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There was a man in the land of ‘Utz whose name was Iyov. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 pairs of oxen and 500 female donkeys, as well as a great number of servants; so that he was the wealthiest man in the east.

It was the custom of his sons to give banquets, each on his set day in his own house; and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. After a cycle of banquets, Iyov would send for them to come and be consecrated; then he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings for each of them, because Iyov said, “My sons might have sinned and blasphemed God in their thoughts.” This is what Iyov did every time.

It happened one day that the sons of God came to serve Adonai, and among them came the Adversary [a]. Adonai asked the Adversary, “Where are you coming from?” The Adversary answered Adonai, “From roaming through the earth, wandering here and there.” Adonai asked the Adversary, “Did you notice my servant Iyov, that there’s no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil?” The Adversary answered Adonai, “Is it for nothing that Iyov fears God? 10 You’ve put a protective hedge around him, his house and everything he has. You’ve prospered his work, and his livestock are spread out all over the land. 11 But if you reach out your hand and touch whatever he has, without doubt he’ll curse you to your face!” 12 Adonai said to the Adversary, “Here! Everything he has is in your hands, except that you are not to lay a finger on his person.” Then the Adversary went out from the presence of Adonai.

13 One day when Iyov’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking in their oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to him and said, “The oxen were plowing, with the donkeys grazing near them, 15 when a raiding party from Sh’va came and carried them off; they put the servants to the sword too, and I’m the only one who escaped to tell you.”

16 While he was still speaking, another one came and said, “Fire from God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants; it completely destroyed them, and I’m the only one who escaped to tell you.”

17 While he was still speaking, another one came and said, “The Kasdim, three bands of them, fell on the camels and carried them off; they put the servants to the sword too, and I’m the only one who escaped to tell you.”

18 While he was still speaking, another one came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a strong wind blew in from over the desert. It struck the four corners of the house, so that it fell on the young people; they are dead, and I’m the only one who escaped to tell you.”

20 Iyov got up, tore his coat, shaved his head, fell down on the ground and worshipped; 21 he said,

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will return there.
Adonai gave; Adonai took;
blessed be the name of Adonai.”

22 In all this Iyov neither committed a sin nor put blame on God.

Another day came when the sons of God came to serve Adonai, and among them came the Adversary to serve Adonai. Adonai asked the Adversary, “Where are you coming from?” The Adversary answered Adonai, “From roaming through the earth, wandering here and there.” Adonai asked the Adversary, “Did you notice my servant Iyov, that there’s no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil, and that he still holds on to his integrity, even though you provoked me against him to destroy him for no reason?” The Adversary answered Adonai, “Skin for skin! A person will give up everything he has to save his life. But if you reach out your hand and touch his flesh and bone, without doubt he’ll curse you to your face!” Adonai said to the Adversary, “Here! He is in your hands, except that you are to spare his life.”

Then the Adversary went out from the presence of Adonai and struck Iyov down with horrible infected sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. He took a piece of a broken pot to scratch himself and sat down in the pile of ashes. His wife asked him, “Why do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God, and die!” 10 But he answered her, “You’re talking like a low-class woman! Are we to receive the good at God’s hands but reject the bad?” In all this Iyov did not say one sinful word.

11 Now when Iyov’s three friends heard of all the calamities that had overwhelmed him, they all came. Each came from his own home — Elifaz from Teiman, Bildad from Shuach and Tzofar from Na‘amah. They had agreed to meet together in order to come and offer him sympathy and comfort. 12 When they saw him from a distance, they couldn’t even recognize him. They wept aloud, tore their coats and threw dust over their heads toward heaven. 13 Then they sat down with him on the ground. For seven days and seven nights, no one spoke a word to him; because they saw how much he was suffering. 14 (3:1) At length, Iyov broke the silence and cursed the day of his [birth].

Footnotes

  1. Job 1:6 Hebrew: Satan

Prologue

In the land of Uz(A) there lived a man whose name was Job.(B) This man was blameless(C) and upright;(D) he feared God(E) and shunned evil.(F) He had seven sons(G) and three daughters,(H) and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys,(I) and had a large number of servants.(J) He was the greatest man(K) among all the people of the East.(L)

His sons used to hold feasts(M) in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified.(N) Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering(O) for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned(P) and cursed God(Q) in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

One day the angels[a](R) came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b](S) also came with them.(T) The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”(U)

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?(V) There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God(W) and shuns evil.”(X)

“Does Job fear God for nothing?”(Y) Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge(Z) around him and his household and everything he has?(AA) You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.(AB) 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has,(AC) and he will surely curse you to your face.”(AD)

12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has(AE) is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”(AF)

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters(AG) were feasting(AH) and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing(AI) nearby, 15 and the Sabeans(AJ) attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens(AK) and burned up the sheep and the servants,(AL) and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans(AM) formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters(AN) were feasting(AO) and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind(AP) swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead,(AQ) and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!(AR)

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe(AS) and shaved his head.(AT) Then he fell to the ground in worship(AU) 21 and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
    and naked I will depart.[c](AV)
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;(AW)
    may the name of the Lord be praised.”(AX)

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.(AY)

On another day the angels[d](AZ) came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them(BA) to present himself before him. And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”(BB)

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.(BC) And he still maintains his integrity,(BD) though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”(BE)

“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has(BF) for his own life. But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones,(BG) and he will surely curse you to your face.”(BH)

The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands;(BI) but you must spare his life.”(BJ)

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.(BK) Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.(BL)

His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity?(BM) Curse God and die!”(BN)

10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish[e] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”(BO)

In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.(BP)

11 When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite,(BQ) Bildad the Shuhite(BR) and Zophar the Naamathite,(BS) heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.(BT) 12 When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him;(BU) they began to weep aloud,(BV) and they tore their robes(BW) and sprinkled dust on their heads.(BX) 13 Then they sat on the ground(BY) with him for seven days and seven nights.(BZ) No one said a word to him,(CA) because they saw how great his suffering was.

Footnotes

  1. Job 1:6 Hebrew the sons of God
  2. Job 1:6 Hebrew satan means adversary.
  3. Job 1:21 Or will return there
  4. Job 2:1 Hebrew the sons of God
  5. Job 2:10 The Hebrew word rendered foolish denotes moral deficiency.

Around this time, when the number of talmidim was growing, the Greek-speaking Jews began complaining against those who spoke Hebrew that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. So the Twelve called a general meeting of the talmidim and said, “It isn’t appropriate that we should neglect the Word of God in order to serve tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among yourselves who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint them to be in charge of this important matter, but we ourselves will give our full attention to praying and to serving the Word.”

What they said was agreeable to the whole gathering. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Ruach HaKodesh, Philip, Prochoros, Nikanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas, who was a proselyte from Antioch. They presented these men to the emissaries, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

So the word of God continued to spread. The number of talmidim in Yerushalayim increased rapidly, and a large crowd of cohanim were becoming obedient to the faith.

Now Stephen, full of grace and power, performed great miracles and signs among the people. But opposition arose from members of the Synagogue of the Freed Slaves (as it was called), composed of Cyrenians, Alexandrians and people from Cilicia and the province of Asia. They argued with Stephen, 10 but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by which he spoke.

11 So they secretly persuaded some men to allege, “We heard him speak blasphemously against Moshe and against God.” 12 They stirred up the people, as well as the elders and the Torah-teachers; so they came and arrested him and led him before the Sanhedrin. 13 There they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the Torah; 14 for we have heard him say that Yeshua from Natzeret will destroy this place and will change the customs Moshe handed down to us.”

15 Everyone sitting in the Sanhedrin stared at Stephen and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.

The cohen hagadol asked, “Are these accusations true?” and Stephen said:

“Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to Avraham avinu in Mesopotamia before he lived in Haran and said to him, ‘Leave your land and your family, and go into the land that I will show you.’[a] So he left the land of the Kasdim and lived in Haran. After his father died, God made him move to this land where you are living now. He gave him no inheritance in it, not even space for one foot;[b] yet he promised to give it to him as a possession and to his descendants after him,[c] even though at the time he was childless. What God said to him was, ‘Your descendants will be aliens in a foreign land, where they will be in slavery and oppressed for four hundred years. But I will judge the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterwards they will leave and worship me in this place.’[d] And he gave him b’rit-milah. So he became the father of Yitz’chak and did his b’rit-milah on the eighth day, and Yitz’chak became the father of Ya‘akov, and Ya‘akov became the father of the Twelve Patriarchs.

“Now the Patriarchs grew jealous of Yosef and sold him into slavery in Egypt. But Adonai was with him;[e] 10 he rescued him from all his troubles and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him chief administrator over Egypt and over all his household.[f] 11 Now there came a famine that caused much suffering throughout Egypt and Kena‘an[g] 12 But when Ya‘akov heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time. 13 The second time, Yosef revealed his identity to his brothers,[h] and Yosef’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14 Yosef then sent for his father Ya‘akov and all his relatives, seventy-five people. 15 And Ya‘akov went down to Egypt; there he died, as did our other ancestors. 16 Their bodies were removed to Sh’khem and buried in the tomb Avraham had bought from the family of Hamor in Sh’khem for a certain sum of money.

17 “As the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise God had made to Avraham, the number of our people in Egypt increased greatly, 18 until there arose another king over Egypt who had no knowledge of Yosef.[i] 19 With cruel cunning this man forced our fathers to put their newborn babies outside their homes, so that they would not survive.

20 “It was then that Moshe was born, and he was beautiful in God’s sight. For three months he was reared in his father’s house; 21 and when he was put out of his home, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. 22 So Moshe was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and became both a powerful speaker and a man of action.

23 “But when he was forty years old, the thought came to him to visit his brothers, the people of Isra’el. 24 On seeing one of them being mistreated, he went to his defense and took revenge by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He supposed his brothers would understand that God was using him to rescue them, but they didn’t understand. 26 When he appeared the next day, as they were fighting, and tried to make peace between them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers! Why do you want to hurt each other?’ 27 the one who was mistreating his fellow pushed Moshe away and said, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me, the way you killed that Egyptian yesterday?’[j] 29 On hearing this, Moshe fled the country and became an exile in the land of Midyan, where he had two sons.

30 “After forty more years, an angel appeared to him in the desert near Mount Sinai in the flames of a burning thorn bush. 31 When Moshe saw this, he was amazed at the sight; and as he approached to get a better look, there came the voice of Adonai, 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov.’ But Moshe trembled with fear and didn’t dare to look. 33 Adonai said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, because the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have clearly seen how My people are being oppressed in Egypt, I have heard their cry, and I have come down to rescue them, and now I will send you to Egypt.’[k]

35 “This Moshe, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge?’ is the very one whom God sent as both ruler and ransomer by means of the angel that appeared to him in the thorn bush. 36 This man led them out, performing miracles and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moshe who said to the people of Isra’el, ‘God will raise up a prophet like me from among your brothers’[l] 38 This is the man who was in the assembly in the wilderness, accompanied by the angel that had spoken to him at Mount Sinai and by our fathers, the man who was given living words to pass on to us.

39 “But our fathers did not want to obey him. On the contrary, they rejected him and in their hearts turned to Egypt, 40 saying to Aharon, ‘Make us some gods to lead us; because this Moshe, who led us out of Egypt — we don’t know what has become of him.’[m] 41 That was when they made an idol in the shape of a calf and offered a sacrifice to it and held a celebration in honor of what they had made with their own hands. 42 So God turned away from them and gave them over to worship the stars[n] — as has been written in the book of the prophets,

‘People of Isra’el, it was not to me
that you offered slaughtered animals
and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness!
43 No, you carried the tent of Molekh
and the star of your god Reifan,
the idols you made so that you could worship them.
Therefore, I will send you into exile beyond Bavel.’[o]

44 “Our fathers had the Tent of Witness in the wilderness. It had been made just as God, who spoke to Moshe, had ordered it made, according to the pattern Moshe had seen. 45 Later on, our fathers who had received it brought it in with Y’hoshua when they took the Land away from the nations that God drove out before them.

“So it was until the days of David. 46 He enjoyed God’s favor and asked if he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Ya‘akov 47 and Shlomo did build him a house. 48 But Ha‘Elyon does not live in places made by hand! As the prophet says,

49 ‘Heaven is my throne,’ says Adonai,
‘and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house could you build for me?
What kind of place could you devise for my rest?
50 Didn’t I myself make all these things?’[p]

51 Stiffnecked people,[q] with uncircumcised hearts and ears![r] You continually oppose the Ruach HaKodesh![s] You do the same things your fathers did! 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who told in advance about the coming of the Tzaddik, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers! — 53 you! — who receive the Torah as having been delivered by angels — but do not keep it!”

54 On hearing these things, they were cut to their hearts and ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Ruach HaKodesh, looked up to heaven and saw God’s Sh’khinah, with Yeshua standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look!” he exclaimed, “I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God![t]

57 At this, they began yelling at the top of their voices, so that they wouldn’t have to hear him; and with one accord, they rushed at him, 58 threw him outside the city and began stoning him. And the witnesses laid down their coats at the feet of a young man named Sha’ul.

59 As they were stoning him, Stephen called out to God, “Lord Yeshua! Receive my spirit!” 60 Then he kneeled down and shouted out, “Lord! Don’t hold this sin against them!” With that, he died;

Footnotes

  1. Acts 7:3 Genesis 12:1
  2. Acts 7:5 Deuteronomy 2:5
  3. Acts 7:5 Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 15:4, 7, 18–21; 17:8; 24:7; 48:4
  4. Acts 7:7 Genesis 15:13–14, 16
  5. Acts 7:9 Genesis 37:11, 28; 39:1–3, 21, 23
  6. Acts 7:10 Genesis 41:37–44
  7. Acts 7:11 Genesis 41:54; 42:5
  8. Acts 7:13 Genesis 45:1
  9. Acts 7:18 Exodus 1:7–8
  10. Acts 7:28 Exodus 2:14
  11. Acts 7:34 Exodus 3:1–2
  12. Acts 7:37 Deuteronomy 18:15
  13. Acts 7:40 Exodus 32:1, 23
  14. Acts 7:42 Jeremiah 19:13
  15. Acts 7:43 Amos 5:25–27
  16. Acts 7:50 Isaiah 66:1–2
  17. Acts 7:51 Exodus 32:9; 33:3, 5
  18. Acts 7:51 Leviticus 26:41; Jeremiah 6:10; 9:25(26)
  19. Acts 7:51 Isaiah 63:10
  20. Acts 7:56 Psalm 110:1

The Choosing of the Seven

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing,(A) the Hellenistic Jews[a](B) among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows(C) were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.(D) So the Twelve gathered all the disciples(E) together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God(F) in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters,(G) choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit(H) and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them(I) and will give our attention to prayer(J) and the ministry of the word.”

This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen,(K) a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit;(L) also Philip,(M) Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed(N) and laid their hands on them.(O)

So the word of God spread.(P) The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly,(Q) and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen Seized

Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs(R) among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene(S) and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia(T) and Asia(U)—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.(V)

11 Then they secretly(W) persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”(X)

12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.(Y) 13 They produced false witnesses,(Z) who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place(AA) and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place(AB) and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”(AC)

15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin(AD) looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Stephen’s Speech to the Sanhedrin

Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”

To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers,(AE) listen to me! The God of glory(AF) appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran.(AG) ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’[b](AH)

“So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Harran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living.(AI) He gave him no inheritance here,(AJ) not even enough ground to set his foot on. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land,(AK) even though at that time Abraham had no child. God spoke to him in this way: ‘For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated.(AL) But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’[c](AM) Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision.(AN) And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth.(AO) Later Isaac became the father of Jacob,(AP) and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.(AQ)

“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph,(AR) they sold him as a slave into Egypt.(AS) But God was with him(AT) 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.(AU)

11 “Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food.(AV) 12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our forefathers on their first visit.(AW) 13 On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was,(AX) and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family.(AY) 14 After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family,(AZ) seventy-five in all.(BA) 15 Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our ancestors died.(BB) 16 Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.(BC)

17 “As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased.(BD) 18 Then ‘a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.’[d](BE) 19 He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our ancestors by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die.(BF)

20 “At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child.[e] For three months he was cared for by his family.(BG) 21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.(BH) 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians(BI) and was powerful in speech and action.

23 “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. 24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. 26 The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’

27 “But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?(BJ) 28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’[f] 29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.(BK)

30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say:(BL) 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers,(BM) the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’[g] Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.(BN)

33 “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.(BO) 34 I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’[h](BP)

35 “This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’(BQ) He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 He led them out of Egypt(BR) and performed wonders and signs(BS) in Egypt, at the Red Sea(BT) and for forty years in the wilderness.(BU)

37 “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’[i](BV) 38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel(BW) who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors;(BX) and he received living words(BY) to pass on to us.(BZ)

39 “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.(CA) 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’[j](CB) 41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made.(CC) 42 But God turned away from them(CD) and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars.(CE) This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:

“‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
    forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?
43 You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek
    and the star of your god Rephan,
    the idols you made to worship.
Therefore I will send you into exile’[k](CF) beyond Babylon.

44 “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law(CG) with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.(CH) 45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them.(CI) It remained in the land until the time of David,(CJ) 46 who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.[l](CK) 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.(CL)

48 “However, the Most High(CM) does not live in houses made by human hands.(CN) As the prophet says:

49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool.(CO)
What kind of house will you build for me?
says the Lord.
    Or where will my resting place be?
50 Has not my hand made all these things?’[m](CP)

51 “You stiff-necked people!(CQ) Your hearts(CR) and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?(CS) They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him(CT) 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels(CU) but have not obeyed it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious(CV) and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,(CW) looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.(CX) 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open(CY) and the Son of Man(CZ) standing at the right hand of God.”

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city(DA) and began to stone him.(DB) Meanwhile, the witnesses(DC) laid their coats(DD) at the feet of a young man named Saul.(DE)

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”(DF) 60 Then he fell on his knees(DG) and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”(DH) When he had said this, he fell asleep.(DI)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 6:1 That is, Jews who had adopted the Greek language and culture
  2. Acts 7:3 Gen. 12:1
  3. Acts 7:7 Gen. 15:13,14
  4. Acts 7:18 Exodus 1:8
  5. Acts 7:20 Or was fair in the sight of God
  6. Acts 7:28 Exodus 2:14
  7. Acts 7:32 Exodus 3:6
  8. Acts 7:34 Exodus 3:5,7,8,10
  9. Acts 7:37 Deut. 18:15
  10. Acts 7:40 Exodus 32:1
  11. Acts 7:43 Amos 5:25-27 (see Septuagint)
  12. Acts 7:46 Some early manuscripts the house of Jacob
  13. Acts 7:50 Isaiah 66:1,2