Acts 7
1 Then the High Priest asked him, "Are these statements true?"
Mme Moperesiti yo Mogolo a mmotsa a re, “A mafoko a, a boammaaruri?”
2 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,
Mme Setefane a araba ka boleele a re, “Mo-dimo o o galalelang o ne wa iponatsa mo go rraetsho Aberahame mo Iraka pele ga a ya kwa Seria,
3 and said to him, "'Leave your country and your relatives, and go into whatever land I point out to you.'
mme wa mo raya wa re a tloge mo lefatsheng la ga gabo, a laele ba gagabo a ba a tloge a ye kwa lefatsheng le Modimo o tlaa le mo kaelang.
4 "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.
Hong a tswa mo lefatsheng la Bakaladea a ya go nna mo kgaolong ya Harana, mo Seria, go fitlhelela rraagwe a a swa. Mme Modimo wa mmusetsa mono lefatsheng la Iseraele,
5 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.
ga wa ka wa mo naya sepe sa dilo tsa gagwe, le fa e le setsha se sennye sa lefatshe. Le fa go ntse jalo Modimo wa mo solofetsa gore o tlaa mo naya lefatshe lotlhe le ditlogolwana tsa gagwe, le fa ka nako eo a ne a sena bana!
6 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.
“Mme Modimo wa mo raya gape wa re, ditlogolwana tsa gago di tlaa tswa mo lefatsheng leo di ye go nna mo lefatsheng la seeng mme koo di nne batlhanka, selekanyo sa dingwaga di le makgolo a mane.
7 "'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.'
Mme Modimo wa ba raya wa re, ‘Ke tlaa otlhaya Chaba e e tlaa ba dirang batlhanka mme morago ga moo batho ba me ba tlaa boela mo lefatsheng le la Iseraele ba nkobamela teng.’
8 "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.
“Gape Modimo wa neela Aberahame kgolagano ya bogwera ka nako eo; e le kgolagano fa gare ga Modimo le batho ba ga Aberahame, mme Isake, morwa Aberahame a rupisiwa fa a le malatsi a fera bobedi a tshotswe. Isake a tsala Jakobe, Jakobe a tsala ditlhogo di le lesome le bobedi tsa lotso lwa Sejuta.
9 "The Patriarchs were jealous of Joseph and sold him into slavery in Egypt. But God was with him
Mme batho ba, ba ne ba fufegela Josefa thata ba bo ba mo rekisa go ya go nna motlhanka kwa Egepeto. Mme Modimo o ne wa nna nae,
10 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.
o ne wa mo golola mo tlalelong yotlhe ya gagwe, wa mo naya tlotlego mo go Farwe Kgosi ya Egepeto. Gape Modimo wa naya Josefa botlhale jo bogolo, mo Farwe o ileng a mo tlhopha go nna molaodi mo Egepeto yotlhe, a bo a mmaya motlhokomedi wa ditiro tsotlhe tsa segosi.
11 But there came a famine throughout the whole of Egypt and Canaan--and great distress--so that our forefathers could find no food.
“Mme ga nna leuba mo Egepeto le Kanana, mme ga nna le bohutsana jo bogolo mo go borraetsho. Erile fa dijo tsa bone di setse di fedile,
12 When, however, Jacob heard that there was wheat to be had, he sent our forefathers into Egypt; that was the first time.
Jakobe a utlwa fa go sa ntse go na le mabele kwa Egepeto, jalo a romela bomorwawe go ya go a reka.
13 On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Pharaoh was informed of Joseph's parentage.
Erile fa ba ya labobedi, Josefa a itshenolela bomogolowe, mme ba itsisiwe Farwe.
14 Then Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his family, numbering seventy-five persons, to come to him,
“Mme Josefa a romela bangwe go ya go tsaya rraagwe ebong Jakobe le ba malwapa a bomogolowe botlhe go tla Egepeto, botlhe e ne e le batho ba le masome a supa le botlhano.
15 and Jacob went down into Egypt. There he died, and so did our forefathers,
Jalo Jakobe a tla Egepeto, kwa o neng a swela teng, le bana botlhe ba gagwe.
16 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.
Mme botlhe ba ne ba isiwa kwa Shekema ba fitlhwa mo lebitleng le Aberahame o neng a le rekile mo go bomorwa Hamore, rraagwe Shekema.
17 "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,
Mme erile fa nako e atamela e Modimo o neng o tlaa diragatsa tsholofetso ya one mo go Aberahame go golola bana ba gagwe mo botlhankeng, Bajuta ba ntsifala thata mo Egepeto; mme ga tlhongwa kgosi e e neng e sena tlotlo mo segopotsong sa ga Josefa.
18 until there arose a foreign king over Egypt who knew nothing of Joseph.
19 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.
Kgosi e ya nna kgatlhanong le losika lwa rona, ya pateletsa batsadi go latlhela bana ba bone mo masimong.
20 At this time Moses was born--a wonderfully beautiful child; and for three months he was cared for in his father's house.
“Mme ka nako eo Moshe a tsalwa, ngwana yo o neng a bonala a na le bontle jwa Se-Modimo. Batsadi ba gagwe ba mo fitlha mo lwapeng se-lekanyo sa dikgwedi tse tharo,
21 At length he was cast out, but Pharaoh's daughter adopted him, and brought him up as her own son.
mme ya re kwa bofelong ba sa tlhole ba kgona go mo fitlha, ebile ba tshwanelwa ke go mo latlha, morwadia Farwe a mmona mme a mo ikgodisetsa e le ngwana wa gagwe,
22 So Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and possessed great influence through his eloquence and his achievements.
mme a mo ruta botlhale jotlhe jwa Baegepeto, mme a nna kgosana e kgolo le sebui se se tumileng.
23 "And when he was just forty years old, it occurred to him to visit his brethren the descendants of Israel.
“Mme erile letsatsi lengwe fa a atamela bo-tsalo jwa letsatsi la gagwe la dingwaga tse di masome a mane, a tlelwa ke mogopolo wa go etela ba ga gabo, batho ba Iseraele.
24 Seeing one of them wrongfully treated he took his part, and secured justice for the ill-treated man by striking down the Egyptian.
Mo loetong lo a bona Moegepeto a sotla Moiseraele. Jalo Moshe a bolaya Moegepeto.
25 He supposed his brethren to be aware that by him God was sending them deliverance; this, however, they did not understand.
Moshe o ne a gopola gore ba ga gabo ba tlaa lemoga gore Modimo o mo rometse go tla go ba thusa, mme ba se ka ba lemoga.
26 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?'
“Ka letsatsi le le latelang a ba etela gape mme a fitlhela banna ba le babedi ba Baiseraele ba lwa. Mme a leka go ba letlanya a re ‘Banna, lo bana ba monna ga lo a tshwanela go lwa jaana! Ga go a siama.’
27 "But the man who was doing the wrong resented his interference, and asked, "'Who appointed you magistrate and judge over us?
“Mme monna yo o molato a raya Moshe a re, ‘Re tlhokomologe o tlhokomele tsa gago. Ke mang yo o go beileng molaodi le moatlhodi mo go rona?’
28 Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'
A o rata go mpolaya jaaka o bolaile Moegepeto yole maabane?
29 "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.
“Mme ka ntlha ya lefoko le, Moshe a tswa mo Egepeto, a tshabela kwa lefatsheng la Mediana, kwa o neng a tsala bana ba basimane ba le babedi gone.
30 "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.
“Morago ga dingwaga di le masome a mane, mo sekakeng gaufi le Thaba ya Senai, moengele a iponatsa mo go ene a le mo kgabong ya molelo mo setlhareng.
31 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,
Moshe a bona tiragalo e, mme a hakgamala gore ke eng, mme ya re a sianela go ya go bona, lentswe la Morena la bua nae le re,
32 "'I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.' "Quaking with fear Moses did not dare gaze.
‘Ke Modimo wa bo-rraeno mogolwagolwane, Modimo wa ga Aberahame, Isake le Jakobe!’ Moshe a roroma ka poifo e kgolo mme a se ka a batla go leba.
33 "'Take off your shoes,' said the Lord, 'for the spot on which you are standing is holy ground.
“Mme Morena a mo raya a re, ‘Rola ditlhako tsa gago, gonne o eme mo mmung o o boitshepo.
34 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.'
Ke bonye kutlobotlhoko ya batho ba me ba ba kwa Egepeto ebile ke utlwile selelo sa bone. Ke tsile go ba golola. Tla, ke tlaa go romela kwa Egepeto.’
35 "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.
“Mme jalo Modimo wa romela ene tota motho yo ba ga bone ba kileng ba mo gana ka go mo raya ba re, ‘Ke mang yo o go beileng molaodi le moatlhodi mo go rona?’ Moshe o ne a rometswe go ya go nna molaodi le mmoloki wa bone.
36 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.
Mme ka dikgakgamatso tse dintsi a ba ntsha mo Egepeto a ba kgabagantsha Lewatle le le Hibidu, a bo a ba ralatsa sekaka selekanyo sa dingwaga di le masome a mane.
37 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.'
“Moshe ka boene o ne a raya batho ba Iseraele a re, ‘Modimo o tlaa tsosa moporofiti yo o tshwanang le nna mo gare ga bo-morwa rraa lona.’
38 '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.
Mme se se ne sa supega se le boammaaruri, gonne mo sekakeng, Moshe e ne e le ene yo o fa gare, motsereganyi fa gare ga batho ba Iseraele le moengele yo o neng a ba naya molao wa Modimo, Lefoko le le Tshelangmo thabeng ya Senai.
39 "Our forefathers, however, would not submit to him, but spurned his authority and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
“Mme borraetsho ba ne ba gana Moshe, ba batla go boela kwa Egepeto.
40 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.'
“Ba raya Arone ba re, ‘Re direle medimo ya disetwa, gore re tle re nne le medimo e e re etelelang pele go boela kwa morago; gonne ga re itse gore go rileng kaga Moshe yo o re ntshitseng mo Egepeto.’
41 "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.
Mme ba dira modimo wa namane mme ba o ntshetsa ditlhabelo, mme ba itumelela selo se, se ba se dirileng.
42 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?
Mme Modimo wa ba huralela wa ba tlogela, mme wa ba lesa ba direla letsatsi, ngwedi le dinaledi jaaka medimo ya bone! Mo lokwalong lwa polelelopele ya ga Amose, Modimo o botsa jaana wa re, ‘Iseraele, a o ne o direla nna setlhabelo mo sekakeng selekanyo sa dingwaga di le masome a mane?
43 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.'
Nnyaa, tota kgatlhego ya gago e ne e le mo medimong ya seheitane ebong Sakutlhe, le modimo wa naledi Kaiwae, le mo ditshwantshong tsotlhe tse o di dirileng. Jalo ke tlaa go isa botshwarong kgakala go feta Babelone.’
44 "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.
“Mme borraetsho mogolwagolwane ba ne ba tsamaya le motlaagana ba ralala sekaka. Mo teng ga one ba ne ba beile matlapa a go neng go kwadilwe Melao e e Lesome mo go one. Kago e, e ne e agilwe fela ka thulaganyo e Moshe o neng a e kaetswe ke moengele.
45 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.
Erile morago ga dingwaga, fa Joshua a eteletse pele dintwa kgatlhanong le Badichaba, Motlaagana o ba tsena nao mo lefatsheng le lesha, mme wa dirisiwa go fitlhelela mo lobakeng lwa ga Kgosi Dafide.
46 David obtained favour with God, and asked leave to provide a dwelling-place for the God of Jacob.
“Modimo o ne wa segofatsa Dafide a kopa tetlelelo ya go agela Modimo wa ga Jakobe Tempele e e siameng.
47 But it was Solomon who built a house for Him.
Mme tota e ne ya agiwa ke Solomone.
48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in buildings erected by men's hands. But, as the Prophet declares,
Le fa go ntse jalo, Modimo ga o nne mo Ditempeleng tse di agilweng ka diatla tsa batho. Morena o bua ka baporofiti jaana a re, ‘Legodimo ke setilo sa me sa bogosi, mme lefatshe ke sebeo sa dinao tsa me’. Morena o botsa jaana a re, ‘Lo ka nkagela ntlo e e ntseng jang? A ke ka nna mo go yone?
49 "'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 Did not My hand form this universe.'
A ga ke a dira legodimo le lefatshe?’
51 "O stiff-necked men, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you also are continually at strife with the Holy Spirit--just as your forefathers were.
“Baheitane ke lona ba lo thamo di thata! A lo tshwanetse go ganetsa Mowa O O Boitshepo ka bosakhutleng? Mme borraalona ba ne ba dira jalo, a le lona lo dira jalo!
52 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--
Bolelang moporofiti mongwe yo borralona ba iseng ba ke ba mmogise! Ba bolaile le ene tota yo o ntshitseng polelelopele ya go tla ga Mosiami, Mesia yo lo mo okileng lwa ba lwa mmolaya.
53 you who received the Law given through angels, and yet have not obeyed it."
Ee, lo sentse Melao ya Modimo ka bomo, le fa lo ne lo e amogetse mo diatleng tsa baengele.”
54 As they listened to these words, they became infuriated and gnashed their teeth at him.
Mme baeteledipele ba Sejuta ba tenwa thata ke go omanngwa ke Setefane ba bo ba mo shenela meno ka kgakalo.
55 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.
Mme Setefane, a tletse Mowa O O Boitshepo, a leba ka iketlo kwa legodimong, a bona kgalalelo ya Modimo le Jesu a ntse ka fa letsogong le legolo la Modimo.
56 "I can see Heaven wide open," he said, "and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand."
Mme a ba raya a re, “Bonang, ke bona legodimo le bulegile mme Jesu Mesia a eme fa thoko ga Modimo, ka fa letsogong la one le legolo!”
57 Upon this, with a loud outcry they stopped their ears, rushed upon Stephen in a body,
Mme ba mo gagautlha, ba ikaba ditsebe, ba tima lentswe la gagwe ka go goa thata,
58 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.
mme ba mo gogela kwa ntle ga motse go ya go mo kgobotletsa ka matlapa. Basupi ba bagolo le babolai ba apola dibaki tsa bone ba di baya fa dinaong tsa lekawana lengwe le le bidiwang Saulo.
59 So they stoned Stephen, while he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Mme erile fa babolai ba mo kgobotletsa ka maje, Setefane a rapela a re, “Morena Jesu, amogela Mowa wa me.”
60 Then, rising on his knees, he cried aloud, "Lord, do not reckon this sin against them." And with these words he fell asleep.
Mme a wela fa fatshe ka mangole, a goa a re, “Morena o se ka wa ba bona molato ka ntlha ya boleo jo!” Mme ka mafoko ao, a swa.
