Acts 7
1 The high priest said, “Are these things so?”
Ngakho umphristi omkhulu wasembuza wathi, “Ukumangalelwa konke lokhu kuliqiniso na?”
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,
Kulokhu waphendula wathi: “Bafowethu labobaba ake lingilalele! UNkulunkulu wenkazimulo waziveza kubaba wethu u-Abhrahama esahlala eMesophothamiya, engakahlali eHarani.
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.’
UNkulunkulu wathi, ‘Tshiya ilizwe lakini labantu bakini uye elizweni engizakutshengisa lona.’
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.
Ngakho wasuka elizweni lamaKhaladiya wayahlala eHarani. Ngemva kokufa kukayise, uNkulunkulu wamletha kuleli ilizwe lapho eselihlala khona manje.
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.
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.
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.
UNkulunkulu wakhuluma laye kanje: ‘Izizukulwane zakho zizakuba ngabezizweni elizweni elingayisilo lazo okweminyaka engamakhulu amane, njalo zizagqilazwa, zihlukuluzwe.
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.’
Ngizasijezisa lesosizwe esibagqilazayo,’ kusitsho uNkulunkulu, ‘emva kwalokho bazaphuma kulelolizwe bangikhonze kuyonale indawo.’
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.
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.
9 “The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him
Ngenxa yokuthi okhokho babalomhawu ngoJosefa, bamthengisela eGibhithe njengesigqili. Kodwa uNkulunkulu waba laye
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.
wamephula kuzozonke inhlupho zakhe. Wanika uJosefa inhlakanipho, wamenza wathandwa nguFaro, inkosi yaseGibhithe. Yona yasimenza umbusi eGibhithe lakuso sonke isigodlo sakhe.
11 Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.
Indlala yasihlasela lonke elaseGibhithe leleKhenani, kwaba lobunzima obukhulu ngoba okhokho bethu bakuswela ukudla.
12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time.
UJakhobe esezwile ukuthi amabele ayekhona eGibhithe, wathuma okhokho bethu ekuhambeni kwabo kwakuqala.
13 On the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was revealed to Pharaoh.
Sebesiya khona okwesibili, uJosefa wabatshela abanewabo ukuthi wayengubani, njalo uFaro waziswa ngabakibo kaJosefa.
14 Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.
Ngemva kwalokho uJosefa wasebiza uyise uJakhobe ukuthi eze labendlu yakhe bonke, kungabantu abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa lanhlanu sebebonke.
15 Jacob went down into Egypt and he died, himself and our fathers;
Ngakho uJakhobe wasesehlela kweleGibhithe lapho afela khona yena kanye labokhokho bethu.
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.
Izidumbu zabo zabuyiswa eShekhemu zabekwa ethuneni elathengwa ngu-Abhrahama emadodaneni kaHamori eShekhemu ngemali ethile.
17 “But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
Kwathi isikhathi sesisondele esokuthi uNkulunkulu agcwalise isithembiso sakhe ku-Abhrahama, inani labantu bakithi eGibhithe landa ngamandla.
18 until there arose a different king who didn’t know Joseph.
Kwasekusiba ‘lenye inkosi eyayingazi lutho ngoJosefa yaba ngumbusi eGibhithe.’
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.
Yaba lesihluku ebantwini bakithi, yancindezela okhokho bethu ngokubabamba ngamandla ukuthi balahlele khatshana insane zabo ezisanda kuzalwa ukuthi zife.
20 At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome to God. He was nourished three months in his father’s house.
Ngalesosikhathi uMosi wazalwa, njalo engasumntwana makhaza. Okwezinyanga ezintathu wondliwa endlini kayise.
21 When he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up and reared him as her own son.
Kwathi esebekwe phandle, indodakazi kaFaro yamthatha yamkhulisa njengomntanayo.
22 Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works.
UMosi wafundiswa kuyo yonke inhlakanipho yamaGibhithe, eligagu lokukhuluma lokwenza.
23 But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
Kwathi uMosi eseleminyaka engamatshumi amane obudala, wacabanga ukuya kwethekelela abantu bakibo, abako-Israyeli.
24 Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian.
Wabona omunye wabo ehlukuluzwa ngumGibhithe, ngakho wayamlamulela, wenanisa ngokubulala umGibhithe lowo.
25 He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn’t understand.
UMosi wakhumbula ukuthi abantu bakibo babezakunanzelela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayemsebenzisa ukuthi abakhulule, kodwa kabakunanzelelanga.
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?’
Ngosuku olulandelayo uMosi wawela phezu kwabako-Israyeli ababili ababesilwa. Wazama ukubalamula ngokuthi, ‘Madoda, liyizinini; kungani lihlukuluzana kangaka na?’
27 But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
Kodwa leyondoda eyayihlukuluza eyinye, yamfuqela eceleni uMosi yathi, ‘Ngubani okwenze umbusi lomahluli phezu kwethu?
28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
Ufuna ukungibulala njengomGibhithe ombuleleyo izolo?’
29 Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
UMosi wathi ekuzwa lokho wabalekela eMidiyani, lapho ahlala khona njengesizwe, wazala khona amadodana amabili.
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.
Sekwedlule iminyaka engamatshumi amane, ingilosi yavela kuMosi iselangabini lesixuku esibhebhayo enkangala eduze kweNtaba iSinayi.
31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he came close to see, the voice of the Lord came to him,
Wathi ekubona lokhu wamangala kakhulu ngalowombono. Wathi uyasondela ukuthi abonisise, wezwa ilizwi likaThixo lisithi:
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.
‘NginguNkulunkulu waboyihlo, uNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama, lo-Isaka loJakhobe.’ UMosi wathuthumela ngokwesaba wehluleka ukukhangela.
33 The Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
INkosi yasisithi kuye, ‘Khupha amanyathela akho, ngoba indawo omi kuyo ingumhlabathi ongcwele.
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.’
Ngempela sengikubonile ukuhlukuluzeka kwabantu bami eGibhithe. Sengikuzwile ukububula kwabo, ngakho sengibuyile phansi lapha ukuzebakhulula. Manje-ke zwana, ngizakubuyisela eGibhithe.’
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.
Nguye kanye uMosi lo ababemalile ngamazwi athi, ‘Ngubani okwenze umbusi lomahluli na?’ Wathunyelwa ukuba ngumbusi lomkhululi nguNkulunkulu mathupha, ngengilosi eyabonakala kuye isesixukwini.
36 This man led them out, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.
Wabakhokhela baphuma elizweni laseGibhithe, wenza izimanga lemimangaliso eGibhithe lasolwandle olubomvu kanye lasenkangala okweminyaka engamatshumi amane enkangala.
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.’
Nguye lo uMosi owatshela abako-Israyeli wathi, ‘UNkulunkulu wenu uzalivusela umphrofethi phakathi kwabafowenu njengami.’
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,
Wayephakathi kwebandla enkangala, elabokhokho bethu njalo elayo ingilosi eyakhuluma kuye eNtabeni yaseSinayi; njalo wemukela amazwi okuphila ukuthi awedlulisele kithi.
39 to whom our fathers wouldn’t be obedient, but rejected him and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,
Kodwa okhokho bethu bala ukumlalela. Bamala, kwathi ezinhliziyweni zabo babuyela eGibhithe.
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.’
Batshela u-Aroni bathi, ‘Yenza onkulunkulu abazasikhokhela. UMosi lo owasikhupha eGibhithe asisakwazi ukuthi usedliwe yini!’
41 They made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.
Yiso lesosikhathi abenza ngaso isithombe esasilesimo sethole. Baletha imihlatshelo kulo, benza umkhosi wokuthakazelela lokho okwenziwa yizandla zabo.
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?
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?
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.’
Hatshi, lathwala isikhonzelo sikaMoleki lenkanyezi kankulunkulu wenu uRefani, izithombe elazenzayo ukuthi lizikhonze. Ngakho-ke, ngizalixotshela ekuthunjweni’ ngale kweBhabhiloni.
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;
Okhokho bethu babelalo ithabanikeli lobufakazi enkangala. Lalenziwe njengokuqondiswa kukaMosi nguNkulunkulu elandela isimo ayesibonile.
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,
Sebelamukele ithala okhokho bethu bengaphansi kukaJoshuwa beza lalo ekuthumbeni kwabo izizwe. Lahlala elizweni kwaze kwaba yisikhathi sikaDavida,
46 who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.
owathandwa nguNkulunkulu, wacela ukuthi alungisele uNkulunkulu kaJakhobe indawo yokuhlala.
47 But Solomon built him a house.
Kodwa kwaba nguSolomoni owamakhelayo leyondlu.
48 However, the Most High doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says,
Lanxa kunjalo, oPhezukonke kahlali ezindlini ezakhiwe ngabantu. Njengoba esitsho umphrofethi ukuthi:
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?
‘Izulu liyisihlalo sami sobukhosi, lomhlaba uyisenabelo sami. Lizangakhela ndlu bani? kutsho iNkosi. Kambe izaba ngaphi indawo yami yokuphumula na?
50 Didn’t my hand make all these things?’
Izinto zonke lezi kazenziwanga yisandla sami na?’
51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.
Lina ziqholo zabantu, abanhliziyo lezindlebe ezingasokanga! Lifuze oyihlo: Lihlezi lijamelene loMoya oNgcwele!
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.
Kambe kwake kwabakhona umphrofethi oyihlo abangazange bamhlukuluze na? Baze bababulala lalabo abaphrofetha ngokuza koLungileyo. Khathesi selimnikele lambulala,
53 You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!”
lina eseliwemukele umthetho oweza ngezingilosi kodwa kaliwulandelanga.”
54 Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
Amalunga eSanihedrini esekuzwile lokhu azonda, afuthelana, amgedlela amazinyo.
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,
Kodwa uStefane egcwele uMoya oNgcwele wakhangela ezulwini wabona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu loJesu emi esandleni sokunene sikaNkulunkulu.
56 and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
Wathi, “Khangelani, ngibona izulu livuliwe leNdodana yoMuntu imi esandleni sokunene sikaNkulunkulu.”
57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears, then rushed at him with one accord.
Besizwa lokhu bagcika indlebe zabo, baklabalala, bamdumela
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.
bamhudulela phandle kwedolobho, bamkhanda ngamatshe. Ofakazi babeka izigqoko zabo phambi kwejaha elalithiwa nguSawuli.
59 They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
Kwathi belokhu bemkhanda uStefane wakhuleka wathi, “Nkosi Jesu, yamukela umoya wami.”
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.
Wathi vutshalala ngamadolo phansi wamemeza wathi, “Nkosi, ungababekeli mlandu ngalesisono.” Kuthe esetsho lokho, walala.
