Imisebenzi 7
1 Umpristi omkhulu wasesithi: Kambe lezizinto zinjalo?
And the chief priest said, “Are then these things so?”
2 Wasesithi: Madoda, bazalwane labobaba, lalelani. UNkulunkulu wenkazimulo wabonakala kubaba wethu uAbrahama eseMesopotamiya, engakahlali eHarani,
And he said, “Men, brothers, and fathers, listen! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, being in Mesopotamia, before his dwelling in Haran,
3 wasesithi kuye: Phuma elizweni lakini lezihlotsheni zakho, uze elizweni engizakutshengisa lona.
and He said to him, Go forth out of your land, and out of your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.
4 Wasesuka elizweni lamaKhaladiya wahlala eHarani; kwathi esuka lapho, emva kokufa kukayise, wamsusa wamhlalisa kulelilizwe elihlezi kilo lina khathesi;
Then having come forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran, and from there, after the death of his father, He removed him to this land wherein you now dwell,
5 kodwa kamnikanga ilifa kilo, hatshi lanyathela; kodwa wathembisa ukumnika lona libe ngelakhe, lelenzalo yakhe emva kwakhe, engakabi lamntwana.
and He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a footstep, and promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him—he having no child.
6 UNkulunkulu wasekhuluma kanje esithi inzalo yakhe izakuba yisihambi elizweni lemzini, bazayenza isigqili bazayiphatha kubi, iminyaka engamakhulu amane;
And God spoke thus, that his seed will be sojourning in a strange land, and they will cause it to serve, and will do it evil [for] four hundred years.
7 kodwa lesosizwe, abazakuba yizigqili kuso, ngizasigweba mina, kutsho uNkulunkulu; njalo emva kwalezizinto bazaphuma, bangikhonze kulindawo.
And the nation whom they will serve I will judge, said God; And after these things they will come forth and will do Me service in this place.
8 Wasemnika isivumelwano sokusoka; ngokunjalo wazala uIsaka, wamsoka ngosuku lwesificaminwembili; loIsaka wazala uJakobe, loJakobe okhokho abalitshumi lambili.
And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begot Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac [begot] Jacob, and Jacob—the twelve patriarchs;
9 Okhokho basebesiba lomona bathengisa uJosefa eGibhithe; kodwa uNkulunkulu wayelaye,
and the patriarchs, having been moved with jealousy, sold Joseph to Egypt, and God was with him,
10 wasemkhulula kuzo zonke inhlupheko zakhe, wamnika umusa lenhlakanipho phambi kukaFaro inkosi yeGibhithe; wasembeka ukuba ngumbusi phezu kweGibhithe lowendlu yakhe yonke.
and delivered him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he set him—governor over Egypt and all his house.
11 Kwasekufika indlala elizweni lonke leGibhithe leleKhanani, lokuhlupheka okukhulu; labobaba bethu kabatholanga ukudla.
And there came a scarcity on all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance,
12 Kodwa uJakobe esezwile ukuthi kukhona amabele eGibhithe, wathuma obaba bethu okokuqala.
and Jacob having heard that there was grain in Egypt, sent forth our fathers a first time;
13 Kwathi ngokwesibili uJosefa waziswa kubafowabo, labakibo kaJosefa babonakaliswa kuFaro.
and at the second time was Joseph made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became disclosed to Pharaoh,
14 UJosefa wasethumela wabizela kuye uyise uJakobe, lalo lonke usendo lwakhe, kulemiphefumulo engamatshumi ayisikhombisa lanhlanu.
and Joseph having sent, called for his father Jacob, and all his relatives—with seventy-five souls—
15 UJakobe wasesehlela eGibhithe, wasesifa yena labobaba bethu;
and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers,
16 basebethwalelwa eShikemi, balaliswa engcwabeni uAbrahama ayelithenge ngentengo yemali kumadodana kaHamori weShikemi.
and they were carried over into Shechem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Shechem.
17 Kwathi sesisondele isikhathi sesithembiso uNkulunkulu ayesifunge kuAbrahama, bakhula abantu banda eGibhithe,
And according as the time of the promise was drawing near, which God swore to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
18 kwaze kwavela enye inkosi, eyayingamazi uJosefa.
until another king rose, who had not known Joseph;
19 Yona yasiphatha ngobuqili isizukulu sakithi, yabahlupha obaba bethu, ukubalahlisa insane zabo, ukuze zingaphili.
this one, having dealt subtly with our family, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babies, that they might not live;
20 Ngalesosikhathi kwazalwa uMozisi, waba muhle kuNkulunkulu; owondliwa endlini kayise inyanga ezintathu.
in which time Moses was born, and he was fair to God, and he was brought up [for] three months in the house of his father;
21 Eselahliwe, indodakazi kaFaro yamdobha, yazondlela yena ukuthi abe yindodana.
and he having been set outside, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and reared him to herself for a son;
22 Njalo uMozisi wafundiswa kuyo yonke inhlakanipho yamaGibhithe; wasesiba lamandla ngamazwi langemisebenzi.
and Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in words and in works.
23 Kwathi eselesikhathi seminyaka engamatshumi amane agcweleyo, kwafika enhliziyweni yakhe ukuthi ahambele abafowabo abantwana bakoIsrayeli.
And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came on his heart to look after his brothers, the sons of Israel;
24 Kwathi ebona omunye ephathwa kubi, wamvikela wamphindisela ohlutshwayo, watshaya umGibhithe;
and having seen a certain one suffering injustice, he defended, and did justice to the oppressed, having struck the Egyptian;
25 njalo wayethemba ukuthi abafowabo bazaqedisisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ubanika inkululeko ngesandla sakhe; kodwa kabaqedisisanga.
and he was supposing his brothers to understand that God gives salvation through his hand; and they did not understand.
26 Njalo ngosuku olulandelayo wazibonakalisa kubo ababesilwa, wabalamula ngamandla, esithi: Madoda, lingabazalwane; liphathanelani kubi?
On the succeeding day, also, he showed himself to them as they are striving, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, you are brothers, why do you do injustice to one another?
27 Kodwa lowo owayemona umakhelwane wamsunduza, esithi: Ubekwe ngubani ukuba ngumbusi lomahluleli phezu kwethu?
And he who is doing injustice to the neighbor, thrusted him away, saying, Who set you a ruler and a judge over us?
28 Usufuna ukungibulala yini, njengoba ubulele umGibhithe izolo?
Do you wish to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?
29 Ngalelilizwi uMozisi wasebaleka, waba ngowemzini elizweni leMadiyani, lapho azala khona amadodana amabili.
And Moses fled at this word, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begot two sons,
30 Kwathi sekugcwaliseke iminyaka engamatshumi amane, kwabonakala kuye enkangala yentaba iSinayi ingilosi yeNkosi phakathi kwelangabi lomlilo esihlahleni.
and forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai [the] Messenger of the LORD, in a flame of fire of a bush,
31 Kwathi uMozisi esebonile wamangala ngalowombono; esasondela ukuthi akhangelisise, ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuye lisithi:
and Moses having seen, wondered at the sight; and he drawing near to behold, there came a voice of the LORD to him,
32 Mina nginguNkulunkulu waboyihlo, uNkulunkulu kaAbrahama loNkulunkulu kaIsaka loNkulunkulu kaJakobe. UMozisi wasethuthumela, kazaba lesibindi sokukhangelisisa.
I [am] the God of your fathers; the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses having become terrified, did not dare behold,
33 INkosi yasisithi kuye: Khulula amanyathela enyaweni zakho; ngoba indawo omi kiyo ingumhlabathi ongcwele.
and the LORD said to him, Loose the sandal of your feet, for the place in which you have stood is holy ground;
34 Ngikubonile lokukubona ukuhlutshwa kwabantu bami abaseGibhithe, njalo ngizwile ukububula kwabo; sengehlile ukuthi ngibakhulule; khathesi-ke woza, ngizakuthuma eGibhithe.
seeing I have seen the affliction of My people that [is] in Egypt, and I heard their groaning, and came down to deliver them; and now come, I will send you to Egypt.
35 UMozisi lo abamalayo besithi: Ubekwe ngubani ukuba ngumbusi lomahluleli? - nguye uNkulunkulu amthumayo ukuba ngumbusi lomkhululi ngesandla sengilosi eyabonakala kuye esihlahleni.
This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who set you a ruler and a judge? This one God sent [as] a ruler and a redeemer, by the hand of [the] Messenger who appeared to him in the bush;
36 Yena wabakhupha, esenze izimangaliso lezibonakaliso elizweni leGibhithe loLwandle oluBomvu, lenkangala iminyaka engamatshumi amane.
this one brought them forth, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years;
37 Nguye lowo uMozisi owathi kubantwana bakoIsrayeli: INkosi uNkulunkulu wenu uzalivusela umprofethi kubazalwane benu onjengami; lizamuzwa yena.
this is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel: The LORD your God will raise up to you a Prophet out of your brothers, like to me, Him will you hear.
38 Nguye lowo owayesebandleni enkangala, kanye lengilosi eyakhuluma laye entabeni iSinayi kanye labobaba bethu; owemukela amazwi aphilayo, ukuze asinike;
This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the Messenger who is speaking to him in Mount Sinai, and with our fathers who received the living oracles to give to us;
39 yena obaba bethu abangavumanga ukumlalela, kodwa bamsunduzela eceleni, basebebuyela eGibhithe ngenhliziyo zabo,
to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but thrusted away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,
40 besithi kuAroni: Senzele onkulunkulu abazahamba phambi kwethu; ngoba uMozisi lo, owasikhupha elizweni iGibhithe, kasazi ukuthi wehlelwe yini.
saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who will go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what has happened to him.
41 Basebesenza ithole ngalezonsuku, baletha umhlatshelo esithombeni, bajabula ngemisebenzi yezandla zabo.
And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands,
42 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wafulathela, wabanikela ukuthi bakhonze ibutho lezulu; njengokulotshiweyo encwadini yabaprofethi ukuthi: Laletha kimi yini imihlatshelo leminikelo iminyaka engamatshumi amane enkangala, ndlu kaIsrayeli?
and God turned, and gave them up to do service to the host of Heaven, according as it has been written in the scroll of the Prophets: Did you offer slain beasts and sacrifices to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 Njalo lathatha ithabhanekele likaMoloki lenkanyezi kankulunkulu wenu uRefani, imifanekiso elayenza ukuthi liyikhonze; njalo ngizalithuthela ngaphambili kweBhabhiloni.
And you took up the dwelling place of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan—the figures that you made to worship them, and I will remove your dwelling beyond Babylon.
44 Obaba bethu babelalo ithabhanekele lobufakazi enkangala, njengokulayela kwalowo owakhuluma loMozisi, ukuthi alenze ngomfanekiso ayewubonile;
The Dwelling Place of the Testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He directed, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen;
45 okwathi futhi obaba bethu abalandelayo sebelemukele balingenisa kanye loJoshuwa empahleni yezizwe, uNkulunkulu azixotsha phambi kobuso babobaba, kwaze kwaba sensukwini zikaDavida;
which also our fathers having in succession received, brought in with Joshua, into the possession of the nations whom God drove out from the presence of our fathers, until the days of David,
46 owathola umusa phambi kukaNkulunkulu, wacela ukutholela uNkulunkulu kaJakobe ithabhanekele.
who found favor before God, and requested to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob;
47 Kodwa uSolomoni wamakhela indlu.
and Solomon built Him a house.
48 Kodwa oPhezukonke kahlali ethempelini elenziwe ngezandla, njengokutsho komprofethi ukuthi:
But the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, according as the prophet says:
49 Izulu kimi liyisihlalo sobukhosi, lomhlaba uyisenabelo senyawo zami; lizangakhela indlu enjani, kutsho iNkosi; kumbe yiyiphi indawo yami yokuphumula?
Heaven [is] My throne, And the earth My footstool, What house will you build to Me? Says the LORD; Or what [is] the place of My rest?
50 Isandla sami kasizenzanga yini zonke lezizinto?
Has My hand not made all these things?
51 Lina ntamo zilukhuni njalo abangasokanga enhliziyweni lendlebeni, lina limelana njalonjalo loMoya oyiNgcwele; njengaboyihlo, linjalo lani.
You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers—also you;
52 Nguwuphi owabaprofethi oyihlo abangamzingelanga? Basebebulala labo abamemezela ngaphambili ngokuza koLungileyo, yena lo lina khathesi eselabangabanikeli lababulali bakhe;
which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who declared before about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers,
53 elemukela umlayo ngokuhlela kwezingilosi, kodwa kaliwulondolozanga.
who received the Law by arrangement of messengers, and did not keep [it].”
54 Bathi sebezwile lezizinto, bahlabeka enhliziyweni zabo, bamgedlela amazinyo.
And hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts, and gnashed the teeth at him;
55 Kodwa yena egcwele uMoya oNgcwele, wajolozela ezulwini, wabona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, loJesu emi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu,
and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked steadfastly to the sky, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 wasesithi: Khangelani, ngibona amazulu evulekile, leNdodana yomuntu imi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu.
and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.”
57 Kodwa bamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu, bavala indlebe zabo, batheleka phezu kwakhe bengqondonye;
And they, having cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and rushed with one accord on him,
58 basebemkhuphela ngaphandle komuzi, bamkhanda ngamatshe; labafakazi babeka phansi izembatho zabo enyaweni zejaha elithiwa nguSawuli.
and having cast him forth outside of the city, they were stoning [him]—and the witnesses put down their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul—
59 Bamkhanda ngamatshe uStefane, ebiza esithi: Nkosi Jesu, yemukela umoya wami.
and they were stoning Stephen, [as he was] calling and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”;
60 Waseguqa ngamadolo, wamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu esithi: Nkosi, ungababaleli lesisono. Esetshilo lokhu walala.
and having bowed the knees, he cried with a loud voice, “LORD, may You not lay to them this sin”; and having said this, he fell asleep.
