Acts 7
1 Then sayd the chiefe Priest, Are these things so?
Then the High Priest asked him, "Are these statements true?"
2 And he sayd, Ye men, brethren and Fathers, hearken. That God of glory appeared vnto our father Abraham, while he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
The reply of Stephen was, "Sirs--brethren and fathers--listen to me. God Most Glorious appeared to our forefather Abraham when he was living in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,
3 And said vnto him, Come out of thy countrey, and from thy kindred, and come into the land, which I shall shewe thee.
and said to him, "'Leave your country and your relatives, and go into whatever land I point out to you.'
4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran. And after that his father was dead, God brought him from thence into this land, wherein ye now dwell,
"Thereupon he left Chaldaea and settled in Haran till after the death of his father, when God caused him to remove into this country where you now live.
5 And hee gaue him none inheritance in it, no, not the bredth of a foote: yet he promised that he would giue it to him for a possession, and to his seede after him, when as yet hee had no childe.
But he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not a single square yard of ground. And yet He promised to bestow the land as a permanent possession on him and his posterity after him--and promised this at a time when Abraham was childless.
6 But God spake thus, that his seede should be a soiourner in a strange land: and that they should keepe it in bondage, and entreate it euill foure hundreth yeeres.
And God declared that Abraham's posterity should for four hundred years make their home in a country not their own, and be reduced to slavery and be oppressed.
7 But the nation to whome they shall be in bondage, will I iudge, sayth God: and after that, they shall come forth and serue me in this place.
"'And the nation, whichever it is, that enslaves them, I will judge,' said God; 'and afterwards they shall come out, and they shall worship Me in this place.'
8 Hee gaue him also the couenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begate Isaac, and circumcised him the eight day: and Isaac begate Iacob, and Iacob the twelue Patriarkes.
"Then He gave him the Covenant of circumcision, and under this Covenant he became the father of Isaac--whom he circumcised on the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve Patriarchs.
9 And the Patriarkes moued with enuie, solde Ioseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
"The Patriarchs were jealous of Joseph and sold him into slavery in Egypt. But God was with him
10 And deliuered him out of all his afflictions, and gaue him fauour and wisdome in the sight of Pharao King of Egypt, who made him gouernour ouer Egypt, and ouer his whole house.
and delivered him from all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him governor over Egypt and all the royal household.
11 Then came there a famine ouer all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction, that our fathers found no sustenance.
But there came a famine throughout the whole of Egypt and Canaan--and great distress--so that our forefathers could find no food.
12 But when Iacob heard that there was corne in Egypt, he sent our fathers first:
When, however, Jacob heard that there was wheat to be had, he sent our forefathers into Egypt; that was the first time.
13 And at the second time, Ioseph was knowen of his brethren, and Iosephs kindred was made knowen vnto Pharao.
On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Pharaoh was informed of Joseph's parentage.
14 Then sent Ioseph and caused his father to be brought, and all his kindred, euen threescore and fifteene soules.
Then Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his family, numbering seventy-five persons, to come to him,
15 So Iacob went downe into Egypt, and he dyed, and our fathers,
and Jacob went down into Egypt. There he died, and so did our forefathers,
16 And were remoued into Sychem, and were put in the sepulchre, that Abraham had bought for money of the sonnes of Emor, sonne of Sychem.
and they were taken to Shechem and were laid in the tomb which Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a sum of money paid in silver.
17 But when the time of the promise drewe neere, which God had sworne to Abraham, the people grewe and multiplied in Egypt,
"But as the time drew near for the fulfilment of the promise which God had made to Abraham, the people became many times more numerous in Egypt,
18 Till another King arose, which knewe not Ioseph.
until there arose a foreign king over Egypt who knew nothing of Joseph.
19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and euill entreated our fathers, and made them to cast out their yong children, that they should not remaine aliue.
He adopted a crafty policy towards our race, and oppressed our forefathers, making them cast out their infants so that they might not be permitted to live.
20 The same time was Moses borne, and was acceptable vnto God, which was nourished vp in his fathers house three moneths.
At this time Moses was born--a wonderfully beautiful child; and for three months he was cared for in his father's house.
21 And when he was cast out, Pharaohs daughter tooke him vp, and nourished him for her owne sonne.
At length he was cast out, but Pharaoh's daughter adopted him, and brought him up as her own son.
22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdome of the Egyptians, and was mightie in wordes and in deedes.
So Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and possessed great influence through his eloquence and his achievements.
23 Nowe when he was full fourtie yeere olde, it came into his heart to visite his brethren, the children of Israel.
"And when he was just forty years old, it occurred to him to visit his brethren the descendants of Israel.
24 And whe he saw one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and auenged his quarell that had the harme done to him, and smote the Egyptian.
Seeing one of them wrongfully treated he took his part, and secured justice for the ill-treated man by striking down the Egyptian.
25 For hee supposed his brethren would haue vnderstand, that God by his hande should giue them deliuerance: but they vnderstoode it not.
He supposed his brethren to be aware that by him God was sending them deliverance; this, however, they did not understand.
26 And the next day, he shewed himselfe vnto them as they stroue, and woulde haue set them at one againe, saying, Syrs, ye are brethren: why doe ye wrong one to another?
The next day, also, he came and found two of them fighting, and he endeavoured to make peace between them. "'Sirs,' he said, 'you are brothers. Why are you wronging one another?'
27 But he that did his neighbour wrong, thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a prince, and a iudge ouer vs?
"But the man who was doing the wrong resented his interference, and asked, "'Who appointed you magistrate and judge over us?
28 Wilt thou kill mee, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?
Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'
29 Then fled Moses at that saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begate two sonnes.
"Alarmed at this question, Moses fled from the country and went to live in the land of Midian. There he became the father of two sons.
30 And when fourtie yeres were expired, there appeared to him in the wildernes of mout Sina, an Angel of the Lord in a flame of fire, in a bush.
"But at the end of forty years there appeared to him in the Desert of Mount Sinai an angel in the middle of a flame of fire in a bush.
31 And when Moses sawe it, hee wondred at the sight: and as he drew neere to consider it, the voyce of the Lord came vnto him, saying,
When Moses saw this he wondered at the sight; but on his going up to look further, the voice of the Lord was heard, saying,
32 I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold it.
"'I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.' "Quaking with fear Moses did not dare gaze.
33 Then the Lord said to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feete: for the place where thou standest, is holy ground.
"'Take off your shoes,' said the Lord, 'for the spot on which you are standing is holy ground.
34 I haue seene, I haue seene the affliction of my people, which is in Egypt, and I haue heard their groning, and am come downe to deliuer them: and nowe come, and I will sende thee into Egypt.
I have seen, yes, I have seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt and have heard their groans, and I have come down to deliver them. And now I will send you to Egypt.'
35 This Moses whome they forsooke, saying, Who made thee a prince and a iudge? the same God sent for a prince, and a deliuerer by the hand of the Angel, which appeared to him in the bush.
"The Moses whom they rejected, asking him, 'Who appointed you magistrate and judge?' --that same Moses we find God sending as a magistrate and a deliverer by the help of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 Hee brought them out, doing wonders, and miracles in the land of Egypt, and in the red sea, and in the wildernes fourtie yeeres.
This was he who brought them out, after performing marvels and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and in the Desert for forty years.
37 This is that Moses, which saide vnto the children of Israel, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise vp vnto you, euen of your brethren, like vnto me: him shall ye heare.
This is the Moses who said to the descendants of Israel, "'God will raise up a Prophet for you, from among your brethren, just as He raised me up.'
38 This is he that was in the Congregation, in the wildernes with the Angell, which spake to him in mount Sina, and with our fathers, who receiued the liuely oracles to giue vnto vs.
'This is he who was among the Congregation in the Desert, together with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and with our forefathers, who received ever-living utterances to hand on to us.
39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but refused, and in their hearts turned backe againe into Egypt:
"Our forefathers, however, would not submit to him, but spurned his authority and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
40 Saying vnto Aaron, Make vs gods that may goe before vs: for we knowe not what is become of this Moses that brought vs out of the land of Egypt.
They said to Aaron, "'Make gods for us, to march in front of us; for as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'
41 And they made a calfe in those dayes, and offered sacrifice vnto the idole, and reioyced in the workes of their owne handes.
"Moreover they made a calf at that time, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and kept rejoicing in the gods which their own hands had made.
42 Then God turned himselfe away, and gaue them vp to serue the host of heauen, as it is written in the booke of the Prophets, O house of Israel, haue ye offred to me slaine beasts and sacrifices by the space of fourtie yeres in the wildernes?
So God turned from them and gave them up to the worship of the Host of Heaven, as it is written in the Book of the Prophets, "'Were they victims and sacrifices which you offered Me, forty years in the Desert, O House of Israel?
43 And ye tooke vp the tabernacle of Moloch, and the starre of your god Remphan, figures, which ye made to worship them: therefore I will carie you away beyond Babylon.
Yes, you lifted up Moloch's tent and the Star of the God Rephan--the images which you made in order to worship them; and I will remove you beyond Babylon.'
44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witnes, in the wildernes, as hee had appointed, speaking vnto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seene.
"Our forefathers had the Tent of the Testimony in the Desert, built as He who spoke to Moses had instructed him to make it in imitation of the model which he had seen.
45 Which tabernacle also our fathers receiued, and brought in with Iesus into the possession of the Gentiles, which God draue out before our fathers, vnto the dayes of Dauid:
That Tent was bequeathed to the next generation of our forefathers. Under Joshua they brought it with them when they were taking possession of the land of the Gentile nations, whom God drove out before them. So it continued till David's time.
46 Who found fauour before God, and desired that hee might finde a tabernacle for the God of Iacob.
David obtained favour with God, and asked leave to provide a dwelling-place for the God of Jacob.
47 But Salomon built him an house.
But it was Solomon who built a house for Him.
48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with handes, as saith the Prophet,
Yet the Most High does not dwell in buildings erected by men's hands. But, as the Prophet declares,
49 Heauen is my throne, and earth is my footestoole: what house wil ye build for me, saith the Lord? or what place is it that I should rest in?
"'The sky is My throne, and earth is the footstool for My feet. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or what resting place shall I have?
50 Hath not mine hand made all these things?
Did not My hand form this universe.'
51 Ye stiffenecked and of vncircumcised heartes and eares, ye haue alwayes resisted the holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do you.
"O stiff-necked men, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you also are continually at strife with the Holy Spirit--just as your forefathers were.
52 Which of the Prophets haue not your fathers persecuted? and they haue slaine them, which shewed before of the comming of that Iust, of whome ye are now the betrayers and murtherers,
Which of the Prophets did not your forefathers persecute? Yes, they killed those who announced beforehand the advent of the righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become--
53 Which haue receiued the Lawe by the ordinance of Angels, and haue not kept it.
you who received the Law given through angels, and yet have not obeyed it."
54 But when they heard these thinges, their heartes brast for anger, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
As they listened to these words, they became infuriated and gnashed their teeth at him.
55 But he being full of the holy Ghost, looked stedfastly into heauen, and sawe the glory of God, and Iesus standing at the right hand of God,
But, full of the Holy Spirit and looking up to Heaven, Stephen saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand.
56 And said, Beholde, I see the heauens open, and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God.
"I can see Heaven wide open," he said, "and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand."
57 Then they gaue a shoute with a loude voyce, and stopped their eares, and ranne vpon him violently all at once,
Upon this, with a loud outcry they stopped their ears, rushed upon Stephen in a body,
58 And cast him out of the citie, and stoned him: and the witnesses layd downe their clothes at a yong mans feete, named Saul.
dragged him out of the city, and stoned him, the witnesses throwing off their outer garments and giving them into the care of a young man called Saul.
59 And they stoned Steuen, who called on God, and said, Lord Iesus, receiue my spirit.
So they stoned Stephen, while he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
60 And he kneeled downe, and cried with a loude voyce, Lord, laye not this sinne to their charge. And when he had thus spoken, he slept.
Then, rising on his knees, he cried aloud, "Lord, do not reckon this sin against them." And with these words he fell asleep.
