Actes 7
1 Alors le prince des prêtres lui demanda: Les choses sont-elles ainsi?
Then the high priest asked, “Is this true?”
2 Il répondit: Hommes, mes frères et mes pères, écoutez: Le Dieu de gloire apparut à notre père Abraham lorsqu’il était en Mésopotamie, avant qu’il demeurât à Charan,
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 –
3 Et il lui dit: Sors de ton pays et de la parenté, et viens dans la terre que je te montrerai.
‘Leave your country and your people, and come into the country that I will show you.’
4 Alors il sortit du pays des Chaldéens, et il demeura à Charan. Et de là, après que son père fut mort, Dieu le transporta dans cette terre que vous habitez aujourd’hui.
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.
5 Et il ne lui donna là ni héritage, ni même où poser le pied; mais il promit de la lui donner en sa possession et à sa postérité après lui, lorsqu’il n’avait point encore de fils.
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.
6 Toutefois Dieu lui dit que sa postérité habiterait en une terre étrangère, où elle serait réduite en servitude et maltraitée pendant quatre cents ans;
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.
7 Mais la nation qui l’aura tenue en servitude, c’est moi qui la jugerai, dit le Seigneur, et après cela, elle sortira et me servira en ce lieu-ci.
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.’
8 Il lui donna l’alliance de la circoncision; et ainsi il engendra Isaac, et le circoncit le huitième jour; et Isaac, Jacob; et Jacob, les douze patriarches.
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.
9 Et les patriarches envieux vendirent Joseph pour l’Egypte; mais Dieu était avec lui;
The Patriarchs, out of jealousy, sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him,
10 Et il le délivra de toutes ses tribulations, et il lui donna grâce et sagesse devant Pharaon, roi d’Egypte, qui le préposa sur l’Egypte et sur toute sa maison.
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.
11 Or vint une famine dans toute l’Egypte et en Chanaan, et une grande tribulation, et nos pères ne trouvaient pas de nourriture.
Then a famine spread over the whole of Egypt and Canaan, causing great distress, and our ancestors could find no food.
12 Mais quand Jacob eut appris qu’il y avait du blé en Egypte, il y envoya nos pères une première fois,
Hearing, however, that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob sent our ancestors there on their first visit.
13 Et la seconde, Joseph fut reconnu de ses frères, et son origine fut découverte à Pharaon.
In the course of their second visit, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
14 Or Joseph envoya quérir Jacob son père et toute sa parenté, au nombre de soixante-quinze personnes.
Then Joseph sent an urgent invitation to his father Jacob and to his relatives, seventy-five persons in all;
15 Jacob descendit donc en Egypte, et il y mourut, lui et nos pères.
and so Jacob went down into Egypt. There he died, and our ancestors also,
16 Et ils furent transportés à Sichem, et déposés dans le sépulcre qu’Abraham avait acheté à prix d’argent des fils d’Hémor, fils de Sichem.
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.
17 Mais comme approchait le temps de la promesse que Dieu avait jurée à Abraham, le peuple crût et se multiplia en Egypte,
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,
18 Jusqu’à ce qu’il s’éleva en Egypte un autre roi, qui ne connaissait point Joseph.
until a new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to the throne.
19 Celui-ci, circonvenant notre nation, affligea nos pères jusqu’à leur faire exposer leurs enfants pour en empêcher la propagation.
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.
20 En ce même temps naquit Moïse qui fut agréable à Dieu, et nourri trois mois dans la maison de son père.
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;
21 Exposé ensuite, la fille de Pharaon le prit et le nourrit comme son fils.
and, when he was abandoned, the daughter of Pharaoh found him and brought him up as her own son.
22 Et Moïse fut instruit dans toute la sagesse des Egyptiens, et il était puissant en paroles et en œuvres.
So Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and proved his ability both by his words and actions.
23 Mais lorsque s’accomplissait sa quarantième année, il lui vint dans l’esprit de visiter ses frères, les enfants d’Israël.
When he was in his fortieth year, he resolved to visit his fellow Israelites;
24 Et ayant vu l’un d’eux injustement traité, il défendit et vengea celui qui souffrait l’injure, en frappant l’Egyptien.
and, seeing an Israelite ill-treated, he defended him, and avenged the man, who was being wronged, by striking down the Egyptian.
25 Or il pensait que ses frères comprendraient que Dieu les sauverait par sa main; mais ils ne le comprirent pas.
He thought his own people would understand that God was using him to save them; but they failed to do so.
26 Le jour suivant, il en vit qui se querellaient, et il tâchait de les remettre en paix, disant: Hommes, vous êtes frères; pourquoi vous nuisez-vous l’un à l’autre?
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?’
27 Mais celui qui faisait injure à l’autre le repoussa, disant: Qui t’a établi chef et juge sur nous?
But the man who was ill-treating his fellow workman pushed Moses aside saying – ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?
28 Veux-tu me tuer, comme tu as tué hier l’Egyptien?
Do you mean to make away with me as you did yesterday with that Egyptian?’
29 Moïse s’enfuit à cette parole, et il demeura comme étranger, dans la terre de Madian, où il engendra deux fils.
At these words Moses took to flight, and became an exile in Midian; and there he had two sons born to him.
30 Et quarante ans s’étant passés, un ange lui apparut au désert de la montagne de Sina, dans le feu d’un buisson enflammé,
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.
31 Ce que Moïse apercevant, il admira la vision; et comme il s’approchait pour regarder, la voix du Seigneur se fit entendre à lui, disant:
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 –
32 Je suis le Dieu de vos pères, le Dieu d’Abraham, le Dieu d’Isaac et le Dieu de Jacob. Mais devenu tout tremblant, Moïse n’osait regarder.
‘I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled, and did not dare to look.
33 Et le Seigneur lui dit: Ôte la chaussure de tes pieds, car le lieu où tu es est une terre sainte.
Then the Lord said to him – ‘Take your sandals off your feet, for the spot where you are standing is holy ground.
34 J’ai vu parfaitement l’affliction de mon peuple qui est en Egypte; j’ai entendu son gémissement, et je suis descendu pour le délivrer. Maintenant, viens, je t’enverrai en Egypte.
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.’
35 Ce Moïse qu’ils avaient renié, disant: Qui t’a établi chef et juge? fut celui-là même que Dieu envoya chef et libérateur par la main de l’ange qui lui apparut dans le buisson;
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.
36 C’est lui qui les lira de la terre d’Egypte, y opérant des prodiges et des miracles, aussi bien que dans la mer Rouge, et pendant quarante ans dans le désert.
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.
37 C’est ce Moïse qui dit aux enfants d’Israël: Dieu vous suscitera d’entre vos frères un prophète comme moi; vous l’écouterez.
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.’
38 C’est lui qui se trouva dans l’assemblée du peuple, au désert, avec l’ange qui lui parlait sur le mont Sina, et avec nos pères; lui qui reçut des paroles de vie pour nous les donner.
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.
39 Et nos pères ne voulurent point lui obéir, mais ils le repoussèrent, retournant de cœur en Egypte,
Yet our ancestors refused him obedience; more than that, they rejected him, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,
40 Et disant à Aaron: Fais-nous des dieux qui aillent devant nous; car ce Moïse qui nous a tirés de la terre d’Egypte, nous ne savons ce qui lui est arrivé
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.’
41 Et ils firent un veau en ces jours-là, et ils offrirent une hostie à l’idole, et ils se réjouissaient dans l’œuvre de leurs mains.
That was the time when they made the calf and offered sacrifice to their idol, and held festivities in honor of their own handiwork!
42 Et Dieu se détourna et les laissa servir la milice du ciel, comme il est écrit au livre des prophètes: Maison d’Israël, m’avez-vous offert des victimes et des hosties pendant quarante ans dans le désert?
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?
43 Au contraire, vous avez porté le tabernacle de Moloch et l’astre de votre dieu Remphan, figures que vous avez faites pour les adorer. Aussi je vous transporterai au-delà de Babylone.
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.’
44 Le tabernacle de témoignage a été avec nos pères dans le désert, comme Dieu leur ordonna, parlant à Moïse, afin qu’il le fît selon le modèle qu’il avait vu.
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.
45 Et l’ayant reçu, nos pères l’emportèrent sous Jésus, dans le pays des nations que Dieu chassa devant nos pères, jusqu’aux jours de David,
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.
46 Lequel trouva grâce devant Dieu et demanda de trouver une demeure pour le Dieu de Jacob.
David found favor with God, and prayed that he might provide the God of Jacob with a place to reside.
47 Et ce fut Salomon qui lui bâtit un temple.
But it was Solomon who built a house for God.
48 Mais le Très-Haut n’habite point dans les temples faits de la main des hommes, selon ce que dit le prophète:
Yet it is not in buildings made by hands that the Most High dwells. As the prophet says –
49 Le ciel est mon trône, et la terre l’escabeau de mes pieds. Quelle maison me bâtirez-vous, dit le Seigneur, ou quel est le lieu de mon repos?
‘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?
50 N’est-ce pas ma main qui a fait toutes ces choses?
Was it not my hand that made all these things?’
51 Durs de tête et incirconcis de cœur et d’oreilles, vous résistez toujours à l’Esprit-Saint; il en est de vous comme de vos pères.
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.
52 Lequel des prophètes vos pères n’ont-ils point persécuté! Ils ont tué ceux qui prédisaient l’avènement du Juste que vous venez de trahir, et dont vous êtes les meurtriers, vous,
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 –
53 Qui avez reçu la loi par le ministère des anges, et qui ne l’avez point gardée.
you who received the Law as transmitted by angels and yet failed to keep it.”
54 Entendant cela, ils frémissaient de rage en leur cœur, et grinçaient des dents contre lui.
As they listened to this, the Council grew frantic with rage, and gnashed their teeth at Stephen.
55 Mais comme il était rempli de l’Esprit-Saint, levant les yeux au ciel, il vit la gloire de Dieu, et Jésus qui se tenait à la droite de Dieu, et il dit: Voilà que je vois les cieux ouverts, et le Fils de l’homme qui est à la droite de Dieu.
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.
56 Eux alors, criant d’une voix forte et se bouchant les oreilles, se précipitèrent tous ensemble sur lui,
“Look,” he exclaimed, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at God’s right hand!”
57 Et l’entraînant hors de la ville, ils le lapidaient; et les témoins déposèrent leurs vêtements aux pieds d’un jeune homme nommé Saul.
At this, with a loud shout, they stopped their ears and all rushed on him, forced him outside the city,
58 Et ils lapidaient Etienne qui priait et disait: Seigneur Jésus, recevez mon esprit.
and began to stone him, the witnesses laying their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 Puis s’étant mis à genoux, il cria d’une voix forte: Seigneur, ne leur imputez point ce péché. Et lorsqu’il eut dit cela, il s’endormit dans le Seigneur. Or Saul était consentant de sa mort.
And they stoned Stephen, while he cried to the Lord, “Lord Jesus! Receive my spirit!”
Falling on his knees, he called out loudly, “Lord! Do not charge them with this sin;” and with these words he fell asleep.
