Acts 7
1 THEN said the high-priest, Are these things so?
Then the high priest said, “Are these accusations true?”
2 He replied, Men, brethren, and fathers, hear me: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
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 said to him, Go forth out of thy country, and from among thy relations, and come hither to a land which I will shew thee.
and said to him, ‘Leave yoʋr land and yoʋr relatives, and go to a land I will show yoʋ.’
4 Then he went out from the country of the Chaldeans, and, dwelt in Charran: and from thence, after his father was dead, God removed him as a sojourner into this very country, in which we now dwell.
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 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not so much as the print of his foot: yet he promised to give it for a possession to him and to his seed after him, when he had no son.
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 Then spake God to him thus, That his seed should sojourn in a foreign land: and that they should enslave it, and grievously afflict it, 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 And the nation by which they shall be enslaved will I judge, said God: and after these things they shall come out, and shall 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 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so he begat Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob 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 And the patriarchs, envious, sold Joseph into Egypt: yet God was with him,
“The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. But God was with him
10 and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he appointed him governor over Egypt and all his house.
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 came a famine upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress: and our fathers found no provisions.
Then a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, along with great suffering, and our fathers could find no food.
12 But when Jacob heard that there were provisions in Egypt, he sent our fathers, the first time.
But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers out the first time.
13 And the second time Joseph was made known unto his brethren; and Joseph’s family was made known unto Pharaoh.
On their second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh.
14 Then sent Joseph, and invited his father Jacob to come to him, and all his kindred, consisting of seventy-five persons.
Then Joseph sent and called for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five people in all.
15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, himself, and our fathers,
So Jacob went down to Egypt, and there he died, he and our fathers.
16 and they removed him to Sychem, and laid him in the sepulchre which Abraham had bought, at a price paid in silver, of the sons of Emmor, the father of Shechem.
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 But as the time of the promise which God had with an oath confirmed unto Abraham drew nigh, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
“As the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had sworn to Abraham, our people increased and multiplied in Egypt
18 until another king arose, who knew not Joseph.
until there arose another king who did not know Joseph.
19 This man, forming crafty designs against our nation, grievously treated our fathers, so as to cause them to expose their children, in order to exterminate the race.
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 which time Moses was born, and was endued with singular beauty from God, who was brought up three months in the house of his father:
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 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter took him home, and brought him up for herself, as a son.
and when he was abandoned, Pharaoh's daughter took him in and brought him up as her own son.
22 And Moses was educated in all the wisdom of Egypt, and was mighty in words and actions.
So Moses was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in words and deeds.
23 But when he had completed his fortieth year, it came into his heart to visit his brethren 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 seeing one of them treated injuriously, he defended him, and executed vengeance for him who had suffered the outrage, smiting the Egyptian.
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 For he thought that his brethren would understand that God by his hand would give them deliverance: but they understood not.
Moses assumed that his brothers would understand that God was granting them deliverance by his hand, but they did not understand.
26 And the following day he shewed himself to them as they were fighting, and urged them to peace, saying, My friends, ye are brethren; wherefore do ye ill treat one another?
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 Then he who did his neighbour wrong thrust him from him, saying, Who appointed thee a ruler and a 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 Wilt thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?
Do yoʋ want to kill me as yoʋ killed that Egyptian yesterday?’
29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat 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 And when forty years were completed, there appeared to him in the desert of mount Sinai the angel of the Lord, in a flame of fire in a bush.
“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 But when Moses saw it, he marvelled at the sight: and as he was drawing nearer to observe it, a voice from 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 thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses trembling, dared not to look farther.
‘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 unto him, “Loose the sandal from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest 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 Attentive I have beheld the evil treatment of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and I am come down to deliver them. And now come hither, I will send thee into 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 very Moses whom they had rejected, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and redeemer by the hand of 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 brought them forth, after performing miracles and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
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 Moses who said unto the children of Israel, “A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up for you from among your brethren, as myself; him shall ye hear.”
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 This is he, who was with the church in the wilderness with the angel who spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the oracles of life to give unto 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 to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt,
Our fathers were unwilling to obey him. Instead, they thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,
40 saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us: for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what hath 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 And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice for the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own 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 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Have ye offered me slain beasts and sacrifices 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 Yet have ye taken up the tabernacle of Moloc, and the star of your god Remphan, those figures which ye made to pay adoration to them: and I will transport you 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 The tabernacle of the testimony was with our fathers in the wilderness, as he that spake to Moses commanded, that he should make it according to the model which 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 Which also our fathers having received, brought in with Joshua into the place possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out from before the presence of our fathers, unto the days 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 favour before God, and sought to procure an habitation 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 Solomon built an house for him.
But it was Solomon who built a house for him.
48 Though the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as the prophet saith,
Yet the Most High does not dwell in temples made by human hands, just as the prophet says,
49 “Heaven is my throne, and earth the footstool for my feet: what kind of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what place is there for my repose?
‘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 hath not my hand made all these things?”
Has not my hand made all these things?’
51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears, ye do always oppose yourselves against the Holy Ghost: as your fathers, so are ye.
“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 have not your fathers persecuted? and they killed those who before published the tidings of the coming of that Righteous Person; of whom ye have now been the 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 who have received the law through arrangements of angels, yet have not observed it.
you who received the law as ordained by angels yet have not kept it.”
54 Now when they heard these things, they were cut through their hearts as with a saw, and gnashed upon him with their teeth.
When the members of the Sanhedrin heard these things, they were cut to the heart and began gnashing their teeth at him.
55 But he being full of the Holy Ghost, and looking up stedfastly to heaven, 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 and he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, 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 Then they screamed out with a great cry, and stopped their ears, and rushed all together upon him,
But they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord.
58 and dragging him out of the city, stoned him: and the witnesses laid down 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 And they stoned Stephen, in the act of prayer, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!
They continued stoning Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60 Then falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, Lord, impute not to them this sin! And thus speaking, 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.
