Acts 7
1 Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are the things that [these people are saying about you(sg)] true?”
Acunüng, ktaiyü ngvai naw, “Acuna ngthu kcangki aw?” ti lü, Stephen a kthäh.
2 Stephen replied, “Fellow Jews and respected leaders, [please] listen to me! The glorious God [whom we(inc) worship] appeared to our ancestor Abraham while he was still [living] in Mesopotamia [region], before he moved to Haran [town].
Acunüng Stephen naw msang lü, “Ka bee jah ka pae aw, ngai ua, mi pupa Abraham, Haran khawa am a ceh ham üng Mesopotemiha Pamhnama hlüngtainak a veia ngdang law lü,
3 God said to him, ‘Leave this land where you [(sg)] and your relatives [are living], and go into the land to which I will lead you.’
“Na khaw ja na im üngka naw cit lü ka ning mhnuh vaia pea cita” a ti.
4 So Abraham left that land, [which was also called] Chaldea, and he arrived in Haran and lived there. After his father died, God told him to move to this land in which you [and I] are now living.”
Acunüng, Abraham cun Khalade khaw üngka naw cit lü Haran khawa va veki; acunüng, a pa a thih käna hina atuh nami venak khawa Pamhnam naw a ngkawnsak.
5 “[At that time] God did not give Abraham any [land here], not even a small plot of [this] land that would belong to him. God promised that he would [later] give this land to him and his descendants, and that it would [always] belong [to them. However], at that time Abraham did not have any children [who would] ([inherit it/receive it after he died]).”
Acunüng, hia ta a venak vai, a khawpa a takeinak vai pi Pamhnam naw am pe; acunsepi, amät ja a ngsawne cäpa khawh a jah pet vaia am a ca ham üng tün lü khyütamki.
6 “[Later] God told Abraham, ‘Your descendants will go and live in a foreign country. They [will live there] for 400 years, and [during that time their leaders] will mistreat your descendants and force them to work as slaves.’
Acunüng, Pamhnam naw, ‘Na mjükphyüie khyanga khawa kum phyakphyü ve khaie, khyanga mpyaa ve u se, jah khuimkha khaie’ tia a pyen.
7 But God [also] said, ‘I will punish the people who make them work as slaves. Then, after that, your descendants will leave [that land] and they will [come and] worship me in this land.’”
Acunüng, Pamhnam naw, ‘Amimi jah mpya na khaia khyang mjüe pi kamät naw ami lei ka jah mtai law pe khai. Acun käna lät law be u lü, hina hnün üng na hjawkhah law khaie’ a ti.
8 “Then God commanded Abraham that [every male in his household and all of his male descendants] should be circumcised [to show that they all belonged to God] and that they would obey what he had told Abraham to do. Later Abraham’s son, Isaac, was born, and when Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him. [Later] Isaac’s son, Jacob, was born, and Isaac [similarly circumcised] him. And Jacob [similarly circumcised] his twelve sons. They are the twelve men [from whom we(inc) Jews have all descended].”
Acunüng, Pamhnam naw vun mawih vaia ngthumkhän pe se; acunüng, Abraham naw Isak ca na lü amhnüp khyetnak üng a vun a mawi pet; acunüng, Isak naw Jakop ca na se, Jakop naw a ca xaleinghngihea vun a jah mawih pet acune cun nglo ngthangkie mi pupae ni.
9 “[You know that] Jacob’s [older] sons became jealous [because their father favored their younger brother] Joseph. So they sold him [to merchants/traders who took him] [MTY] to Egypt. There he became a slave [of an official who lived there]. But God [helped] Joseph.
Acunüng, Jakopa cae naw ami na Josep k’eih u lü Egypt pea ami jawihei; acunsepi, Pamhnam naw vepüi lü,
10 He protected him whenever people caused him to suffer. He enabled Joseph to be wise; and he caused Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to think well of Joseph. So Pharaoh appointed him to rule [over] Egypt and to look after all of Pharaoh’s property [MTY].”
a khuikhanak naküt üng küikyanki. Josep cun Egypt sangpuxanga maa a pha vai üng Pamhnam naw ani üng themnak ja a hmai vainak pe se, Pharo sangpuxang naw Egypt pe ja a im üng ngvai säiha a mcawn.
11 “[While Joseph was doing that work], there was a time (when there was very little food/of famine) throughout Egypt and also throughout Canaan. People did not have enough food to eat. People were suffering. [At that time] Jacob and his sons [in Canaan] also could not find [enough] food.
Egypt ja Kanan pe avan üng khawjaw law se, khuikhanak aktäa ve lawki; mi pupae cun ami ei vai i am ta u lü vekie.
12 When Jacob heard [people report that] there was grain/food [that people could buy] in Egypt, he sent Joseph’s older brothers [to go there to buy grain. They went and bought grain from Joseph, but they did not recognize him. Then they returned home].
Acunsepi, Jakop naw Egypt pea cang veki tia ksing lü a cae a jah tüih; acun cun ami cehnak akcüksäiha kyaki.
13 When Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt the second time, [they again bought grain from Joseph]. But this time [he] told them who he was. [And] people told Pharaoh that Joseph’s people were Hebrews [and that those men who had come from Canaan were his brothers].
Acunüng, anghngihnaka ami ceh üng, Josep cun a beea üng jah mtheh se; acunüng, Josepa khuiima mawng cun Pharo naw a jah ksing law.
14 Then after Joseph sent [his brothers back home, they] told their father Jacob [that Joseph wanted] him and his entire family to come [to Egypt. At that time] ([Jacob’s family consisted of] 75 people/there were 75 people in Jacob’s family) [SYN].
Acunüng, Josep naw a pa Jakop ja a benae naküt a jah khüsak; ami van khyühkip ja hma lawki he.
15 [So when] Jacob [heard that, he and all his family] went to [live in] Egypt.” Acts 7:15b-16 “[Later on], Jacob died [there], and our [other] ancestors, [his sons, also died there].
Jakop cun Egypt pea ju citki; acunüng, ani ja a tucae cun thikie.
16 [But] the bodies [of Jacob and Joseph] were brought {[they] brought the bodies [of Jacob and Joseph]} [back to our land], and [Jacob’s body] was buried {they buried [Jacob’s body]} [in the tomb that Abraham had bought, and they buried Joseph’s body] in Shechem in the ground that [Jacob] had bought from Hamor’s sons.”
Ami yawke cun Sikem khawa jah cepüi u lü Abraham naw Sikem khawa Hamoa sanga veia ngui am a khyäiha ng'uhnak üng ami ja k’ut.
17 “Our ancestors had become very numerous when it was almost time for [God to rescue them] from Egypt, [as] he had promised Abraham that he would do.
“Acunüng, Pamhnam naw Abrahama veia khyütam akpha law hlü üng, Jakopa mjükphyüie cun Egypt pea nung mja lawki he.
18 Another king had begun to rule in Egypt. He did not know that Joseph, [long before that time, had greatly helped the people of Egypt] [MTY].
Josep am ksingkia sangpuxang akce naw Egypt cun up lawki.
19 That king cruelly tried to get rid of our ancestors. He oppressed them and caused them to suffer greatly. He [even commanded] them to leave their baby [boys] outside [their homes] so that they would die.”
Ani naw mi pupae jah mkhuimkha lü hnasen he pi thi khaia im üngkhyüh a jah xawt tawnsak.
20 “During that time Moses was born, and he was a very beautiful [LIT] [child]. So his parents [secretly] cared for him in their house for three months.
Acunüng Pamhnama hmaia aktäa ngtokia, Mosi hmi law se, a pa ima khya kthum ami mcah;
21 Then they had to put him outside [the house, but] Pharaoh’s daughter [found him and] adopted him and cared for him as [though he were] her own son.
acun käna ami tawnnaka, Pharoa canu naw lo lü amäta ca vaia a mcahei.
22 Moses was taught {[The Egyptian teachers] taught Moses} many kinds of wise things [HYP] that the people in Egypt knew, and [when he grew up], he spoke powerfully and did things powerfully.”
Acunüng Mosi cun Egypt pea ami ksingkhyapnak naküt jah mthei u se, bilawnak ja pyensaknak thei üng be lawki.
23 “[One day] when Moses was about 40 years old, he decided that he would [go and] see his fellow Israelis. [So he went to the place where they worked].
Kum kphyükip a cum üng, a püi Isarele ihawkba vekie ti cun ja va bükteng khaia ngtängki.
24 He saw an Egyptian beating one of the Israelis. So he went over to help [MTY] the Israeli man who was being hurt/beat {whom [the Egyptian] was hurting/beating}, and he (got revenge on/paid back) the Israeli man by killing the Egyptian [who was hurting/beating him].
Acunüng Isarel khyang mat Egypt khyang naw khuimkha se hmu lü, yungki naw Egypt khyang cun a hnim.
25 Moses was thinking that his fellow Israelis would understand that God had sent him to free them [from being slaves]. But they did not understand that.
(Pamhnam naw ani am a khyange jah yung khai tia, a khyange naw ksing khaiea ngai sepi, am ksing u.)
26 The next day, Moses saw two Israeli men fighting [each other]. He tried to make them stop fighting by saying to them, ‘Men, you two are fellow [Israelis! So] (stop hurting each other!/why are you hurting each other?) [RHQ]’
Angawi law be tü üng amimät üngka xawi ngtunngpyei nise jah hmu law lü, ‘Ka püi xawi aw, bengna xawia nani kyaki, ise nani ngtunngpyeiki ni?’ ti lü ja mkhya khaia bü se,
27 But the man who was injuring the other man pushed Moses away and said to him, ‘(No one appointed you [(sg)] to rule and judge us [(exc)]!/Do you [(sg)] think someone appointed you [(sg)] to rule and judge us [(exc)]?) [RHQ]
a püi ngtunpüiki naw Mosi buk lü, ‘Kani khana suki ja ngthumkhyah mkhawnga u naw aning mcawn ni?
28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
Müta Egypt khyang na hnima kba na na hnim khaia na büki aw?’ a kthäh.
29 When Moses heard that, [he thought to himself, ‘Obviously, people know what I have done, and someone will kill me.’ He was afraid, so] he fled [from Egypt] to Midian land. He lived there [for some years]. He [got married, and he and his wife] had two sons.”
Acun a ngjaka phäha Mosi Midian pea cen lü, acuia cakpa nghngih a canak.
30 “[One day] 40 years later, [the Lord God appeared as] an angel to Moses. He appeared in a bush that was burning in the desert near Sinai Mountain.
Kum kphyükip a nghjawk käna, Sinai mcung pei khawkhyawng khawa meia däiki kpyap üngka naw, khankhawngsä mat a veia ngdang lawki.
31 When Moses saw that, he was greatly surprised, [because the bush was not burning up]. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord [God] say [to him],
Mosi naw acun a hmu üng, aktäa cäi lü bükteng khaia a va k’et üng, Bawipa kthai naw,
32 ‘I [am] the God [whom] your ancestors [worshipped]. I [am] the God that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob [worship].’ Moses [was so afraid that he] began to shake. He was afraid to look [at the bush any longer].
‘Kei cun na pupaea Pamhnam ni, Abrahama Pamhnam, Isaka Pamhnam, Jakopa Pamhnam ni’ ti se, acunüng, Mosi naw kyüh lü am a bükteng dat.
33 Then the Lord [God] said to him, ‘Take your sandals off [to show that you(sg) revere me]. Because I [am here], the place where you are standing is holy/sacred.
Acunüng, Bawipa naw, ‘Na khawdawk cän suta; isetiakyaküng na ngdüinak cän hnün ngcimcaiha mdek ni.
34 I have surely seen how the people of Egypt are continually causing my people to suffer. I have heard my people when they groan [because those people continually oppress them]. So I have come down to rescue them [from Egypt]. Now get ready, because I am going to send you [back] to Egypt [to do that].’”
Egypt pea ka khyang vekiea ami khuikhanak aktäa hmu veng, ami ngko pi ngja veng, ami jah küikyan khaia ka kyum lawki ni. Tuhkbäih cita, Egypt pea ka ning tüih khai’ a ti.
35 “This Moses [is the one who had tried to help our Israeli people, but] whom they rejected [by saying], ‘No one [RHQ] appointed you to rule and judge [us!’] Moses [is the one whom] God [himself] sent to rule them and to free them [from being slaves. He is the one whom] an angel in the bush [commanded to do that].
Acuna Mosi, ‘Kani khana suki ja ngthumkhyah mkhawnga u naw aning mcawn ni?’ tia Isarele naw ami mah cun, kpyapa k'uma a veia ngdang lawkia khankhawngsä naw kpüi se, Pamhnam naw ani kung cun ngvai ja küikyan khaia a tüiha kyaki.
36 Moses [is the one who] led our ancestors out [from Egypt]. He did many kinds of miracles in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and during the 40 years [that the Israelite people lived] in the desert.
Ani naw Egypt pe, Mpanglai Sen ja khawkhyawng khawa kum kphyükip üng, cäicatnak vaie ja müncamkse ja pawh lü a ja ngkhah lawpüi.
37 This Moses is the one who said to the Israelite people, ‘God will appoint a prophet for you from among your own people. [He will speak words from God], just like I [speak his words to you].’
Isarel khyange üng ‘Pamhnam naw kei ana mcawna mäiha, nami benae üngka sahma mat ning ja mcawn pe khai’ ti lü jah mthehki cun acuna Mosia kyaki.
38 This man [Moses] was [our people’s leader] when they gathered together in the desert. It is Moses to whom [God sent] the angel on Sinai Mountain to [give him our laws], and [he was the one who told] our [other] ancestors [what the angel had said]. He was the one who received [from God] words that tell us how to live [eternally, and Moses] passed [them] on to us.”
Ani cun, khawkhyawng khawa ngkhämkiea veia pi kyase, Sinai mcunga ngthuheipüikia khankhawngsäa veia pi kyase, ja mjükphyüi nakiea veia pi kyase ve lü mimi a jah pet vaia xüngseiki Pamhnama ngthu yahkia kyaki.
39 “[However], our ancestors did not want to obey [Moses]. Instead, [while he was still on the mountain], they rejected him [as their leader] and decided that they wanted to return to Egypt.
Ania ngthu cun mi pupae naw käh ngai u lü, ami mlung üng Egypt pea nghlat be vai ngjahlükie.
40 So they told [his older brother] Aaron, ‘Make idols for us who will be our gods to lead us [back to Egypt]! As for that fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt we [(exc)] do not know what has happened to him!’
Acunakyase Arona veia, ‘Ja ngkhahpüi khaia mhnam he jah pyan peta; Egypt pe üngka naw jah lawpüikia Mosi ihawkba veki ni am ksing ve üng’ ami ti.
41 So, they made [out of gold] an image [that looked like] a calf. Then they sacrificed [animals and offered other things] to [honor] that idol, and they sang and danced to honor the idol that they themselves had made.
Acunüng, seca juktuh pyang u lü, acun cun xüngsei hnimki he naw hjawkhah u lü, amimäta kuta pyang cun ngkengtai u lü hlimtuikie.
42 So God rejected them. He abandoned them to worship the sun, moon and stars in the sky. This agrees with the words that one of the prophets wrote that God said, You Israelite [people] [MTY], when you [repeatedly] killed animals and offered them as sacrifices during those 40 years [that you were] in the desert, (you [most certainly] were not offering them to me!/what makes you think that you were offering them to me?) [RHQ]
Acunakyase Pamhnam naw akcea ja jah nghlat ta lü, khankhawa aisie jah hjawkhah khaiea a jah pawh; acun cun sahmaea yuknak caup üng: ‘Isarel khyange aw, khawkhyawng khawa kum kphyükip üng axüngksei jah hnim u lü ngkengnak nami bilawh hin kei nami na hjawkhahnak am ni.
43 [On the contrary], you carried [with you from place to place] the tent [that contained the idol] representing [the god] Molech [that you worshipped]. You also [carried with you] the image of the star [called] Rephan. [Those] were idols that you had made, [and you] worshipped [them instead of me]. So I will [cause you to] be taken away {[people to] take you} [from your own country. You will be taken] {[They will take you]} [far from your homes to regions] even farther than Babylon [Country].”
Sama k'uma veki Moluk mhnam ceh hü lü aisi mhnam Rephan pi nami hjawkhah vaia a lup nami pyangki, acunakyase, Babalung pea nami mpya khaia ka ning jah tüih khai’ tia veki.
44 “While our ancestors were in the desert, they worshipped God at the tent that showed [that he was there with them]. They had made the tent exactly like God had commanded Moses [to make it. It was] exactly like the model that Moses had seen [when he was up on the mountain].
Mi pupae naw khawkhyawng khawa Mhnama venak vai sam takie. Acun cun Mhnama phäh nami pyan vai cun Mosi üng mtheh kba sam nami takie.
45 [Later on], other ancestors of ours carried that tent with them when Joshua led them [into this land]. That was during the time that they took this land for themselves, when God forced the people [who previously lived here] to leave. So the Israelis were able to possess this land. [The tent remained in this land and was still here] when [King] David ruled.
Acun käna, mi pupaea naw sam cun lo u lü Josuh mah maha cit u lü cehpüikie, acun cun Pamhnam naw ni maa a jah ksät khyangmjüea khawa takie. Acun hin Davita a ve law cäpa acua veki.
46 David pleased God, and he asked God to let him build a house where [he and] all of our Israeli people could worship God.
Acuna Davit cun Pamhnama mpyeneinak yah lü, Jakopa Pamhnama venak vai pyang khaia kthähki.
47 But [instead, God let David’s son] Solomon build a house [where people could worship] God.”
Acunsepi, Solamon naw ni im cun a sak.
48 “However, [we(inc) know that] God is greater than everything, and he does not live in [houses that] people [SYN] have made. It is like the prophet [Isaiah] wrote. He wrote [these words that God had spoken: ]
Acunsepi, hlüngtai säihkia Mhnam cun khyanga kut am saka im üng am ve khawi; sahma naw pyen lü:
49 Heaven is (my throne/the place from which I rule the entire universe), and the earth is (my footstool/[merely like] a stool on which I may rest my feet). I myself [SYN] have made everything [both in heaven and on the earth]. So you [human beings], ([you] really cannot build a house that would be [adequate] for me!/do you think you can build a house that would be [appropriate] for me?) [RHQ] You cannot [RHQ] make a place good enough for me [to live in]!”
Bawipa naw, ‘Khankhaw cun ka Bawingawhnaka kyaki, khawmdek cun ka khawpha ka mtaihnaka kyaki, im ia mäih nami na sak hlü peki ni? Ka venaka hnün cun ia mäih ni?
Kamäta kut am anaküt ka ja mhnünkia am kya aw?’ ti ve, ti lü a pyen ni.
51 “You people are extremely stubborn [MET], not wanting to obey God or listen [MTY] [to him!] You are exactly like your ancestors! You always resist the Holy Spirit [as they did]!
Stephen naw msu lü, “Nami mlung ngcang ve, Pamhnama ngthu am nami ngjaki, anglät se Ngmüimkhya Ngcim nami mahki; nami pupaea ve ja nami ve täng ve.
52 Your ancestors caused [RHQ] every prophet to suffer, [including Moses]. They even killed those who long ago announced [that the Messiah] would come, the one who always did what pleased God. [And the Messiah has come! He is the one whom] you [recently] turned over [to his enemies] and [insisted that] they kill him!
Nami pupae naw sahmae am ami khuimkha khawi veki aw? Law khaia Ngsungpyunkia Mpyaa mawng sang lawki he Pamhnama ngsä he jah hnimki he. Atuh pi ani cun phyehei lü nami hnimki.
53 You [are the people] who have received God’s laws. [Those were laws] that God caused angels to give [to our ancestors]. However, [incredibly], you have not obeyed them!”
Mhnama thum, khankhawngsä hea naw ami ning jah pet cän yah u lü am nami läki” a ti.
54 When the Jewish Council members [and others there] heard all that [Stephen said], they became very angry. They were grinding their teeth [together because they were so angry] at him!
Acunüng, acuna ngthu cun kawngci khyange naw ami ngjak ja ami mlungso law se, Stephena khana mnicui kyetkie.
55 But the Holy Spirit completely controlled Stephen. He looked up into heaven and saw a dazzling light from God, and [he saw] Jesus standing at God’s right side.
Acunsepi, Stephen cun Ngmüimkhya Ngcim am bekia kya lü, khankhawa hang mangki naw, Pamhnama hlüngtainak ja Pamhnama khet lama Jesuh ngdüi se a hmu.
56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open, and I [see] the one who came from heaven standing at God’s right side!”
Acunüng, Stephen naw, “Teng u.” “Khankhaw nghmawng lü Pamhnama khet lama Khyanga Cakpa ngdüiki pi hmu veng” a ti.
57 [When the Jewish Council members and others heard that], they shouted loudly. They put their hands over their ears [so that they could not hear Stephen, and immediately] they all rushed at him.
Amimi cun angsanga ngpyang u lü, ami nghnga jah kbümeikie naw, atänga kyaksih u lü,
58 They dragged him outside the city [of Jerusalem] and started to throw stones at him. The people who were accusing him [took off] their outer garments [in order to throw stones more easily, and] they put their clothes [on the ground] next to a young man whose name was Saul, [so that he could guard them].
mlüh k'um üngka naw akpunga kaih u lü, lung am ami khawng. Saksi vai ami suisake cun Sawluh ngming naki cawngpyang mata khaw kunga ami jah tak.
59 While they continued to throw stones at Stephen, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
Acunüng, lung am aktäa ami khawng k'um üng, Stephen naw, “Bawipa Jesuh aw! ka Ngmüimkhya labea” ti lü ktaiyüki.
60 Then Stephen fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not punish them (OR, forgive them) [LIT] for this sin!” After he had said that, he died.
Acunüng, a mkhuk ngdäng lü, angsanga ngpyang lü, “Bawipa aw, hina ami mkhyekatnak cän käh ja thung be kawpi” a ti. Acuna ngthu a pyen päng ja thiki.
