Acts 7
1 The high priest said, “Are these things so?”
Then the high priest said, “Can these things be so?”
2 He said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
So he said: “Men, brothers and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he resided in Haran,
3 and said to him, ‘Get out of your land and away from your relatives, and come into a land which I will show you.’
and said to him, ‘Leave your country and your relatives, and come into a land that I will show you.’
4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans and lived in Haran. From there, when his father was dead, God moved him into this land where you are now living.
Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and resided in Haran. From there, after his father died, God moved him to this land in which you now live;
5 He gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on. He promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his offspring after him, when he still had no child.
yet He did not give him an inheritance in it, not even a footstep. He promised to give it to him for a possession, that is, to his seed after him, though he had no child.
6 God spoke in this way: that his offspring would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.
Further, God spoke like this: that his offspring would be aliens in a foreign land—and that they would be enslaved and oppressed—four hundred years.
7 ‘I will judge the nation to which they will be in bondage,’ said God, ‘and after that they will come out and serve me in this place.’
‘I will judge the nation to which they will be in bondage,’ said God, ‘and after that they will come out and serve Me in this place.’
8 He gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
And He gave him a covenant of circumcision; and so he begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac did the same to Jacob, and Jacob to the twelve patriarchs.
9 “The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him
“The patriarchs, being envious, sold Joseph into Egypt; yet God was with him
10 and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
and delivered him out of all his adversities, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
11 Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.
And a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, even a great affliction, and our fathers could not find food.
12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time.
But upon hearing that there was wheat in Egypt, Jacob first sent our fathers.
13 On the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was revealed to Pharaoh.
On the second trip Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family was presented to Pharaoh.
14 Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.
Joseph sent and summoned his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.
15 Jacob went down into Egypt and he died, himself and our fathers;
So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers;
16 and they were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver from the children of Hamor of Shechem.
and they were transferred to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor of Shechem.
17 “But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
“Now as the time of the promise was approaching which God had sworn to Abraham, the people increased and were multiplied in Egypt,
18 until there arose a different king who didn’t know Joseph.
until a different king arose who had not known Joseph.
19 The same took advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to abandon their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.
This man took advantage of our race and oppressed our fathers, making them expose their babies so that they would not stay alive.
20 At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome to God. He was nourished three months in his father’s house.
At that time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; he was nurtured in his father's house for three months.
21 When he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up and reared him as her own son.
When he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter took him to herself and brought him up as her own son.
22 Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works.
So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; he was mighty in words and deeds.
23 But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.
24 Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian.
Well seeing one of them being wronged, he defended and avenged the one being oppressed, striking down the Egyptian.
25 He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn’t understand.
Now he supposed that his brothers understood that God was giving them deliverance by his hand, but they did not understand.
26 “The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’
The next day he appeared to them as they were fighting and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you wrong one another?’
27 But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
But the one who was wronging his neighbor pushed Moses away, saying: ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?’
29 Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
Well Moses fled at that word, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he begot two sons.
30 “When forty years were fulfilled, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.
“And when another forty years had passed, Angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he came close to see, the voice of the Lord came to him,
Well upon seeing it Moses was amazed at the sight, but as he approached for a closer look the voice of the Lord came to him:
32 ‘I am the God of your fathers: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Moses trembled and dared not look.
‘I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ Moses started trembling and did not dare to look.
33 The Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
So the Lord said to him: ‘Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into Egypt.’
I have definitely seen the mistreatment of my people in Egypt, and have heard their groaning; and I have come down to deliver them. So now come, I will send you to Egypt.’
35 “This Moses whom they refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—God has sent him as both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
“This Moses whom they refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—God sent him as leader and deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 This man led them out, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.
This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.
37 This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me.’
“This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up to you a Prophet from among your brothers, like me.’
38 This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living revelations to give to us,
This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, who was with the Angel who spoke with him on Mount Sinai and was with our fathers, who received living oracles to give to us;
39 to whom our fathers wouldn’t be obedient, but rejected him and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,
to whom our fathers did not want to be obedient; rather they rejected him and turned back in their heart to Egypt,
40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’
saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods that will go before us; because this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt—we do not know what has become of him.’
41 They made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.
Well they made a calf in those days and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and started rejoicing in the works of their hands.
42 But God turned away and gave them up to serve the army of the sky, as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘Did you offer to me slain animals and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
But God turned away and gave them over to serve the army of the heaven, just as it is written in Book of the Prophets: ‘House of Israel, did you offer me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness?
43 You took up the tabernacle of Moloch, the star of your god Rephan, the figures which you made to worship, so I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’
Actually you took along the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god, Rephan, the images that you made to worship; so I will relocate you beyond Babylon.’
44 “Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern that he had seen;
“The tent of the testimony, according to the pattern that Moses had seen, just as the One speaking to him had commanded to make it, was with our fathers in the wilderness;
45 which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered into the possession of the nations whom God drove out before the face of our fathers to the days of David,
which, having received it in turn, our fathers with Joshua brought into the possession of the nations, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, until the days of David;
46 who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.
who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob,
47 But Solomon built him a house.
but Solomon built Him a house.
48 However, the Most High doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says,
However, the Most High does not dwell in handmade sanctuaries, just as the prophet says:
49 ‘heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me?’ says the Lord. ‘Or what is the place of my rest?
‘Heaven is my throne, while the earth is a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me,’ says the Lord, ‘or what place for my rest?
50 Didn’t my hand make all these things?’
Did not my hand make all these things?’
51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.
“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always oppose the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so you do.
52 Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.
Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers;
53 You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!”
you who received the Law as ‘ordinances of angels’ and have not kept it!”
54 Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
Well as they heard these things their hearts were being sawed in half, and they started gnashing their teeth at him.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
But he, being full of Holy Spirit and looking intently into the heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on God's right,
56 and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
and said, “Wow! I see the heavens opened and the Son of the Man standing at God's right!”
57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears, then rushed at him with one accord.
Yelling at the top of their voice they covered their ears and rushed at him all at once,
58 They threw him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
and throwing him out of the city they stoned him! (The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.)
59 They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
Yes, they stoned Stephen as he called out and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
60 He kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
Then kneeling down he called out at the top of his voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And upon saying this he fell asleep. (Saul was in full agreement with his murder.)
