Atti 7
1 Gli disse allora il sommo sacerdote: «Queste cose stanno proprio così?».
Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are the things that [these people are saying about you(sg)] true?”
2 Ed egli rispose: «Fratelli e padri, ascoltate: il Dio della gloria apparve al nostro padre Abramo quando era ancora in Mesopotamia, prima che egli si stabilisse in Carran,
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].
3 e gli disse: Esci dalla tua terra e dalla tua gente e và nella terra che io ti indicherò.
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.’
4 Allora, uscito dalla terra dei Caldei, si stabilì in Carran; di là, dopo la morte del padre, Dio lo fece emigrare in questo paese dove voi ora abitate,
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.”
5 ma non gli diede alcuna proprietà in esso, neppure quanto l'orma di un piede, ma gli promise di darlo in possesso a lui e alla sua discendenza dopo di lui, sebbene non avesse ancora figli.
“[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]).”
6 Poi Dio parlò così: La discendenza di Abramo sarà pellegrina in terra straniera, tenuta in schiavitù e oppressione per quattrocento anni.
“[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.’
7 Ma del popolo di cui saranno schiavi io farò giustizia, disse Dio: dopo potranno uscire e mi adoreranno in questo luogo.
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.’”
8 E gli diede l'alleanza della circoncisione. E così Abramo generò Isacco e lo circoncise l'ottavo giorno e Isacco generò Giacobbe e Giacobbe i dodici patriarchi.
“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].”
9 Ma i patriarchi, gelosi di Giuseppe, lo vendettero schiavo in Egitto. Dio però era con lui
“[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.
10 e lo liberò da tutte le sue afflizioni e gli diede grazia e saggezza davanti al faraone re d'Egitto, il quale lo nominò amministratore dell'Egitto e di tutta la sua casa.
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].”
11 Venne una carestia su tutto l'Egitto e in Canaan e una grande miseria, e i nostri padri non trovavano da mangiare.
“[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.
12 Avendo udito Giacobbe che in Egitto c'era del grano, vi inviò i nostri padri una prima volta;
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].
13 la seconda volta Giuseppe si fece riconoscere dai suoi fratelli e fu nota al faraone la sua origine.
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].
14 Giuseppe allora mandò a chiamare Giacobbe suo padre e tutta la sua parentela, settantacinque persone in tutto.
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].
15 E Giacobbe si recò in Egitto, e qui egli morì come anche i nostri padri;
[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].
16 essi furono poi trasportati in Sichem e posti nel sepolcro che Abramo aveva acquistato e pagato in denaro dai figli di Emor, a Sichem.
[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.”
17 Mentre si avvicinava il tempo della promessa fatta da Dio ad Abramo, il popolo crebbe e si moltiplicò in Egitto,
“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.
18 finché salì al trono d'Egitto un altro re, che non conosceva Giuseppe.
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].
19 Questi, adoperando l'astuzia contro la nostra gente, perseguitò i nostri padri fino a costringerli a esporre i loro figli, perché non sopravvivessero.
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.”
20 In quel tempo nacque Mosè e piacque a Dio; egli fu allevato per tre mesi nella casa paterna, poi,
“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.
21 essendo stato esposto, lo raccolse la figlia del faraone e lo allevò come figlio.
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.
22 Così Mosè venne istruito in tutta la sapienza degli Egiziani ed era potente nelle parole e nelle opere.
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.”
23 Quando stava per compiere i quarant'anni, gli venne l'idea di far visita ai suoi fratelli, i figli di Israele,
“[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].
24 e vedendone uno trattato ingiustamente, ne prese le difese e vendicò l'oppresso, uccidendo l'Egiziano.
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].
25 Egli pensava che i suoi connazionali avrebbero capito che Dio dava loro salvezza per mezzo suo, ma essi non compresero.
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.
26 Il giorno dopo si presentò in mezzo a loro mentre stavano litigando e si adoperò per metterli d'accordo, dicendo: Siete fratelli; perché vi insultate l'un l'altro?
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]’
27 Ma quello che maltrattava il vicino lo respinse, dicendo: Chi ti ha nominato capo e giudice sopra di noi?
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]
28 Vuoi forse uccidermi, come hai ucciso ieri l'Egiziano?
Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
29 Fuggì via Mosè a queste parole, e andò ad abitare nella terra di Madian, dove ebbe due figli.
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.”
30 Passati quarant'anni, gli apparve nel deserto del monte Sinai un angelo, in mezzo alla fiamma di un roveto ardente.
“[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.
31 Mosè rimase stupito di questa visione; e mentre si avvicinava per veder meglio, si udì la voce del Signore:
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],
32 Io sono il Dio dei tuoi padri, il Dio di Abramo, di Isacco e di Giacobbe. Esterrefatto, Mosè non osava guardare.
‘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].
33 Allora il Signore gli disse: Togliti dai piedi i calzari, perché il luogo in cui stai è terra santa.
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.
34 Ho visto l'afflizione del mio popolo in Egitto, ho udito il loro gemito e sono sceso a liberarli; ed ora vieni, che ti mando in Egitto.
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].’”
35 Questo Mosè che avevano rinnegato dicendo: Chi ti ha nominato capo e giudice?, proprio lui Dio aveva mandato per esser capo e liberatore, parlando per mezzo dell'angelo che gli era apparso nel roveto.
“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].
36 Egli li fece uscire, compiendo miracoli e prodigi nella terra d'Egitto, nel Mare Rosso, e nel deserto per quarant'anni.
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.
37 Egli è quel Mosè che disse ai figli d'Israele: Dio vi farà sorgere un profeta tra i vostri fratelli, al pari di me.
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].’
38 Egli è colui che, mentre erano radunati nel deserto, fu mediatore tra l'angelo che gli parlava sul monte Sinai e i nostri padri; egli ricevette parole di vita da trasmettere a noi.
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.”
39 Ma i nostri padri non vollero dargli ascolto, lo respinsero e si volsero in cuor loro verso l'Egitto,
“[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.
40 dicendo ad Aronne: Fà per noi una divinità che ci vada innanzi, perché a questo Mosè che ci condusse fuori dall'Egitto non sappiamo che cosa sia accaduto.
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!’
41 E in quei giorni fabbricarono un vitello e offrirono sacrifici all'idolo e si rallegrarono per l'opera delle loro mani.
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.
42 Ma Dio si ritrasse da loro e li abbandonò al culto dell' esercito del cielo, come è scritto nel libro dei Profeti:
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]
43 Mi avete forse offerto vittime e sacrifici per quarant'anni nel deserto, o casa d'Israele? Avete preso con voi la tenda di Mòloch, e la stella del dio Refàn, simulacri che vi siete fabbricati per adorarli! Perciò vi deporterò al di là di Babilonia.
[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].”
44 I nostri padri avevano nel deserto la tenda della testimonianza, come aveva ordinato colui che disse a Mosè di costruirla secondo il modello che aveva visto.
“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].
45 E dopo averla ricevuta, i nostri padri con Giosuè se la portarono con sé nella conquista dei popoli che Dio scacciò davanti a loro, fino ai tempi di Davide.
[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.
46 Questi trovò grazia innanzi a Dio e domandò di poter trovare una dimora per il Dio di Giacobbe;
David pleased God, and he asked God to let him build a house where [he and] all of our Israeli people could worship God.
47 Salomone poi gli edificò una casa.
But [instead, God let David’s son] Solomon build a house [where people could worship] God.”
48 Ma l'Altissimo non abita in costruzioni fatte da mano d'uomo, come dice il Profeta:
“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: ]
49 Il cielo è il mio trono e la terra sgabello per i miei piedi. Quale casa potrete edificarmi, dice il Signore, o quale sarà il luogo del mio riposo?
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]!”
50 Non forse la mia mano ha creato tutte queste cose?
51 O gente testarda e pagana nel cuore e nelle orecchie, voi sempre opponete resistenza allo Spirito Santo; come i vostri padri, così anche voi.
“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]!
52 Quale dei profeti i vostri padri non hanno perseguitato? Essi uccisero quelli che preannunciavano la venuta del Giusto, del quale voi ora siete divenuti traditori e uccisori;
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!
53 voi che avete ricevuto la legge per mano degli angeli e non l'avete osservata».
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!”
54 All'udire queste cose, fremevano in cuor loro e digrignavano i denti contro di lui.
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!
55 Ma Stefano, pieno di Spirito Santo, fissando gli occhi al cielo, vide la gloria di Dio e Gesù che stava alla sua destra
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.
56 e disse: «Ecco, io contemplo i cieli aperti e il Figlio dell'uomo che sta alla destra di Dio».
“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open, and I [see] the one who came from heaven standing at God’s right side!”
57 Proruppero allora in grida altissime turandosi gli orecchi; poi si scagliarono tutti insieme contro di lui,
[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.
58 lo trascinarono fuori della città e si misero a lapidarlo. E i testimoni deposero il loro mantello ai piedi di un giovane, chiamato Saulo.
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].
59 E così lapidavano Stefano mentre pregava e diceva: «Signore Gesù, accogli il mio spirito».
While they continued to throw stones at Stephen, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60 Poi piegò le ginocchia e gridò forte: «Signore, non imputar loro questo peccato». Detto questo, morì.
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.
