Acts 7
1 Then the high priest asked, “Is this true?”
Then the High Priest asked him, "Are these statements true?"
2 Stephen replied, “Brothers and fathers, hear what I have to say. God, who manifests himself in the glory, appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, and before he settled in Haran, and said to him –
The reply of Stephen was, "Sirs--brethren and fathers--listen to me. God Most Glorious appeared to our forefather Abraham when he was living in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,
3 ‘Leave your country and your people, and come into the country that I will show you.’
and said to him, "'Leave your country and your relatives, and go into whatever land I point out to you.'
4 And so Abraham left the country of the Chaldaeans and settled in Haran; and from there, after his father’s death, God caused him to migrate into this country, in which you are now living.
"Thereupon he left Chaldaea and settled in Haran till after the death of his father, when God caused him to remove into this country where you now live.
5 God did not at that time give him any part of it, not even a foot of ground. But he promised to give him possession of it and his descendants after him, though at that time he had no child.
But he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not a single square yard of ground. And yet He promised to bestow the land as a permanent possession on him and his posterity after him--and promised this at a time when Abraham was childless.
6 God’s words were these – ‘Abraham’s descendants will live in a foreign country, where they will be enslaved and ill-treated for four hundred years.
And God declared that Abraham's posterity should for four hundred years make their home in a country not their own, and be reduced to slavery and be oppressed.
7 But I myself will judge the nation, to which they will be enslaved,’ God said, ‘and after that they will leave the country and worship me in this place.’
"'And the nation, whichever it is, that enslaves them, I will judge,' said God; 'and afterwards they shall come out, and they shall worship Me in this place.'
8 Then God made with Abraham the covenant of circumcision; and under it Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him when he was eight days old; and Isaac became the father of Jacob; and Jacob of the Twelve Patriarchs.
"Then He gave him the Covenant of circumcision, and under this Covenant he became the father of Isaac--whom he circumcised on the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve Patriarchs.
9 The Patriarchs, out of jealousy, sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him,
"The Patriarchs were jealous of Joseph and sold him into slavery in Egypt. But God was with him
10 and delivered him out of all his troubles, and enabled him to win favor and show wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him Governor of Egypt and of his whole household.
and delivered him from all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him governor over Egypt and all the royal household.
11 Then a famine spread over the whole of Egypt and Canaan, causing great distress, and our ancestors could find no food.
But there came a famine throughout the whole of Egypt and Canaan--and great distress--so that our forefathers could find no food.
12 Hearing, however, that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob sent our ancestors there on their first visit.
When, however, Jacob heard that there was wheat to be had, he sent our forefathers into Egypt; that was the first time.
13 In the course of their second visit, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Pharaoh was informed of Joseph's parentage.
14 Then Joseph sent an urgent invitation to his father Jacob and to his relatives, seventy-five persons in all;
Then Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his family, numbering seventy-five persons, to come to him,
15 and so Jacob went down into Egypt. There he died, and our ancestors also,
and Jacob went down into Egypt. There he died, and so did our forefathers,
16 and their bodies were removed to Shechem, and laid in the tomb which Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
and they were taken to Shechem and were laid in the tomb which Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a sum of money paid in silver.
17 As the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise which God had made to Abraham, the people increased largely in numbers in Egypt,
"But as the time drew near for the fulfilment of the promise which God had made to Abraham, the people became many times more numerous in Egypt,
18 until a new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to the throne.
until there arose a foreign king over Egypt who knew nothing of Joseph.
19 This king acted deceitfully towards our people and ill-treated our ancestors, making them abandon their own infants, so that they should not be reared.
He adopted a crafty policy towards our race, and oppressed our forefathers, making them cast out their infants so that they might not be permitted to live.
20 It was just at this time that Moses was born. He was an exceedingly beautiful child, and for three months was brought up in his own father’s house;
At this time Moses was born--a wonderfully beautiful child; and for three months he was cared for in his father's house.
21 and, when he was abandoned, the daughter of Pharaoh found him and brought him up as her own son.
At length he was cast out, but Pharaoh's daughter adopted him, and brought him up as her own son.
22 So Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and proved his ability both by his words and actions.
So Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and possessed great influence through his eloquence and his achievements.
23 When he was in his fortieth year, he resolved to visit his fellow Israelites;
"And when he was just forty years old, it occurred to him to visit his brethren the descendants of Israel.
24 and, seeing an Israelite ill-treated, he defended him, and avenged the man, who was being wronged, by striking down the Egyptian.
Seeing one of them wrongfully treated he took his part, and secured justice for the ill-treated man by striking down the Egyptian.
25 He thought his own people would understand that God was using him to save them; but they failed to do so.
He supposed his brethren to be aware that by him God was sending them deliverance; this, however, they did not understand.
26 The next day he again appeared on the scene, when some of them were fighting, and tried to make peace between them. ‘Men,’ he said, ‘you are brothers; how is it that you are ill-treating one another?’
The next day, also, he came and found two of them fighting, and he endeavoured to make peace between them. "'Sirs,' he said, 'you are brothers. Why are you wronging one another?'
27 But the man who was ill-treating his fellow workman pushed Moses aside saying – ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?
"But the man who was doing the wrong resented his interference, and asked, "'Who appointed you magistrate and judge over us?
28 Do you mean to make away with me as you did yesterday with that Egyptian?’
Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'
29 At these words Moses took to flight, and became an exile in Midian; and there he had two sons born to him.
"Alarmed at this question, Moses fled from the country and went to live in the land of Midian. There he became the father of two sons.
30 Forty years had passed when there appeared to him, in the desert of Mount Sinai, an angel in a flame of fire in a bush.
"But at the end of forty years there appeared to him in the Desert of Mount Sinai an angel in the middle of a flame of fire in a bush.
31 When Moses saw it, he was astonished at the vision; but on his going nearer to look at it more closely, the voice of the Lord was heard to say –
When Moses saw this he wondered at the sight; but on his going up to look further, the voice of the Lord was heard, saying,
32 ‘I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled, and did not dare to look.
"'I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.' "Quaking with fear Moses did not dare gaze.
33 Then the Lord said to him – ‘Take your sandals off your feet, for the spot where you are standing is holy ground.
"'Take off your shoes,' said the Lord, 'for the spot on which you are standing is holy ground.
34 I have seen the oppression of my people who are in Egypt, and heard their groans, and I have come down to deliver them. Come now and I will send you into Egypt.’
I have seen, yes, I have seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt and have heard their groans, and I have come down to deliver them. And now I will send you to Egypt.'
35 This same Moses, whom they had disowned with the words – ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ was the man whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer, under the guidance of the angel that had appeared to him in the bush.
"The Moses whom they rejected, asking him, 'Who appointed you magistrate and judge?' --that same Moses we find God sending as a magistrate and a deliverer by the help of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 He it was who led them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the desert during forty years.
This was he who brought them out, after performing marvels and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and in the Desert for forty years.
37 This was the Moses who said to the people of Israel – ‘God will raise up for you, from among yourselves, a prophet, as he raised up me.’
This is the Moses who said to the descendants of Israel, "'God will raise up a Prophet for you, from among your brethren, just as He raised me up.'
38 He, too, it was who was present at the assembly in the desert, with the angel who talked to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors, and who received living truths to impart to you.
'This is he who was among the Congregation in the Desert, together with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and with our forefathers, who received ever-living utterances to hand on to us.
39 Yet our ancestors refused him obedience; more than that, they rejected him, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,
"Our forefathers, however, would not submit to him, but spurned his authority and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
40 while they said to Aaron – ‘Make us Gods who will lead the way for us, since, as for this Moses who has brought us out of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’
They said to Aaron, "'Make gods for us, to march in front of us; for as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'
41 That was the time when they made the calf and offered sacrifice to their idol, and held festivities in honor of their own handiwork!
"Moreover they made a calf at that time, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and kept rejoicing in the gods which their own hands had made.
42 So God turned from them and left them to the worship of the Starry Host, as is written in the book of the prophets – ‘Did you offer victims and sacrifices to me, house of Israel, all those forty years in the desert?
So God turned from them and gave them up to the worship of the Host of Heaven, as it is written in the Book of the Prophets, "'Were they victims and sacrifices which you offered Me, forty years in the Desert, O House of Israel?
43 You took with you the tent where Moloch is worshiped and the star of the god Rephan – the images which you had made to worship. Therefore I will exile you beyond Babylon.’
Yes, you lifted up Moloch's tent and the Star of the God Rephan--the images which you made in order to worship them; and I will remove you beyond Babylon.'
44 Our ancestors had the tent where they worshiped God in the desert, constructed, just as he who spoke to Moses had directed him to make it, after the model which he had seen.
"Our forefathers had the Tent of the Testimony in the Desert, built as He who spoke to Moses had instructed him to make it in imitation of the model which he had seen.
45 This tent, which was handed down to them, was brought into this country by our ancestors who accompanied Joshua (at the conquest of the nations that God drove out before their advance), and remained here until the time of David.
That Tent was bequeathed to the next generation of our forefathers. Under Joshua they brought it with them when they were taking possession of the land of the Gentile nations, whom God drove out before them. So it continued till David's time.
46 David found favor with God, and prayed that he might provide the God of Jacob with a place to reside.
David obtained favour with God, and asked leave to provide a dwelling-place for the God of Jacob.
47 But it was Solomon who built a house for God.
But it was Solomon who built a house for Him.
48 Yet it is not in buildings made by hands that the Most High dwells. As the prophet says –
Yet the Most High does not dwell in buildings erected by men's hands. But, as the Prophet declares,
49 ‘The heavens are a throne for me, and the earth a stool for my feet. What manner of house will you build me, asks the Lord, or what place is there where I may rest?
"'The sky is My throne, and earth is the footstool for My feet. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or what resting place shall I have?
50 Was it not my hand that made all these things?’
Did not My hand form this universe.'
51 Stubborn people, heathen in heart and ears, you are for ever resisting the Holy Spirit; your ancestors did it, and you are doing it still.
"O stiff-necked men, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you also are continually at strife with the Holy Spirit--just as your forefathers were.
52 Which of the prophets escaped persecution at their hands? They killed those who foretold the coming of the righteous one; of whom you, in your turn, have now become the betrayers and murderers –
Which of the Prophets did not your forefathers persecute? Yes, they killed those who announced beforehand the advent of the righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become--
53 you who received the Law as transmitted by angels and yet failed to keep it.”
you who received the Law given through angels, and yet have not obeyed it."
54 As they listened to this, the Council grew frantic with rage, and gnashed their teeth at Stephen.
As they listened to these words, they became infuriated and gnashed their teeth at him.
55 He, filled as he was with the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes intently on the heavens, and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God’s right hand.
But, full of the Holy Spirit and looking up to Heaven, Stephen saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand.
56 “Look,” he exclaimed, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at God’s right hand!”
"I can see Heaven wide open," he said, "and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand."
57 At this, with a loud shout, they stopped their ears and all rushed on him, forced him outside the city,
Upon this, with a loud outcry they stopped their ears, rushed upon Stephen in a body,
58 and began to stone him, the witnesses laying their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
dragged him out of the city, and stoned him, the witnesses throwing off their outer garments and giving them into the care of a young man called Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, while he cried to the Lord, “Lord Jesus! Receive my spirit!”
So they stoned Stephen, while he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
60 Falling on his knees, he called out loudly, “Lord! Do not charge them with this sin;” and with these words he fell asleep.
Then, rising on his knees, he cried aloud, "Lord, do not reckon this sin against them." And with these words he fell asleep.
