Acts 7
1 And the high-priest said, Are then these things so?
Then the high priest said, “Are these accusations true?”
2 And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt 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 said to him, “Go forth from thy country and thy kindred, and come into the land which I will show thee.”
and said to him, ‘Leave yoʋr land and yoʋr relatives, and go to a land I will show yoʋ.’
4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Haran; and from thence, after his father was dead, he caused him to remove into this land wherein ye 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 and he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on; and he promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his posterity after him, when as yet he had no 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 And God spoke in this manner: “That his posterity should sojourn in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage, and ill-treat them 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 to which they shall be in bondage will I judge,” said God; “and after that they shall come forth, 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 begat 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, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt; and 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 favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made 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 Now there came a famine over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress; and our fathers found no Sustenance.
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 Jacob, hearing that there was grain in Egypt, sent out our fathers first.
But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers out the first time.
13 And at the second time Joseph was recognized by his brothers, and the kindred of Joseph 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 and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, seventy five souls.
Then Joseph sent and called for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five people in all.
15 And Jacob went down [[into Egypt]], and died, he and our fathers.
So Jacob went down to Egypt, and there he died, he and our fathers.
16 And they were removed to Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Hamor, 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 drew near, which God solemnly made to Abraham, the people grew 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 The same dealt subtly with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, so that they should cast out their infants, that they might not be preserved alive.
This king dealt shrewdly with our people and mistreated our fathers, making them abandon their newborn babies so that they would not survive.
20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly fair; who was nourished in his father's house three months.
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 cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him 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 instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in his worlds and deeds.
So Moses was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in words and deeds.
23 And when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the sons 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 suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed by 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 supposed his brethren would understand that God through his hand would give them salvation; 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 next day he showed himself to them as they were contending, and urged them to peace, saying, Ye are brethren; why do ye wrong 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 But he who was wronging his neighbor thrust him away, saying, “Who made 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 Dost thou mean to kill me, as thou didst kill the Egyptian yesterday?”
Do yoʋ want to kill me as yoʋ killed that Egyptian yesterday?’
29 And Moses fled at this saying, and became 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 wilderness of Mount Sinai an angel in the flaming fire of 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 And Moses seeing it wondered at the sight; and as he drew near to behold it, 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 saying, “I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.” And Moses trembled and durst not behold.
‘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 And the Lord said to him, “Loose the sandals from thy feet; for the place where 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 I have surely seen the oppression of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them; and now, come, 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 Moses, whom they denied, saying, “Who made thee a ruler and a judge?” this very man did God send both as a ruler and a redeemer with 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 This very man brought them out, working wonders 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 to the sons of Israel, “A prophet will God raise up to you from among your brethren, as he raised up me.”
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 that was in the assembly in the wilderness with the anger who spake to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received the living oracles to give 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 to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back into 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 as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of 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 offered sacrifice to 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 But God turned away, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the Prophets, “Did ye offer to me slain beasts and sacrifices for 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 And ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of the god Rephan, the figures which ye made to worship them; and I will carry you away 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 in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded that he should make it according to the pattern that 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 received and brought in with Joshua, at their taking possession of the gentiles whom God drove out from before our fathers, until 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 favor before God, and asked that he might find a 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 him a house.
But it was Solomon who built a house for him.
48 Yet the Most High dwelleth not in [[temples]] made with hands; as saith the prophet,
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 house will ye build for me? saith the Lord; or what is the place of my rest?
‘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 Did not my hands make all these things?”
Has not my hand made all these things?’
51 Stiffnecked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears! ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do 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 did not your fathers persecute? And they slew those who foretold the coming of the righteous one, of whom ye have now become 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 ye who received the Law as ordained through angels, and did not keep it.
you who received the law as ordained by angels yet have not kept it.”
54 But when they heard these things, their hearts were filled with rage, 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, being full of the Holy Spirit, he looked up earnestly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on 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 said, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on 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 And they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord;
But they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord.
58 and having cast him out of the city, they 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, making supplication, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
They continued stoning Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60 And kneeling down he cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And saying 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.
