Imisebenzi 7
1 Umpristi omkhulu wasesithi: Kambe lezizinto zinjalo?
Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?”
2 Wasesithi: Madoda, bazalwane labobaba, lalelani. UNkulunkulu wenkazimulo wabonakala kubaba wethu uAbrahama eseMesopotamiya, engakahlali eHarani,
And Stephen said: “Noble brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he stayed in Haran.
3 wasesithi kuye: Phuma elizweni lakini lezihlotsheni zakho, uze elizweni engizakutshengisa lona.
And God said to him, ‘Depart from your country and from your kindred, and go into the land that I will show to you.’
4 Wasesuka elizweni lamaKhaladiya wahlala eHarani; kwathi esuka lapho, emva kokufa kukayise, wamsusa wamhlalisa kulelilizwe elihlezi kilo lina khathesi;
Then he went away from the land of the Chaldeans, and he lived at Haran. And later, after his father was dead, God brought him into this land, in which 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 the space of one step. But he promised to give it to him as a possession, and to his offspring after him, though he did not have a son.
6 UNkulunkulu wasekhuluma kanje esithi inzalo yakhe izakuba yisihambi elizweni lemzini, bazayenza isigqili bazayiphatha kubi, iminyaka engamakhulu amane;
Then God told him that his offspring would be a settler in a foreign land, and that they would subjugate them, and treat them badly, 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 the Lord. ‘And after these things, they shall depart and shall serve me in this place.’
8 Wasemnika isivumelwano sokusoka; ngokunjalo wazala uIsaka, wamsoka ngosuku lwesificaminwembili; loIsaka wazala uJakobe, loJakobe okhokho abalitshumi lambili.
And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so he conceived Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac conceived Jacob, and Jacob, the twelve Patriarchs.
9 Okhokho basebesiba lomona bathengisa uJosefa eGibhithe; kodwa uNkulunkulu wayelaye,
And the Patriarchs, being jealous, sold Joseph into Egypt. But 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 he rescued him from all his tribulations. And he gave him grace and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And he appointed him as governor over Egypt and over all his house.
11 Kwasekufika indlala elizweni lonke leGibhithe leleKhanani, lokuhlupheka okukhulu; labobaba bethu kabatholanga ukudla.
Then a famine occurred in all of Egypt and Canaan, and a great tribulation. And our fathers did not find food.
12 Kodwa uJakobe esezwile ukuthi kukhona amabele eGibhithe, wathuma obaba bethu okokuqala.
But when Jacob had heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers first.
13 Kwathi ngokwesibili uJosefa waziswa kubafowabo, labakibo kaJosefa babonakaliswa kuFaro.
And on the second occasion, Joseph was recognized by his brothers, and his ancestry was made manifest to Pharaoh.
14 UJosefa wasethumela wabizela kuye uyise uJakobe, lalo lonke usendo lwakhe, kulemiphefumulo engamatshumi ayisikhombisa lanhlanu.
Then Joseph sent for and brought his father Jacob, with all his kindred, seventy-five souls.
15 UJakobe wasesehlela eGibhithe, wasesifa yena labobaba bethu;
And Jacob descended into Egypt, and he passed away, and so did our fathers.
16 basebethwalelwa eShikemi, balaliswa engcwabeni uAbrahama ayelithenge ngentengo yemali kumadodana kaHamori weShikemi.
And they crossed over into Shechem, and they were placed in the sepulcher which Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the son of Shechem.
17 Kwathi sesisondele isikhathi sesithembiso uNkulunkulu ayesifunge kuAbrahama, bakhula abantu banda eGibhithe,
And when the time of the Promise that God had revealed to Abraham drew near, the people increased and were multiplied in Egypt,
18 kwaze kwavela enye inkosi, eyayingamazi uJosefa.
even until another king, who did not know Joseph, rose up in Egypt.
19 Yona yasiphatha ngobuqili isizukulu sakithi, yabahlupha obaba bethu, ukubalahlisa insane zabo, ukuze zingaphili.
This one, encompassing our kindred, afflicted our fathers, so that they would expose their infants, lest they be kept alive.
20 Ngalesosikhathi kwazalwa uMozisi, waba muhle kuNkulunkulu; owondliwa endlini kayise inyanga ezintathu.
In the same time, Moses was born. And he was in the grace of God, and he was nourished for three months in the house of his father.
21 Eselahliwe, indodakazi kaFaro yamdobha, yazondlela yena ukuthi abe yindodana.
Then, having been abandoned, the daughter of Pharaoh took him in, and she raised him as her own son.
22 Njalo uMozisi wafundiswa kuyo yonke inhlakanipho yamaGibhithe; wasesiba lamandla ngamazwi langemisebenzi.
And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. And he was mighty in his words and in his deeds.
23 Kwathi eselesikhathi seminyaka engamatshumi amane agcweleyo, kwafika enhliziyweni yakhe ukuthi ahambele abafowabo abantwana bakoIsrayeli.
But when forty years of age were completed in him, it rose up in his heart that he should visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.
24 Kwathi ebona omunye ephathwa kubi, wamvikela wamphindisela ohlutshwayo, watshaya umGibhithe;
And when he had seen a certain one suffering injury, he defended him. And striking the Egyptian, he wrought a retribution for him who was enduring the injury.
25 njalo wayethemba ukuthi abafowabo bazaqedisisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ubanika inkululeko ngesandla sakhe; kodwa kabaqedisisanga.
Now he supposed that his brothers would understand that God would grant them salvation through his hand. But they did not understand it.
26 Njalo ngosuku olulandelayo wazibonakalisa kubo ababesilwa, wabalamula ngamandla, esithi: Madoda, lingabazalwane; liphathanelani kubi?
So truly, on the following day, he appeared before those who were arguing, and he would have reconciled them in peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. So why would you harm one another?’
27 Kodwa lowo owayemona umakhelwane wamsunduza, esithi: Ubekwe ngubani ukuba ngumbusi lomahluleli phezu kwethu?
But he who was causing the injury to his neighbor rejected him, saying: ‘Who has appointed you as leader and judge over us?
28 Usufuna ukungibulala yini, njengoba ubulele umGibhithe izolo?
Could it be that you want to kill me, in the same way that you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
29 Ngalelilizwi uMozisi wasebaleka, waba ngowemzini elizweni leMadiyani, lapho azala khona amadodana amabili.
Then, at this word, Moses fled. And he became a foreigner in the land of Midian, where he produced two sons.
30 Kwathi sekugcwaliseke iminyaka engamatshumi amane, kwabonakala kuye enkangala yentaba iSinayi ingilosi yeNkosi phakathi kwelangabi lomlilo esihlahleni.
And when forty years were completed, there appeared to him, in the desert of Mount Sinai, an Angel, in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 Kwathi uMozisi esebonile wamangala ngalowombono; esasondela ukuthi akhangelisise, ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuye lisithi:
And upon seeing this, Moses was amazed at the sight. And as he drew near in order to gaze at it, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying:
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, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses, being made to tremble, did not dare to look.
33 INkosi yasisithi kuye: Khulula amanyathela enyaweni zakho; ngoba indawo omi kiyo ingumhlabathi ongcwele.
But the Lord said to him: ‘Loosen the shoes from your feet. For the place in which you stand is holy ground.
34 Ngikubonile lokukubona ukuhlutshwa kwabantu bami abaseGibhithe, njalo ngizwile ukububula kwabo; sengehlile ukuthi ngibakhulule; khathesi-ke woza, ngizakuthuma eGibhithe.
Certainly, I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning. And so, I am coming down to free them. And now, go forth and I will send you into 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 rejected by saying, ‘Who has appointed you as leader and judge?’ is the one God sent to be leader and redeemer, by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 Yena wabakhupha, esenze izimangaliso lezibonakaliso elizweni leGibhithe loLwandle oluBomvu, lenkangala iminyaka engamatshumi amane.
This man led them out, accomplishing signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and at the Red Sea, and in the desert, for forty years.
37 Nguye lowo uMozisi owathi kubantwana bakoIsrayeli: INkosi uNkulunkulu wenu uzalivusela umprofethi kubazalwane benu onjengami; lizamuzwa yena.
This is Moses, who said to the sons of Israel: ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own brothers. You shall listen to him.’
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 Church in the wilderness, with the Angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. It is he who received the words of life to give to us.
39 yena obaba bethu abangavumanga ukumlalela, kodwa bamsunduzela eceleni, basebebuyela eGibhithe ngenhliziyo zabo,
It is he whom our fathers were not willing to obey. Instead, they rejected him, and in their hearts they turned away toward Egypt,
40 besithi kuAroni: Senzele onkulunkulu abazahamba phambi kwethu; ngoba uMozisi lo, owasikhupha elizweni iGibhithe, kasazi ukuthi wehlelwe yini.
saying to Aaron: ‘Make gods for us, which may go before us. For this Moses, who led us away from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’
41 Basebesenza ithole ngalezonsuku, baletha umhlatshelo esithombeni, bajabula ngemisebenzi yezandla zabo.
And so they fashioned a calf in those days, and they offered sacrifices to an idol, and they rejoiced in the works of their own 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?
Then God turned, and he handed them over, to subservience to the armies of heaven, just as it was written in the Book of the Prophets: ‘Did you not offer victims and sacrifices to me for forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?
43 Njalo lathatha ithabhanekele likaMoloki lenkanyezi kankulunkulu wenu uRefani, imifanekiso elayenza ukuthi liyikhonze; njalo ngizalithuthela ngaphambili kweBhabhiloni.
And yet you took up for yourselves the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, figures which you yourselves formed in order to adore them. And so I will carry you away, beyond Babylon.’
44 Obaba bethu babelalo ithabhanekele lobufakazi enkangala, njengokulayela kwalowo owakhuluma loMozisi, ukuthi alenze ngomfanekiso ayewubonile;
The tabernacle of the testimony was with our fathers in the desert, just as God ordained for them, speaking to Moses, so that he would make it according to the form 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;
But our fathers, receiving it, also brought it, with Joshua, into the land of the Gentiles, whom God expelled before the face of our fathers, even until the days of David,
46 owathola umusa phambi kukaNkulunkulu, wacela ukutholela uNkulunkulu kaJakobe ithabhanekele.
who found grace before God and who asked that he might obtain a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
47 Kodwa uSolomoni wamakhela indlu.
But it was Solomon who built a house for him.
48 Kodwa oPhezukonke kahlali ethempelini elenziwe ngezandla, njengokutsho komprofethi ukuthi:
Yet the Most High does not live in houses built by hands, just as he said through the prophet:
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 is my footstool. What kind of house would you build for me? says the Lord. And which is my resting place?
50 Isandla sami kasizenzanga yini zonke lezizinto?
Has not my hand made all these things?’
51 Lina ntamo zilukhuni njalo abangasokanga enhliziyweni lendlebeni, lina limelana njalonjalo loMoya oyiNgcwele; njengaboyihlo, linjalo lani.
Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you ever resist the Holy Spirit. Just as your fathers did, so also do you do.
52 Nguwuphi owabaprofethi oyihlo abangamzingelanga? Basebebulala labo abamemezela ngaphambili ngokuza koLungileyo, yena lo lina khathesi eselabangabanikeli lababulali bakhe;
Which of the Prophets have your fathers not persecuted? And they killed those who foretold the advent of the Just One. And you have now become the betrayers and murderers of him.
53 elemukela umlayo ngokuhlela kwezingilosi, kodwa kaliwulondolozanga.
You received the law by the actions of Angels, and yet you have not kept it.”
54 Bathi sebezwile lezizinto, bahlabeka enhliziyweni zabo, bamgedlela amazinyo.
Then, upon hearing these things, they were deeply wounded in their hearts, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
55 Kodwa yena egcwele uMoya oNgcwele, wajolozela ezulwini, wabona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, loJesu emi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu,
But he, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and gazing intently toward heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56 wasesithi: Khangelani, ngibona amazulu evulekile, leNdodana yomuntu imi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu.
And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.”
57 Kodwa bamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu, bavala indlebe zabo, batheleka phezu kwakhe bengqondonye;
Then they, crying out with a loud voice, blocked their ears and, with one accord, rushed violently toward him.
58 basebemkhuphela ngaphandle komuzi, bamkhanda ngamatshe; labafakazi babeka phansi izembatho zabo enyaweni zejaha elithiwa nguSawuli.
And driving him out, beyond the city, they stoned him. And witnesses placed their garments beside the feet of a youth, who was called Saul.
59 Bamkhanda ngamatshe uStefane, ebiza esithi: Nkosi Jesu, yemukela umoya wami.
And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
60 Waseguqa ngamadolo, wamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu esithi: Nkosi, ungababaleli lesisono. Esetshilo lokhu walala.
Then, having been brought to his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord.
