Πραξεις 7
1 ειπεν δε ο αρχιερευς ει αρα ταυτα ουτως εχει
Then the high priest asked, “Is this true?”
2 ο δε εφη ανδρες αδελφοι και πατερες ακουσατε ο θεος της δοξης ωφθη τω πατρι ημων αβρααμ οντι εν τη μεσοποταμια πριν η κατοικησαι αυτον εν χαρραν
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 και ειπεν προς αυτον εξελθε εκ της γης σου και εκ της συγγενειας σου και δευρο εις γην ην αν σοι δειξω
‘Leave your country and your people, and come into the country that I will show you.’
4 τοτε εξελθων εκ γης χαλδαιων κατωκησεν εν χαρραν κακειθεν μετα το αποθανειν τον πατερα αυτου μετωκισεν αυτον εις την γην ταυτην εις ην υμεις νυν κατοικειτε
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 και ουκ εδωκεν αυτω κληρονομιαν εν αυτη ουδε βημα ποδος και επηγγειλατο δουναι αυτω εις κατασχεσιν αυτην και τω σπερματι αυτου μετ αυτον ουκ οντος αυτω τεκνου
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 ελαλησεν δε ουτως ο θεος οτι εσται το σπερμα αυτου παροικον εν γη αλλοτρια και δουλωσουσιν αυτο και κακωσουσιν ετη τετρακοσια
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 και το εθνος ω εαν δουλευσωσιν κρινω εγω ειπεν ο θεος και μετα ταυτα εξελευσονται και λατρευσουσιν μοι εν τω τοπω τουτω
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 και εδωκεν αυτω διαθηκην περιτομης και ουτως εγεννησεν τον ισαακ και περιετεμεν αυτον τη ημερα τη ογδοη και ο ισαακ τον ιακωβ και ο ιακωβ τους δωδεκα πατριαρχας
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 και οι πατριαρχαι ζηλωσαντες τον ιωσηφ απεδοντο εις αιγυπτον και ην ο θεος μετ αυτου
The Patriarchs, out of jealousy, sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him,
10 και εξειλετο αυτον εκ πασων των θλιψεων αυτου και εδωκεν αυτω χαριν και σοφιαν εναντιον φαραω βασιλεως αιγυπτου και κατεστησεν αυτον ηγουμενον επ αιγυπτον και ολον τον οικον αυτου
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 ηλθεν δε λιμος εφ ολην την γην αιγυπτου και χανααν και θλιψις μεγαλη και ουχ ευρισκον χορτασματα οι πατερες ημων
Then a famine spread over the whole of Egypt and Canaan, causing great distress, and our ancestors could find no food.
12 ακουσας δε ιακωβ οντα σιτα εν αιγυπτω εξαπεστειλεν τους πατερας ημων πρωτον
Hearing, however, that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob sent our ancestors there on their first visit.
13 και εν τω δευτερω ανεγνωρισθη ιωσηφ τοις αδελφοις αυτου και φανερον εγενετο τω φαραω το γενος του ιωσηφ
In the course of their second visit, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
14 αποστειλας δε ιωσηφ μετεκαλεσατο τον πατερα αυτου ιακωβ και πασαν την συγγενειαν [αυτου] εν ψυχαις εβδομηκοντα πεντε
Then Joseph sent an urgent invitation to his father Jacob and to his relatives, seventy-five persons in all;
15 κατεβη δε ιακωβ εις αιγυπτον και ετελευτησεν αυτος και οι πατερες ημων
and so Jacob went down into Egypt. There he died, and our ancestors also,
16 και μετετεθησαν εις συχεμ και ετεθησαν εν τω μνηματι ο ωνησατο αβρααμ τιμης αργυριου παρα των υιων εμμορ του συχεμ
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 καθως δε ηγγιζεν ο χρονος της επαγγελιας ης ωμοσεν ο θεος τω αβρααμ ηυξησεν ο λαος και επληθυνθη εν αιγυπτω
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 αχρις ου ανεστη βασιλευς ετερος ος ουκ ηδει τον ιωσηφ
until a new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to the throne.
19 ουτος κατασοφισαμενος το γενος ημων εκακωσεν τους πατερας ημων του ποιειν εκθετα τα βρεφη αυτων εις το μη ζωογονεισθαι
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 εν ω καιρω εγεννηθη μωσης και ην αστειος τω θεω ος ανετραφη μηνας τρεις εν τω οικω του πατρος
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 εκτεθεντα δε αυτον ανειλετο η θυγατηρ φαραω και ανεθρεψατο αυτον εαυτη εις υιον
and, when he was abandoned, the daughter of Pharaoh found him and brought him up as her own son.
22 και επαιδευθη μωσης παση σοφια αιγυπτιων ην δε δυνατος εν λογοις και εργοις
So Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and proved his ability both by his words and actions.
23 ως δε επληρουτο αυτω τεσσαρακονταετης χρονος ανεβη επι την καρδιαν αυτου επισκεψασθαι τους αδελφους αυτου τους υιους ισραηλ
When he was in his fortieth year, he resolved to visit his fellow Israelites;
24 και ιδων τινα αδικουμενον ημυνατο και εποιησεν εκδικησιν τω καταπονουμενω παταξας τον αιγυπτιον
and, seeing an Israelite ill-treated, he defended him, and avenged the man, who was being wronged, by striking down the Egyptian.
25 ενομιζεν δε συνιεναι τους αδελφους αυτου οτι ο θεος δια χειρος αυτου διδωσιν αυτοις σωτηριαν οι δε ου συνηκαν
He thought his own people would understand that God was using him to save them; but they failed to do so.
26 τη τε επιουση ημερα ωφθη αυτοις μαχομενοις και συνηλασεν αυτους εις ειρηνην ειπων ανδρες αδελφοι εστε υμεις ινα τι αδικειτε αλληλους
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 ο δε αδικων τον πλησιον απωσατο αυτον ειπων τις σε κατεστησεν αρχοντα και δικαστην εφ ημας
But the man who was ill-treating his fellow workman pushed Moses aside saying – ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?
28 μη ανελειν με συ θελεις ον τροπον ανειλες χθες τον αιγυπτιον
Do you mean to make away with me as you did yesterday with that Egyptian?’
29 εφυγεν δε μωσης εν τω λογω τουτω και εγενετο παροικος εν γη μαδιαμ ου εγεννησεν υιους δυο
At these words Moses took to flight, and became an exile in Midian; and there he had two sons born to him.
30 και πληρωθεντων ετων τεσσαρακοντα ωφθη αυτω εν τη ερημω του ορους σινα αγγελος κυριου εν φλογι πυρος βατου
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 ο δε μωσης ιδων εθαυμαζεν το οραμα προσερχομενου δε αυτου κατανοησαι εγενετο φωνη κυριου προς αυτον
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 εγω ο θεος των πατερων σου ο θεος αβρααμ και ο θεος ισαακ και ο θεος ιακωβ εντρομος δε γενομενος μωσης ουκ ετολμα κατανοησαι
‘I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled, and did not dare to look.
33 ειπεν δε αυτω ο κυριος λυσον το υποδημα των ποδων σου ο γαρ τοπος εν ω εστηκας γη αγια εστιν
Then the Lord said to him – ‘Take your sandals off your feet, for the spot where you are standing is holy ground.
34 ιδων ειδον την κακωσιν του λαου μου του εν αιγυπτω και του στεναγμου αυτων ηκουσα και κατεβην εξελεσθαι αυτους και νυν δευρο αποστελω σε εις αιγυπτον
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 τουτον τον μωσην ον ηρνησαντο ειποντες τις σε κατεστησεν αρχοντα και δικαστην τουτον ο θεος αρχοντα και λυτρωτην απεστειλεν εν χειρι αγγελου του οφθεντος αυτω εν τη βατω
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 ουτος εξηγαγεν αυτους ποιησας τερατα και σημεια εν γη αιγυπτω και εν ερυθρα θαλασση και εν τη ερημω ετη τεσσαρακοντα
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 ουτος εστιν ο μωσης ο ειπων τοις υιοις ισραηλ προφητην υμιν αναστησει κυριος ο θεος ημων εκ των αδελφων υμων ως εμε
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 ουτος εστιν ο γενομενος εν τη εκκλησια εν τη ερημω μετα του αγγελου του λαλουντος αυτω εν τω ορει σινα και των πατερων ημων ος εδεξατο λογον ζωντα δουναι ημιν
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 ω ουκ ηθελησαν υπηκοοι γενεσθαι οι πατερες ημων αλλ απωσαντο και εστραφησαν τη καρδια αυτων εις αιγυπτον
Yet our ancestors refused him obedience; more than that, they rejected him, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,
40 ειποντες τω ααρων ποιησον ημιν θεους οι προπορευσονται ημων ο γαρ μωσης ουτος ος εξηγαγεν ημας εκ γης αιγυπτου ουκ οιδαμεν τι γεγονεν αυτω
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 και εμοσχοποιησαν εν ταις ημεραις εκειναις και ανηγαγον θυσιαν τω ειδωλω και ευφραινοντο εν τοις εργοις των χειρων αυτων
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 εστρεψεν δε ο θεος και παρεδωκεν αυτους λατρευειν τη στρατια του ουρανου καθως γεγραπται εν βιβλω των προφητων μη σφαγια και θυσιας προσηνεγκατε μοι ετη τεσσαρακοντα εν τη ερημω οικος ισραηλ
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 και ανελαβετε την σκηνην του μολοχ και το αστρον του θεου υμων ρεμφαν τους τυπους ους εποιησατε προσκυνειν αυτοις και μετοικιω υμας επεκεινα βαβυλωνος
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 η σκηνη του μαρτυριου ην τοις πατρασιν ημων εν τη ερημω καθως διεταξατο ο λαλων τω μωση ποιησαι αυτην κατα τον τυπον ον εωρακει
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 ην και εισηγαγον διαδεξαμενοι οι πατερες ημων μετα ιησου εν τη κατασχεσει των εθνων ων εξωσεν ο θεος απο προσωπου των πατερων ημων εως των ημερων δαυιδ
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 ος ευρεν χαριν ενωπιον του θεου και ητησατο ευρειν σκηνωμα τω θεω ιακωβ
David found favor with God, and prayed that he might provide the God of Jacob with a place to reside.
47 σολομων δε ωκοδομησεν αυτω οικον
But it was Solomon who built a house for God.
48 αλλ ουχ ο υψιστος εν χειροποιητοις ναοις κατοικει καθως ο προφητης λεγει
Yet it is not in buildings made by hands that the Most High dwells. As the prophet says –
49 ο ουρανος μοι θρονος η δε γη υποποδιον των ποδων μου ποιον οικον οικοδομησετε μοι λεγει κυριος η τις τοπος της καταπαυσεως μου
‘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 ουχι η χειρ μου εποιησεν ταυτα παντα
Was it not my hand that made all these things?’
51 σκληροτραχηλοι και απεριτμητοι τη καρδια και τοις ωσιν υμεις αει τω πνευματι τω αγιω αντιπιπτετε ως οι πατερες υμων και υμεις
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 τινα των προφητων ουκ εδιωξαν οι πατερες υμων και απεκτειναν τους προκαταγγειλαντας περι της ελευσεως του δικαιου ου νυν υμεις προδοται και φονεις γεγενησθε
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 οιτινες ελαβετε τον νομον εις διαταγας αγγελων και ουκ εφυλαξατε
you who received the Law as transmitted by angels and yet failed to keep it.”
54 ακουοντες δε ταυτα διεπριοντο ταις καρδιαις αυτων και εβρυχον τους οδοντας επ αυτον
As they listened to this, the Council grew frantic with rage, and gnashed their teeth at Stephen.
55 υπαρχων δε πληρης πνευματος αγιου ατενισας εις τον ουρανον ειδεν δοξαν θεου και ιησουν εστωτα εκ δεξιων του θεου
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 και ειπεν ιδου θεωρω τους ουρανους ανεωγμενους και τον υιον του ανθρωπου εκ δεξιων εστωτα του θεου
“Look,” he exclaimed, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at God’s right hand!”
57 κραξαντες δε φωνη μεγαλη συνεσχον τα ωτα αυτων και ωρμησαν ομοθυμαδον επ αυτον
At this, with a loud shout, they stopped their ears and all rushed on him, forced him outside the city,
58 και εκβαλοντες εξω της πολεως ελιθοβολουν και οι μαρτυρες απεθεντο τα ιματια παρα τους ποδας νεανιου καλουμενου σαυλου
and began to stone him, the witnesses laying their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 και ελιθοβολουν τον στεφανον επικαλουμενον και λεγοντα κυριε ιησου δεξαι το πνευμα μου
And they stoned Stephen, while he cried to the Lord, “Lord Jesus! Receive my spirit!”
60 θεις δε τα γονατα εκραξεν φωνη μεγαλη κυριε μη στησης αυτοις την αμαρτιαν ταυτην και τουτο ειπων εκοιμηθη
Falling on his knees, he called out loudly, “Lord! Do not charge them with this sin;” and with these words he fell asleep.
