Acts 7
1 Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are the things that [these people are saying about you(sg)] true?”
Ɔsɔfopanin no bisaa Stefano sɛ, “Nsɛm a wɔaka agu wo so no nyinaa yɛ nokorɛ anaa?”
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].
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 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.’
ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, ‘Firi wʼabusuafoɔ nkyɛn ne wʼasase so kɔ baabi a mɛkyerɛ wo no.’
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.”
“Enti, ɔfirii Kaldea asase so kɔtenaa Haran. Abraham agya wuo akyi no, Onyankopɔn maa ɔbɛtenaa asase a mote so seesei yi so.
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]).”
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 “[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.’
Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ Abraham sɛ, ‘Wʼasefoɔ bɛtena ananafoɔ asase so ayɛ nkoa wɔ hɔ na wɔayɛ wɔn ayayadeɛ mfeɛ ahanan.
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.’”
Na mɛtwe ɔman a wɔbɛsom wɔn no aso; na ɛno akyi wɔbɛfiri saa ɔman no mu abɛsom me wɔ ha.’
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].”
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 “[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.
“Agyanom mpanin no ani beree Yosef enti wɔtɔn no maa ɔkɔyɛɛ akoa wɔ Misraim. Nanso, ɛsiane sɛ na Onyankopɔn wɔ nʼafa enti,
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].”
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 “[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.
“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 [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].
Enti, ɛberɛ a Yakob tee sɛ aduane wɔ Misraim no, ɔsomaa ne mma a wɔyɛ yɛn agyanom maa wɔkɔɔ hɔ deɛ ɛdi ɛkan.
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].
Wɔkɔɔ ne mprenu so no, Yosef daa ne ho adi kyerɛɛ ne nuanom, na ɛnam so maa Farao hunuu Yosef abusuafoɔ.
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].
Yosef kraa nʼagya Yakob sɛ ɔne nʼabusuafoɔ nyinaa mmra Misraim. Na wɔn nyinaa dodoɔ yɛ aduɔson enum.
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].
Afei Yakob kɔtenaa Misraim na ɛhɔ na ɔne yɛn agyanom nyinaa wuwuiɛ.
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.”
Wɔde wɔn amu no kɔɔ Sekem kɔsiee wɔn wɔ Abraham asieeɛ bi a ɔtɔ firii Hamor abusua mu no mu.
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.
“Ɛbɔ a Onyankopɔn hyɛɛ Abraham no berɛ reduru no, na yɛn nkurɔfoɔ a wɔwɔ Misraim no ase atrɛ.
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].
Akyire no, ɔhene foforɔ bi bɛdii adeɛ wɔ Misraim a na ɔnnim Yosef ho asɛm.
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.”
Saa ɔhene yi de atirimuɔden dii yɛn agyanom so, hyɛɛ wɔn maa wɔtotoo wɔn mma guiɛ sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wɔbɛwuwu.
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.
“Saa ɛberɛ yi mu na wɔwoo Mose a na ɔkura Onyankopɔn animuonyam no. Wɔhwɛɛ no wɔ nʼagya efie abosome mmiɛnsa,
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.
na wɔyii no firii hɔ no, Farao babaa kɔfaa no de no baa ne fie hwɛɛ no sɛ nʼankasa ne ba.
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.”
Wɔtetee no Misraimfoɔ nimdeɛ mu maa ɔyɛɛ den wɔ ɔkasa ne nneyɛeɛ mu.
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].
“Mose dii mfeɛ aduanan no, ɔyɛɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔrekɔsra ne nuanom Israelfoɔ.
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].
Ɔduruu hɔ no, ɔhunuu sɛ Misraimni bi resisi ne nuanom mu baako bi. Mose kɔboaa ne nua no ma Mose kumm Misraimni no.
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.
Mose susuu sɛ nʼankasa nkurɔfoɔ bɛhunuu sɛ Onyankopɔn nam ne so bɛma wɔade wɔn ho, nanso wɔante aseɛ.
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]’
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 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]
“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 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.”
Ɛberɛ a Mose tee saa asɛm yi no, ɔtu firii Misraim kɔtenaa Midian asase so. Ɛhɔ na ɔwoo mmammarima baanu.
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.
“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 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],
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 [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].
‘Mene wo agyanom Abraham, Isak ne Yakob Onyankopɔn.’ Ehu kaa Mose enti wantumi anhwɛ.
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.
“Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Mose sɛ, ‘Worɔ wɔ mpaboa, ɛfiri sɛ, faako a wogyina no yɛ asase kronkron.
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].’”
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 [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].
“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 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.
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 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].’
“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 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.”
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 “[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.
“Nanso, yɛn agyanom antie no. Wɔpoo no pɛɛ sɛ wɔsane kɔ Misraim asase so bio.
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!’
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 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.
Wɔyɛɛ nantwie ba sɛso ohoni bi bɔɔ afɔdeɛ maa no, gyee wɔn ani sɛdeɛ ɛsɛ.
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]
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 [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].”
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 “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].
“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 [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.
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 David pleased God, and he asked God to let him build a house where [he and] all of our Israeli people could worship God.
Onyankopɔn hyiraa Dawid enti ɔbisaa Onyankopɔn sɛ ɔmma ɔnsi asɔredan mma Yakob Onyankopɔn.
47 But [instead, God let David’s son] Solomon build a house [where people could worship] God.”
Nanso, Salomo na ɔsii dan no maa Onyankopɔn.
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: ]
“Nanso, ɔsorosoro Onyankopɔn nte ɛdan a nnipa asi mu, sɛdeɛ odiyifoɔ no ka sɛ,
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]!”
“‘Ɔsoro yɛ mʼahennwa, na asase yɛ me nan ntiasoɔ. Ɛdan bɛn na wobɛsi ama me? Awurade na ɔseɛ. Wobɛtumi asi ahomegyebea ama me?
Ɛnyɛ mʼankasa na meyɛɛ yeinom nyinaa?’
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]!
“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 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!
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 [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!”
Mo ara ne nnipa a monam abɔfoɔ so nyaa Onyankopɔn mmara no, nanso moanni so.”
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!
Agyinatufoɔ no tee asɛm a Stefano kaeɛ no, wɔn bo fuu yie.
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.
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 I [see] the one who came from heaven standing at God’s right side!”
Stefano kaa sɛ, “Mehunu sɛ ɔsoro abue na Onipa Ba no gyina Onyankopɔn nsa nifa so!”
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.
Wɔteateaam de wɔn nsa sisii wɔn aso. Afei, wɔn nyinaa bɔɔ twi kɔto hyɛɛ ne so,
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].
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 continued to throw stones at Stephen, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
Wɔresi Stefano aboɔ no nyinaa na ɔrebɔ mpaeɛ sɛ, “Awurade Yesu, wo nsam na mede me honhom mehyɛ!”
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.
Afei, ɔbuu nkotodwe teaam denden sɛ, “Awurade, fa wɔn bɔne kyɛ wɔn.” Ɔkaa saa wieeɛ no, ɔwuiɛ.
