Imisebenzi 7
1 Ngakho umphristi omkhulu wasembuza wathi, “Ukumangalelwa konke lokhu kuliqiniso na?”
Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are the things that [these people are saying about you(sg)] true?”
2 Kulokhu waphendula wathi: “Bafowethu labobaba ake lingilalele! UNkulunkulu wenkazimulo waziveza kubaba wethu u-Abhrahama esahlala eMesophothamiya, engakahlali eHarani.
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 UNkulunkulu wathi, ‘Tshiya ilizwe lakini labantu bakini uye elizweni engizakutshengisa lona.’
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 Ngakho wasuka elizweni lamaKhaladiya wayahlala eHarani. Ngemva kokufa kukayise, uNkulunkulu wamletha kuleli ilizwe lapho eselihlala khona manje.
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 Kamuphanga lifa lapha loba nje isiqintshana somhlabathi. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wamthembisa ukuthi yena lezizukulwane zakhe ngemva kwakhe babezalizuza ilizwe lelo libe ngelabo, loba nje ngalesosikhathi u-Abhrahama wayengelamntwana.
“[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 UNkulunkulu wakhuluma laye kanje: ‘Izizukulwane zakho zizakuba ngabezizweni elizweni elingayisilo lazo okweminyaka engamakhulu amane, njalo zizagqilazwa, zihlukuluzwe.
“[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 Ngizasijezisa lesosizwe esibagqilazayo,’ kusitsho uNkulunkulu, ‘emva kwalokho bazaphuma kulelolizwe bangikhonze kuyonale indawo.’
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 Wasenika u-Abhrahama isivumelwano sokusoka. U-Abhrahama waba nguyise ka-Isaka, wamsoka ngemva kwensuku eziyisificaminwembili ezelwe. Ngemva kwalokho u-Isaka waba nguyise kaJakhobe, uJakhobe yena waba nguyise wabokhokho abalitshumi lambili.
“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 Ngenxa yokuthi okhokho babalomhawu ngoJosefa, bamthengisela eGibhithe njengesigqili. Kodwa uNkulunkulu waba laye
“[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 wamephula kuzozonke inhlupho zakhe. Wanika uJosefa inhlakanipho, wamenza wathandwa nguFaro, inkosi yaseGibhithe. Yona yasimenza umbusi eGibhithe lakuso sonke isigodlo sakhe.
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 Indlala yasihlasela lonke elaseGibhithe leleKhenani, kwaba lobunzima obukhulu ngoba okhokho bethu bakuswela ukudla.
“[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 UJakhobe esezwile ukuthi amabele ayekhona eGibhithe, wathuma okhokho bethu ekuhambeni kwabo kwakuqala.
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 Sebesiya khona okwesibili, uJosefa wabatshela abanewabo ukuthi wayengubani, njalo uFaro waziswa ngabakibo kaJosefa.
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 Ngemva kwalokho uJosefa wasebiza uyise uJakhobe ukuthi eze labendlu yakhe bonke, kungabantu abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa lanhlanu sebebonke.
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 Ngakho uJakhobe wasesehlela kweleGibhithe lapho afela khona yena kanye labokhokho bethu.
[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 Izidumbu zabo zabuyiswa eShekhemu zabekwa ethuneni elathengwa ngu-Abhrahama emadodaneni kaHamori eShekhemu ngemali ethile.
[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 Kwathi isikhathi sesisondele esokuthi uNkulunkulu agcwalise isithembiso sakhe ku-Abhrahama, inani labantu bakithi eGibhithe landa ngamandla.
“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 Kwasekusiba ‘lenye inkosi eyayingazi lutho ngoJosefa yaba ngumbusi eGibhithe.’
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 Yaba lesihluku ebantwini bakithi, yancindezela okhokho bethu ngokubabamba ngamandla ukuthi balahlele khatshana insane zabo ezisanda kuzalwa ukuthi zife.
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 Ngalesosikhathi uMosi wazalwa, njalo engasumntwana makhaza. Okwezinyanga ezintathu wondliwa endlini kayise.
“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 Kwathi esebekwe phandle, indodakazi kaFaro yamthatha yamkhulisa njengomntanayo.
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 UMosi wafundiswa kuyo yonke inhlakanipho yamaGibhithe, eligagu lokukhuluma lokwenza.
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 Kwathi uMosi eseleminyaka engamatshumi amane obudala, wacabanga ukuya kwethekelela abantu bakibo, abako-Israyeli.
“[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 Wabona omunye wabo ehlukuluzwa ngumGibhithe, ngakho wayamlamulela, wenanisa ngokubulala umGibhithe lowo.
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 UMosi wakhumbula ukuthi abantu bakibo babezakunanzelela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayemsebenzisa ukuthi abakhulule, kodwa kabakunanzelelanga.
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 Ngosuku olulandelayo uMosi wawela phezu kwabako-Israyeli ababili ababesilwa. Wazama ukubalamula ngokuthi, ‘Madoda, liyizinini; kungani lihlukuluzana kangaka na?’
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 Kodwa leyondoda eyayihlukuluza eyinye, yamfuqela eceleni uMosi yathi, ‘Ngubani okwenze umbusi lomahluli phezu kwethu?
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 Ufuna ukungibulala njengomGibhithe ombuleleyo izolo?’
Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
29 UMosi wathi ekuzwa lokho wabalekela eMidiyani, lapho ahlala khona njengesizwe, wazala khona amadodana amabili.
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 Sekwedlule iminyaka engamatshumi amane, ingilosi yavela kuMosi iselangabini lesixuku esibhebhayo enkangala eduze kweNtaba iSinayi.
“[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 Wathi ekubona lokhu wamangala kakhulu ngalowombono. Wathi uyasondela ukuthi abonisise, wezwa ilizwi likaThixo lisithi:
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 ‘NginguNkulunkulu waboyihlo, uNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama, lo-Isaka loJakhobe.’ UMosi wathuthumela ngokwesaba wehluleka ukukhangela.
‘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 INkosi yasisithi kuye, ‘Khupha amanyathela akho, ngoba indawo omi kuyo ingumhlabathi ongcwele.
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 Ngempela sengikubonile ukuhlukuluzeka kwabantu bami eGibhithe. Sengikuzwile ukububula kwabo, ngakho sengibuyile phansi lapha ukuzebakhulula. Manje-ke zwana, ngizakubuyisela eGibhithe.’
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 Nguye kanye uMosi lo ababemalile ngamazwi athi, ‘Ngubani okwenze umbusi lomahluli na?’ Wathunyelwa ukuba ngumbusi lomkhululi nguNkulunkulu mathupha, ngengilosi eyabonakala kuye isesixukwini.
“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 Wabakhokhela baphuma elizweni laseGibhithe, wenza izimanga lemimangaliso eGibhithe lasolwandle olubomvu kanye lasenkangala okweminyaka engamatshumi amane enkangala.
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 Nguye lo uMosi owatshela abako-Israyeli wathi, ‘UNkulunkulu wenu uzalivusela umphrofethi phakathi kwabafowenu njengami.’
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 Wayephakathi kwebandla enkangala, elabokhokho bethu njalo elayo ingilosi eyakhuluma kuye eNtabeni yaseSinayi; njalo wemukela amazwi okuphila ukuthi awedlulisele kithi.
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 Kodwa okhokho bethu bala ukumlalela. Bamala, kwathi ezinhliziyweni zabo babuyela eGibhithe.
“[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 Batshela u-Aroni bathi, ‘Yenza onkulunkulu abazasikhokhela. UMosi lo owasikhupha eGibhithe asisakwazi ukuthi usedliwe yini!’
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 Yiso lesosikhathi abenza ngaso isithombe esasilesimo sethole. Baletha imihlatshelo kulo, benza umkhosi wokuthakazelela lokho okwenziwa yizandla zabo.
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 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wabafulathela, wabakhalala ukuba bakhonze ilanga, inyanga lezinkanyezi. Lokhu kuvumelana lalokho okulotshiweyo encwadini yabaphrofethi ukuthi: ‘Wena ndlu ka-Israyeli, langilethela na imihlatshelo leminikelo ngeminyaka engamatshumi amane enkangala?
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 Hatshi, lathwala isikhonzelo sikaMoleki lenkanyezi kankulunkulu wenu uRefani, izithombe elazenzayo ukuthi lizikhonze. Ngakho-ke, ngizalixotshela ekuthunjweni’ ngale kweBhabhiloni.
[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 Okhokho bethu babelalo ithabanikeli lobufakazi enkangala. Lalenziwe njengokuqondiswa kukaMosi nguNkulunkulu elandela isimo ayesibonile.
“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 Sebelamukele ithala okhokho bethu bengaphansi kukaJoshuwa beza lalo ekuthumbeni kwabo izizwe. Lahlala elizweni kwaze kwaba yisikhathi sikaDavida,
[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 owathandwa nguNkulunkulu, wacela ukuthi alungisele uNkulunkulu kaJakhobe indawo yokuhlala.
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 Kodwa kwaba nguSolomoni owamakhelayo leyondlu.
But [instead, God let David’s son] Solomon build a house [where people could worship] God.”
48 Lanxa kunjalo, oPhezukonke kahlali ezindlini ezakhiwe ngabantu. Njengoba esitsho umphrofethi ukuthi:
“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 ‘Izulu liyisihlalo sami sobukhosi, lomhlaba uyisenabelo sami. Lizangakhela ndlu bani? kutsho iNkosi. Kambe izaba ngaphi indawo yami yokuphumula na?
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 Izinto zonke lezi kazenziwanga yisandla sami na?’
51 Lina ziqholo zabantu, abanhliziyo lezindlebe ezingasokanga! Lifuze oyihlo: Lihlezi lijamelene loMoya oNgcwele!
“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 Kambe kwake kwabakhona umphrofethi oyihlo abangazange bamhlukuluze na? Baze bababulala lalabo abaphrofetha ngokuza koLungileyo. Khathesi selimnikele lambulala,
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 lina eseliwemukele umthetho oweza ngezingilosi kodwa kaliwulandelanga.”
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 Amalunga eSanihedrini esekuzwile lokhu azonda, afuthelana, amgedlela amazinyo.
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 Kodwa uStefane egcwele uMoya oNgcwele wakhangela ezulwini wabona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu loJesu emi esandleni sokunene sikaNkulunkulu.
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 Wathi, “Khangelani, ngibona izulu livuliwe leNdodana yoMuntu imi esandleni sokunene sikaNkulunkulu.”
“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open, and I [see] the one who came from heaven standing at God’s right side!”
57 Besizwa lokhu bagcika indlebe zabo, baklabalala, bamdumela
[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 bamhudulela phandle kwedolobho, bamkhanda ngamatshe. Ofakazi babeka izigqoko zabo phambi kwejaha elalithiwa nguSawuli.
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 Kwathi belokhu bemkhanda uStefane wakhuleka wathi, “Nkosi Jesu, yamukela umoya wami.”
While they continued to throw stones at Stephen, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60 Wathi vutshalala ngamadolo phansi wamemeza wathi, “Nkosi, ungababekeli mlandu ngalesisono.” Kuthe esetsho lokho, walala.
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.
