Actuum Apostolorum 7
1 Dixit autem princeps sacerdotum: Si hæc ita se habent?
Then the high priest said, “Are these accusations true?”
2 Qui ait: Viri fratres, et patres audite: Deus gloriæ apparuit patri nostro Abrahæ cum esset in Mesopotamia, prius quam moraretur in Charan.
Stephen said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
3 et dixit ad illum: Exi de terra tua, et de cognatione tua, et veni in terram, quam monstravero tibi.
and said to him, ‘Leave yoʋr land and yoʋr relatives, and go to a land I will show yoʋ.’
4 Tunc exiit de terra Chaldæorum, et habitavit in Charan. Et inde, postquam mortuus est pater eius, transtulit illum in terram istam, in qua nunc vos habitatis.
Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. After his father died, God relocated him to this land in which you now dwell.
5 Et non dedit illi hereditatem in ea, nec passum pedis: sed repromisit dare illi eam in possessionem, et semini eius post ipsum, cum non haberet filium.
He gave him no inheritance in it, not even the length of a footstep, but promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him, even though he had no child.
6 Locutus est autem ei Deus: Quia erit semen eius accola in terra aliena, et servituti eos subiicient, et male tractabunt eos annis quadringentis:
God told him that his descendants would be sojourners in a foreign land, and that the people of that land would enslave them and mistreat them for four hundred years.
7 et gentem cui servierint, iudicabo ego, dixit Dominus. et post hæc exibunt, et servient mihi in loco isto.
‘But I will judge the nation whom they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and serve me in this place.’
8 Et dedit illi testamentum circumcisionis: et sic genuit Isaac, et circumcidit eum die octavo: et Isaac, Iacob: et Iacob, duodecim Patriarchas.
Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
9 Et Patriarchæ æmulantes, Ioseph vendiderunt in Ægyptum. et erat Deus cum eo:
“The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. But God was with him
10 et eripuit eum ex omnibus tribulationibus eius: et dedit ei gratiam, et sapientiam in conspectu Pharaonis regis Ægypti, et constituit eum præpositum super Ægyptum, et super omnem domum suam.
and delivered him out of all his afflictions. He gave Joseph favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, so Pharaoh appointed him as ruler over Egypt and over all his household.
11 Venit autem fames in universam Ægyptum, et Chanaan, et tribulatio magna: et non inveniebant cibos patres nostri.
Then a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, along with great suffering, and our fathers could find no food.
12 Cum audisset autem Iacob esse frumentum in Ægypto: misit patres nostros primum:
But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers out the first time.
13 et in secundo cognitus est Ioseph a fratribus suis, et manifestatum est Pharaoni genus eius.
On their second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh.
14 Mittens autem Ioseph accersivit Iacob patrem suum, et omnem cognationem suam in animabus septuagintaquinque.
Then Joseph sent and called for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five people in all.
15 Et descendit Iacob in Ægyptum, et defunctus est ipse, et patres nostri.
So Jacob went down to Egypt, and there he died, he and our fathers.
16 Et translati sunt in Sichem, et positi sunt in sepulchro, quod emit Abraham pretio argenti a filiis Hemor filii Sichem.
Later their bodies were moved to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.
17 Cum autem appropinquaret tempus promissionis, quam confessus erat Deus Abrahæ, crevit populus, et multiplicatus est in Ægypto,
“As the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had sworn to Abraham, our people increased and multiplied in Egypt
18 quoadusque surrexit alius rex in Ægypto, qui non sciebat Ioseph.
until there arose another king who did not know Joseph.
19 Hic circumveniens genus nostrum, afflixit patres nostros ut exponerent infantes suos ne vivificarentur.
This king dealt shrewdly with our people and mistreated our fathers, making them abandon their newborn babies so that they would not survive.
20 Eodem tempore natus est Moyses et fuit gratus Deo, qui nutritus est tribus mensibus in domo patris sui.
At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in God's sight. For three months he was brought up in his father's house,
21 Exposito autem illo, sustulit eum filia Pharaonis, et nutrivit eum sibi in filium.
and when he was abandoned, Pharaoh's daughter took him in and brought him up as her own son.
22 Et eruditus est Moyses omni sapientia Ægyptiorum, et erat potens in verbis, et in operibus suis.
So Moses was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in words and deeds.
23 Cum autem impleretur ei quadraginta annorum tempus, ascendit in cor eius ut visitaret fratres suos filios Israel.
“When Moses reached forty years of age, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.
24 Et cum vidisset quendam iniuriam patientem, vindicavit illum: et fecit ultionem ei, qui iniuriam sustinebat, percusso Ægyptio.
When he saw one of them being wronged, he came to the aid of the man who was being oppressed and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him.
25 Existimabat autem intelligere fratres, quoniam Deus per manum ipsius daret salutem illis: at illi non intellexerunt.
Moses assumed that his brothers would understand that God was granting them deliverance by his hand, but they did not understand.
26 Sequenti vero die apparuit illis litigantibus: et reconciliabat eos in pace, dicens: Viri, fratres estis, ut quid nocetis alterutrum?
The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting and urged them to make peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why are you hurting each other?’
27 Qui autem iniuriam faciebat proximo, repulit eum, dicens: Quis te constituit principem, et iudicem super nos?
But the one who was hurting his neighbor thrust Moses aside and said, ‘Who appointed yoʋ to be a ruler and judge over us?
28 numquid interficere me tu vis, quemadmodum interfecisti heri Ægyptium?
Do yoʋ want to kill me as yoʋ killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
29 Fugit autem Moyses in verbo isto: et factus est advena in terra Madian, ubi generavit filios duos.
At this remark Moses fled and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
30 Et expletis annis quadraginta, apparuit illi in deserto montis Sina Angelus in igne flammæ rubi.
“After forty years had passed, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 Moyses autem videns, admiratus est visum. et accedente illo ut consideraret, facta est ad eum vox Domini, dicens:
When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. As he drew near to look at it, the voice of the Lord came to him:
32 Ego sum Deus patrum tuorum, Deus Abraham, Deus Isaac, et Deus Iacob. Tremefactus autem Moyses, non audebat considerare.
‘I am the God of yoʋr fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look.
33 Dixit autem illi Dominus: Solve calceamentum pedum tuorum: locus enim in quo stas, terra sancta est.
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from yoʋr feet, for the place where yoʋ are standing is holy ground.
34 Videns vidi afflictionem populi mei, qui est in Ægypto, et gemitum eorum audivi, et descendi liberare eos. Et nunc veni, et mittam te in Ægyptum.
I have surely seen the mistreatment of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send yoʋ to Egypt.’
35 Hunc Moysen, quem negaverunt, dicentes: Quis te constituit principem et iudicem? hunc Deus principem et redemptorem misit, cum manu Angeli, qui apparuit illi in rubo.
“This is the same Moses they had rejected, saying, ‘Who appointed yoʋ to be a ruler and judge?’ He is the one God sent as a ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 Hic eduxit illos faciens prodigia, et signa in terra Ægypti, et in rubro mari, et in deserto annis quadraginta.
He is the one who led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.
37 Hic est Moyses, qui dixit filiis Israel: Prophetam suscitabit vobis Deus de fratribus vestris, tamquam me, ipsum audietis.
This is the same Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’
38 Hic est, qui fuit in Ecclesia in solitudine cum Angelo, qui loquebatur ei in monte Sina, et cum patribus nostris: qui accepit verba vitæ dare nobis.
This is the man who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received a living word to give to us.
39 Cui noluerunt obedire patres nostri: sed repulerunt, et aversi sunt cordibus suis in Ægyptum,
Our fathers were unwilling to obey him. Instead, they thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,
40 dicentes ad Aaron: Fac nobis deos, qui præcedant nos: Moyses enim hic, qui eduxit nos de terra Ægypti, nescimus quid factum sit ei.
saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us, for we do not know what has happened to this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt.’
41 Et vitulum fecerunt in diebus illis, et obtulerunt hostiam simulachro, et lætabantur in operibus manuum suarum.
In those days they made an idol in the form of a calf, brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced at the works of their hands.
42 Convertit autem Deus, et tradidit eos servire militiæ cæli, sicut scriptum est in Libro Prophetarum: Numquid victimas, et hostias obtulistis mihi annis quadraginta in deserto, domus Israel?
But God turned away from them and gave them up to serve the host of heaven, just as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Was it to me that you offered slain beasts and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 Et suscepistis tabernaculum Moloch, et sidus Dei vestri Rempham, figuras, quas fecistis, adorare eas. Et transferam vos trans Babylonem.
You took up the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Remphan, the images you made so that you could worship them, so I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
44 Tabernaculum testimonii fui cum patribus nostris in deserto, sicut disposuit illis Deus, loquens ad Moysen, ut faceret illud secundum formam, quam viderat.
“Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, just as God had directed when he spoke to Moses and told him to make it according to the pattern he had seen.
45 Quod et induxerunt, suscipientes patres nostri cum Iesu in possessionem Gentium, quas expulit Deus a facie patrum nostrorum, usque in diebus David,
Receiving it in turn, our fathers brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations whom God drove out from their presence. It remained there until the days of David,
46 qui invenit gratiam ante Deum, et petiit ut inveniret tabernaculum Deo Iacob.
who found favor before God and asked if he could provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.
47 Salomon autem ædificavit illi domum.
But it was Solomon who built a house for him.
48 Sed non excelsus in manufactis habitat, sicut Propheta dicit:
Yet the Most High does not dwell in temples made by hands, just as the prophet says,
49 Cælum mihi sedes est: terra autem scabellum pedum meorum. Quam domum ædificabitis mihi, dicit Dominus? aut quis locus requietionis meæ est?
‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what place is there for my rest?
50 Nonne manus mea fecit hæc omnia?
Has not my hand made all these things?’
51 Dura cervice, et incircumcisis cordibus, et auribus, vos semper Spiritui sancto resistitis, sicut Patres vestri, ita et vos.
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do also.
52 Quem Prophetarum non sunt persecuti patres vestri? Et occiderunt eos, qui prænunciabant de adventu Iusti, cuius vos nunc proditores, et homicidæ fuistis:
Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become,
53 qui accepistis legem in dispositione Angelorum, et non custodistis.
you who received the law as ordained by angels yet have not kept it.”
54 Audientes autem hæc dissecabantur cordibus suis, et stridebant dentibus in eum.
When the members of the Sanhedrin heard these things, they were cut to the heart and began gnashing their teeth at him.
55 Cum autem esset plenus Spiritu sancto, intendens in cælum, vidit gloriam Dei, et Iesum stantem a dextris Dei.
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56 Et ait: Ecce video cælos apertos, et filium hominis stantem a dextris Dei.
He said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
57 Exclamantes autem voce magna continuerunt aures suas, et impetum fecerunt unanimiter in eum.
But they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord.
58 Et eiicientes eum extra civitatem lapidabant: et testes deposuerunt vestimenta sua secus pedes adolescentis, qui vocabatur Saulus.
Then they drove him out of the city and began stoning him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 Et lapidabant Stephanum invocantem, et dicentem: Domine Iesu suscipe spiritum meum.
They continued stoning Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60 Positis autem genibus, clamavit voce magna, dicens: Domine ne statuas illis hoc peccatum. Et cum hoc dixisset, obdormivit in Domino.
Then he fell to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” After saying this, he fell asleep.
