛseɛ ne ahohia sii Misraim ne Kanaan asase nyinaa so a na yɛn agyanom nnya aduane mpo nni.
12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.
Enti, ɛberɛ a Yakob tee sɛ aduane wɔ Misraim no, ɔsomaa ne mma a wɔyɛ yɛn agyanom maa wɔkɔɔ hɔ deɛ ɛdi ɛkan.
13 On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
Wɔkɔɔ ne mprenu so no, Yosef daa ne ho adi kyerɛɛ ne nuanom, na ɛnam so maa Farao hunuu Yosef abusuafoɔ.
14 Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all.
Yosef kraa nʼagya Yakob sɛ ɔne nʼabusuafoɔ nyinaa mmra Misraim. Na wɔn nyinaa dodoɔ yɛ aduɔson enum.
15 So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.
Afei Yakob kɔtenaa Misraim na ɛhɔ na ɔne yɛn agyanom nyinaa wuwuiɛ.
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.
Wɔde wɔn amu no kɔɔ Sekem kɔsiee wɔn wɔ Abraham asieeɛ bi a ɔtɔ firii Hamor abusua mu no mu.
17 As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number.
“Ɛbɔ a Onyankopɔn hyɛɛ Abraham no berɛ reduru no, na yɛn nkurɔfoɔ a wɔwɔ Misraim no ase atrɛ.
18 Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt.
Akyire no, ɔhene foforɔ bi bɛdii adeɛ wɔ Misraim a na ɔnnim Yosef ho asɛm.
19 He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.
Saa ɔhene yi de atirimuɔden dii yɛn agyanom so, hyɛɛ wɔn maa wɔtotoo wɔn mma guiɛ sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wɔbɛwuwu.
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.
“Saa ɛberɛ yi mu na wɔwoo Mose a na ɔkura Onyankopɔn animuonyam no. Wɔhwɛɛ no wɔ nʼagya efie abosome mmiɛnsa,
21 When he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.
na wɔyii no firii hɔ no, Farao babaa kɔfaa no de no baa ne fie hwɛɛ no sɛ nʼankasa ne ba.
22 So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.
Wɔtetee no Misraimfoɔ nimdeɛ mu maa ɔyɛɛ den wɔ ɔkasa ne nneyɛeɛ mu.
23 When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
“Mose dii mfeɛ aduanan no, ɔyɛɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔrekɔsra ne nuanom Israelfoɔ.
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.
Ɔduruu hɔ no, ɔhunuu sɛ Misraimni bi resisi ne nuanom mu baako bi. Mose kɔboaa ne nua no ma Mose kumm Misraimni no.
25 He assumed his brothers would understand that God was using him to deliver them, but they did not.
Mose susuu sɛ nʼankasa nkurɔfoɔ bɛhunuu sɛ Onyankopɔn nam ne so bɛma wɔade wɔn ho, nanso wɔante aseɛ.
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?’
Adeɛ kyeeɛ no, ɔhunuu sɛ Israelfoɔ baanu bi reko enti ɔkɔɔ hɔ sɛ ɔrekɔpata. Ɔbisaa wɔn sɛ, ‘Adɛn enti na moatwa mo ho reko? Monnim sɛ moyɛ anuanom anaa?’
27 But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?
“Deɛ ɔresisi ne yɔnko no sum Mose bisaa no sɛ, ‘Hwan na ɔyɛɛ wo yɛn so panin ne ɔtemmufoɔ?
28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
Wopɛ sɛ wokum me sɛdeɛ nnora wokumm Misraimni no anaa?’
29 At this remark, Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he lived as a foreigner and had two sons.
Ɛberɛ a Mose tee saa asɛm yi no, ɔtu firii Misraim kɔtenaa Midian asase so. Ɛhɔ na ɔwoo mmammarima baanu.
30 After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.
“Mfeɛ aduanan akyi no, ɔbɔfoɔ bi nam wira bi gyaframa mu yii ne ho adi kyerɛɛ Mose wɔ ɛserɛ bi a ɛbɛn bepɔ Sinai no so.
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:
Deɛ Mose hunuiɛ no maa ne ho dwirii no enti ɔtwe bɛn ho pɛɛ sɛ ɔhwɛ no yie. Ɔtee Awurade nne sɛ,
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.
‘Mene wo agyanom Abraham, Isak ne Yakob Onyankopɔn.’ Ehu kaa Mose enti wantumi anhwɛ.
33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.
“Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Mose sɛ, ‘Worɔ wɔ mpaboa, ɛfiri sɛ, faako a wogyina no yɛ asase kronkron.
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.’
Mahwɛ na mahunu atirimuɔden a wɔde yɛ me manfoɔ a wɔwɔ Misraim no. Mate apinie a wɔresi no nyinaa na maba sɛ merebɛgye wɔn. Yɛ ntɛm na mensoma wo nkɔ Misraim.’
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.
“Saa Mose yi ne obi a Israelfoɔ poo no ɛberɛ a wɔbisaa no sɛ, ‘Hwan na ɔyɛɛ wo yɛn so panin ne ɔtemmufoɔ no?’ Ɔno na Onyankopɔn nam ɔbɔfoɔ a ɔyii ne ho adi kyerɛɛ no wɔ wira a ɛrehyeɛ no gyaframa mu no, yɛɛ no ɔpanin ne ɔgyefoɔ.
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.
Ɔno na ɔnam anwanwadeɛ ne nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ so yii Israelfoɔ firii Misraim de wɔn twaa Po Kɔkɔɔ no dii wɔn anim wɔ ɛserɛ so mfeɛ aduanan no.
37 This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’
“Mose yi ara na ɔka kyerɛɛ Israelfoɔ sɛ, sɛdeɛ Onyankopɔn somaa me no, saa ara na ɔbɛyi odiyifoɔ a ɔte sɛ me afiri mo mu aba mo nkyɛn.
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.
Ɔno ne obi a ɔne Israelfoɔ yɛɛ nhyiamu wɔ ɛserɛ no so hɔ; ɔne yɛn agyanom ne ɔbɔfoɔ a ɔkasa kyerɛɛ wɔn wɔ Sinai Bepɔ no so no, na na saa ɛberɛ no wɔwɔ hɔ. Ne nsa kaa Onyankopɔn asɛm a nkwa wɔ mu no de brɛɛ yɛn.
39 But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
“Nanso, yɛn agyanom antie no. Wɔpoo no pɛɛ sɛ wɔsane kɔ Misraim asase so bio.
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.’
Enti, wɔka kyerɛɛ Aaron, sɛ, ‘Yɛ ahoni bi a wɔbɛdi yɛn anim ma yɛn, ɛfiri sɛ, yɛnnim asɛm a ato saa Mose a ɔyii yɛn firii Misraim asase so no!’
41 At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.
Wɔyɛɛ nantwie ba sɛso ohoni bi bɔɔ afɔdeɛ maa no, gyee wɔn ani sɛdeɛ ɛsɛ.
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?
Onyankopɔn twee ne ho firii wɔn ho ma wɔsomm ɔsoro nsoromma sɛdeɛ wɔatwerɛ wɔ adiyifoɔ nwoma mu sɛ, “‘Israelfoɔ, ɛnyɛ me na mode afɔrebɔdeɛ ne ayɛyɛdeɛ brɛɛ me mfeɛ aduanan wɔ ɛserɛ so anaa?
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.’
Mode mo ho nyinaa ato Molek nyame ne mo honi Rɛfan so; wɔyɛ ahoni a moayɛ sɛ mobɛsom wɔn. Saa enti, mɛpam mo makɔgu Babilonia akyi.’
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.
“Saa ɛberɛ no na ntomadan a ɛdi adanseɛ sɛ Onyankopɔn ka ne manfoɔ ho no ka yɛn agyanom ho wɔ ɛserɛ so hɔ. Mose sii ntomadan yi sɛdeɛ Onyankopɔn kyerɛɛ no sɛ ɔnsi no no ara pɛ.
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,
Akyire yi, yɛn agyanom a Yosua dii wɔn anim no de ntomadan no baa asase a Onyankopɔn pamoo so nnipa de maa wɔn no so. Ɛsii hɔ ara kɔsii Dawid ɛberɛ so.
46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.
Onyankopɔn hyiraa Dawid enti ɔbisaa Onyankopɔn sɛ ɔmma ɔnsi asɔredan mma Yakob Onyankopɔn.
47 But it was Solomon who built the house for Him.
Nanso, Salomo na ɔsii dan no maa Onyankopɔn.
48 However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
“Nanso, ɔsorosoro Onyankopɔn nte ɛdan a nnipa asi mu, sɛdeɛ odiyifoɔ no ka sɛ,
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?
“‘Ɔsoro yɛ mʼahennwa, na asase yɛ me nan ntiasoɔ. Ɛdan bɛn na wobɛsi ama me? Awurade na ɔseɛ. Wobɛtumi asi ahomegyebea ama me?
50 Has not My hand made all these things?’
Ɛnyɛ mʼankasa na meyɛɛ yeinom nyinaa?’
51 You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
“Mo asoɔdenfoɔ, mo a mo akoma apirim na montie Onyankopɔn asɛm. Mote sɛ mo agyanom pɛpɛɛpɛ. Mo nso, daa mosi Honhom Kronkron no ho kwan.
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—
Odiyifoɔ bi wɔ hɔ a mo agyanom antaa no anaa? Wɔkumm Onyankopɔn asomafoɔ a wɔdii ɛkan bɔɔ ɔteneneeni a ɔbɛba no ho dawuro. Saa ara nso na moapa no, akum no.
53 you who received the law ordained by angels, yet have not kept it.”
Mo ara ne nnipa a monam abɔfoɔ so nyaa Onyankopɔn mmara no, nanso moanni so.”
54 On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
Agyinatufoɔ no tee asɛm a Stefano kaeɛ no, wɔn bo fuu yie.
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.
Nanso, Stefano a Honhom Kronkron ahyɛ no ma no maa nʼani so hwɛɛ ɔsoro hunuu Onyankopɔn animuonyam ne Yesu Kristo sɛ ɔgyina Onyankopɔn nsa nifa so.
56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Stefano kaa sɛ, “Mehunu sɛ ɔsoro abue na Onipa Ba no gyina Onyankopɔn nsa nifa so!”
57 At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him.
Wɔteateaam de wɔn nsa sisii wɔn aso. Afei, wɔn nyinaa bɔɔ twi kɔto hyɛɛ ne so,
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.
twee no kɔɔ kurotia kɔsii no aboɔ. Wɔn a wɔsii no aboɔ no yiyii wɔn ntoma de maa aberanteɛ bi a wɔfrɛ no Saulo sɛ ɔnhwɛ so.
59 While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Wɔresi Stefano aboɔ no nyinaa na ɔrebɔ mpaeɛ sɛ, “Awurade Yesu, wo nsam na mede me honhom mehyɛ!”
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.
Afei, ɔbuu nkotodwe teaam denden sɛ, “Awurade, fa wɔn bɔne kyɛ wɔn.” Ɔkaa saa wieeɛ no, ɔwuiɛ.
