Atũmwo 7
1 Nake mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai ũrĩa mũnene akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Thitango ici nĩ cia ma?”
Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”
2 Nake Stefano agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Ariũ a Baba na maithe maitũ, ta thikĩrĩriai! Ngai mwene riiri nĩoimĩrĩire ithe witũ Iburahĩmu hĩndĩ ĩrĩa aatũũraga bũrũri wa Mesopotamia, atanathiĩ gũtũũra bũrũri wa Harani.
And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
3 Akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Thaama uume bũrũri wanyu na ũtige andũ anyu, ũthiĩ bũrũri ũrĩa ngaakuonia.’
and told him, ‘Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you.’
4 “Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Iburahĩmu akiuma bũrũri wa Akalidei agĩthiĩ gũtũũra Harani. Thuutha wa gĩkuũ gĩa ithe, Ngai akĩmũruta kuo na agĩũka bũrũri ũyũ mũtũũraga.
So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God brought him out of that place and into this land where you are now living.
5 Ndaamũheire igai gũkũ, o na ikinya rĩmwe. No Ngai nĩamwĩrire atĩ we hamwe na njiaro ciake nĩmakegwatĩra bũrũri ũyũ, o na gũtuĩka hĩndĩ ĩyo Iburahĩmu ndaarĩ na mwana.
He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a child.
6 Ngai eerire Iburahĩmu atĩrĩ: ‘Njiaro ciaku igaatũũra irĩ ngʼeni bũrũri ũtarĩ wacio, kũrĩa igaatuuo ngombo na inyariirwo ihinda rĩa mĩaka magana mana.’
God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
7 Ningĩ Ngai akiuga atĩrĩ, ‘No nĩngaherithia rũrĩrĩ rũu igaatungata irĩ ngombo; na thuutha ũcio-rĩ, nĩikoima bũrũri ũcio, nacio nĩikaahooya irĩ kũndũ gũkũ.’
‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.’
8 Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩarĩkanĩire na Iburahĩmu kĩrĩkanĩro kĩa ũhoro wa kũrua. Nake Iburahĩmu agĩtuĩka ithe wa Isaaka na akĩmũruithia thikũ ya kanana thuutha wa gũciarwo gwake. Thuutha-inĩ Isaaka agĩtuĩka ithe wa Jakubu, nake Jakubu agĩtuĩka ithe wa athuuri arĩa ikũmi na eerĩ.
Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
9 “Na tondũ wa maguuka maitũ kũiguĩra Jusufu ũiru, nĩmamwendirie bũrũri wa Misiri agatuĩke ngombo kuo. No Ngai aarĩ hamwe nake
Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
10 na akĩmũhonokia mathĩĩna-inĩ make mothe. Nĩaheire Jusufu ũũgĩ na akĩmũhotithia atuĩke wa kwendeka nĩ Firaũni mũthamaki wa Misiri; nĩ ũndũ ũcio akĩmũtua wa gwathaga Misiri o na nyũmba yake yothe ya ũthamaki.
and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
11 “Thuutha ũcio gũkĩgĩa ngʼaragu bũrũri-inĩ wothe wa Misiri, na Kaanani, na ĩkĩrehe gũthĩĩnĩka kũingĩ mũno, namo maithe maitũ makĩaga irio.
Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.
12 Rĩrĩa Jakubu aiguire atĩ Misiri nĩ kwarĩ na ngano, agĩtũma maithe maitũ kuo hĩndĩ ya mbere.
When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.
13 Na rĩrĩa maathiire riita rĩa keerĩ-rĩ, Jusufu akĩĩmenyithania kũrĩ ariũ a ithe, nake Firaũni akĩmenya ũhoro wa nyũmba ya Jusufu.
On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
14 Thuutha wa ũguo-rĩ, Jusufu agĩtũmanĩra ithe Jakubu na nyũmba yake yothe moke, nao othe maarĩ andũ mĩrongo mũgwanja na atano.
Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all.
15 Nake Jakubu agĩikũrũka, agĩthiĩ Misiri, kũrĩa we na maithe maitũ maakuĩrĩire.
So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.
16 Mĩĩrĩ yao nĩyacookirio Shekemu na ĩgĩthikwo mbĩrĩra-inĩ ĩrĩa Iburahĩmu aagũrĩte na mbeeca kuuma kũrĩ ariũ a Hamori kũu Shekemu.
Their bones were carried back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a price he paid in silver.
17 “Rĩrĩa ihinda rĩakuhĩrĩirie rĩa Ngai kũhingia kĩĩranĩro gĩake kũrĩ Iburahĩmu-rĩ, mũigana wa andũ aitũ kũu Misiri nĩwongererekete mũno.
As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number.
18 Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũthamaki ũngĩ ũtooĩ ũhoro wa Jusufu agĩtuĩka wa gũthamaka Misiri.
Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt.
19 Agĩĩka andũ aitũ ũũru mũno na akĩhinyĩrĩria maithe maitũ na ũndũ wa kũmaringĩrĩria na hinya mate tũkenge twao nĩgeetha tũkue.
He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.
20 “Ihinda-inĩ rĩu Musa nĩaciarirwo, nake aarĩ mwana mũthaka mũno. Akĩrererwo mũciĩ gwa ithe ihinda rĩa mĩeri ĩtatũ.
At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God. For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house.
21 Rĩrĩa aigirwo nja-rĩ, mwarĩ wa Firaũni akĩmuoya akĩmũrera ta mwana wake.
When he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.
22 Musa agĩthomithio na ũũgĩ wothe wa andũ a Misiri na aarĩ na hinya wa mĩario na ciĩko.
So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.
23 “Rĩrĩa Musa aakinyirie mĩaka mĩrongo ĩna-rĩ, agĩtua itua rĩa gũceerera andũ ao a Isiraeli.
When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
24 Nĩonire mũndũ ũmwe wao akĩnyariirwo nĩ mũndũ wa Misiri. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio agĩthiĩ kũmũũrĩria na akĩmũrĩhĩria na ũndũ wa kũũraga mũndũ ũcio Mũmisiri.
And when he saw one of them being mistreated, Moses went to his defense and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him.
25 Musa eeciirĩtie atĩ andũ ao nĩmangĩonire atĩ Ngai nĩamũhũthagĩra nĩgeetha amahonokie, no-o matiamenyire ũguo.
He assumed his brothers would understand that God was using him to deliver them, but they did not.
26 Mũthenya ũyũ ũngĩ Musa agĩthiĩ agĩkora andũ eerĩ a Isiraeli makĩrũa. Akĩgeria kũmaiguithania akĩmeeraga atĩrĩ, ‘Andũ aya, inyuĩ mũrĩ a ithe ũmwe; nĩ kĩĩ kĩratũma mwende gwĩkana ũũru?’
The next day he came upon two Israelites who were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?’
27 “No mũndũ ũrĩa wekĩte ũcio ũngĩ ũũru agĩikania Musa, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Nũũ wagũtuire mwathi na mũtuithania wa maciira maitũ?
But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?
28 Ũrenda kũnjũraga o ta ũrĩa ũrooragire Mũmisiri ira?’
Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
29 Rĩrĩa Musa aiguire ũguo akĩũra agĩthiĩ bũrũri wa Midiani, kũrĩa aatũũrire arĩ ta mũgeni na akĩgĩa na ariũ eerĩ.
At this remark, Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he lived as a foreigner and had two sons.
30 “Na rĩrĩ, mĩaka mĩrongo ĩna yarĩkia gũthira-rĩ, mũraika akiumĩrĩra Musa arĩ nĩnĩmbĩ-inĩ cia mwaki iria ciakanaga kĩhinga-inĩ kũu werũ-inĩ hakuhĩ na Kĩrĩma gĩa Sinai.
After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.
31 Rĩrĩa onire ũguo, akĩgega nĩ kĩrĩa onire. Na rĩrĩa aakuhagĩrĩria nĩguo one wega-rĩ, akĩigua mũgambo wa Mwathani ũkiuga atĩrĩ:
When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight. As he approached to look more closely, the voice of the Lord came to him:
32 ‘Niĩ nĩ niĩ Ngai wa maithe manyu, Ngai wa Iburahĩmu, na Isaaka, o na Jakubu.’ Musa akĩinaina nĩ gwĩtigĩra na ndaigana kũrora.
‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.
33 “Nake Mwathani akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Ruta iraatũ ciaku, nĩgũkorwo hau ũrũgamĩte nĩ handũ hatheru.
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.
34 Ti-itherũ nĩnyonete kũhinyĩrĩrio kwa andũ akwa kũu bũrũri wa Misiri. Nĩnjiguĩte gũcaaya kwao, na nĩnjikũrũkĩte thĩ nĩguo ndĩmohorithie. Rĩu ũka nĩngũgũtũma ũcooke Misiri.’
I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’
35 “Ũyũ nowe Musa ũrĩa maaregete makiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Nũũ ũgũtuĩte mwathi witũ na mũtũciirithia?’ Ngai we mwene nĩamũtũmire atuĩke mũnene na mũkũũri wao, na ũndũ wa mũraika ũrĩa wamuumĩrĩire kĩhinga-inĩ.
This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be their ruler and redeemer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 Akĩmatongoria makiuma Misiri na agĩĩka morirũ na akĩringa ciama arĩ kũu Misiri, o na Iria-inĩ Itune, na ihinda rĩa mĩaka mĩrongo ĩna kũu werũ-inĩ.
He led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.
37 “Ũyũ nowe Musa ũrĩa werire andũ a Isiraeli atĩrĩ, ‘Ngai nĩakamũtũmĩra mũnabii ta niĩ kuuma kũrĩ andũ anyu kĩũmbe.’
This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’
38 We aarĩ kĩũngano-inĩ kũu werũ-inĩ, arĩ hamwe na mũraika ũrĩa wamwarĩirie Kĩrĩma-inĩ gĩa Sinai, na aarĩ hamwe na maithe maitũ; nake nĩamũkĩrire ciugo irĩ muoyo nĩgeetha atũkinyĩrie.
He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received living words to pass on to us.
39 “No rĩrĩ, maithe maitũ nĩmaregire kũmwathĩkĩra. Handũ ha ũguo-rĩ, o makĩmũrega, na thĩinĩ wa ngoro ciao makĩĩrirĩria gũcooka Misiri.
But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
40 Nao makĩĩra Harũni atĩrĩ, ‘Tũthondekere ngai iria irĩtũtongoragia. Nĩgũkorwo mũndũ ũyũ ũgwĩtwo Musa, ũrĩa watũtongoririe tũkiuma bũrũri wa Misiri, tũtiũĩ ũrĩa onete!’
They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’
41 Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩguo maathondekire mũhianano watariĩ ta njaũ. Makĩũrutĩra magongona, na makĩgĩa na hĩndĩ ya gũkũngũĩra kĩrĩa maathondekete na moko mao.
At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.
42 No Ngai akĩmahutatĩra, na akĩmarekereria mahooyage ciũmbe cia igũrũ. Ũhoro ũyũ ũtwaranĩte na ũrĩa kwandĩkĩtwo ibuku-inĩ rĩa anabii, atĩrĩ: “‘Nĩmwandutĩire magongona na maruta mĩaka mĩrongo ĩna kũu werũ-inĩ, inyuĩ nyũmba ya Isiraeli?
But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 Nĩmũtũũgĩrĩtie ihooero rĩa Moleku, na njata ya ngai yanyu ĩrĩa ĩĩtagwo Refani, mĩhianano ĩrĩa mwathondekire ya kũhooyaga. Tondũ ũcio, nĩngatũma mũtahwo mũtwarwo’ kũhĩtũka Babuloni.
You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
44 “Maithe maitũ maarĩ na hema ĩrĩa yetagwo gĩikaro kĩa Ũira kũu werũ-inĩ. Nayo yathondeketwo o ta ũrĩa Ngai eerĩte Musa, kũringana na mũhianĩre ũrĩa onete.
Our fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.
45 Maarĩkia kwamũkĩra hema-rĩ, maithe maitũ, matongoretio nĩ Joshua magĩũka nayo rĩrĩa menyiitĩire bũrũri kuuma kũrĩ ndũrĩrĩ iria Ngai aarutũrũrire ciehere mbere yao. Nayo ĩgĩtũũra kũu bũrũri ũcio o nginya hĩndĩ ya Daudi,
And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David,
46 ũrĩa wakenire nĩ gwĩtĩkĩrĩka nĩ Ngai, na akĩhooya etĩkĩrio aakĩre Ngai wa Jakubu gĩikaro.
who found favor in the sight of God and asked to provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.
47 No Solomoni nĩwe wamwakĩire nyũmba.
But it was Solomon who built the house for Him.
48 “No rĩrĩ, Ũrĩa-ũrĩ-Igũrũ-Mũno ndaikaraga nyũmba ciakĩtwo nĩ andũ. O ta ũrĩa mũnabii oigĩte atĩrĩ:
However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
49 “‘Igũrũ nĩkuo gĩtĩ gĩakwa kĩa ũnene, nayo thĩ nĩ gaturwa ka makinya makwa. Ũngĩkĩnjakĩra nyũmba ya mũthemba ũrĩkũ? Ũguo nĩguo Mwathani ekũũria. Kana kĩhurũko gĩakwa kĩngĩkorwo kũ?
‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be?
50 Githĩ ti guoko gwakwa gwathondekire indo ici ciothe?’
Has not My hand made all these things?’
51 “Inyuĩ andũ aya aremi, o inyuĩ mũtarĩ aruu ngoro na matũ! Inyuĩ mũtariĩ o ta maithe manyu: Inyuĩ mũtũũraga mũreganĩte na Roho Mũtheru!
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
52 Nĩ kũrĩ mũnabii ũtaanyariirirwo nĩ maithe manyu? Mooragire o na andũ arĩa maarathire ũhoro wa gũũka kwa Ũrĩa Mũthingu. Na rĩu nĩmũmũkunyanĩire na mũkamũũraga;
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—
53 o inyuĩ mwamũkĩrire watho ũrĩa waathanirwo kũgerera araika no mũkĩaga kũwathĩkĩra.”
you who received the law ordained by angels, yet have not kept it.”
54 Rĩrĩa maiguire maũndũ macio-rĩ, makĩrakara mũno, na makĩmũhagaranĩria magego.
On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
55 No Stefano, aiyũrĩtwo nĩ Roho Mũtheru, Agĩcũthĩrĩria igũrũ akĩona riiri wa Ngai, na Jesũ arũgamĩte guoko-inĩ kwa ũrĩo kwa Ngai.
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56 Akiuga atĩrĩ, “Onei, nĩndĩrona igũrũ rĩhingũkĩte nake Mũrũ wa Mũndũ arũgamĩte guoko-inĩ kwa ũrĩo kwa Ngai.”
“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
57 Maigua ũguo makĩhumbĩra matũ mao, makĩhanyũka harĩ we makiugagĩrĩria na mũgambo mũnene.
At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him.
58 makĩmũkururia, makĩmumia nja ya itũũra, na makĩambĩrĩria kũmũhũũra na mahiga nyuguto. Nao, aira makĩiga nguo ciao magũrũ-inĩ ma mwanake wetagwo Saũlũ.
They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 Rĩrĩa maamũhũũraga na mahiga nyuguto, Stefano nĩahooire Ngai, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Mwathani Jesũ, amũkĩra roho wakwa.”
While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
60 Agĩcooka agĩturia ndu, akĩanĩrĩra, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Mwathani, ndũkamoorie rĩĩhia rĩĩrĩ.” Na aarĩkia kuuga ũguo, agĩkoma.
Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
