Add parallel Print Page Options

司提反的申辯

大祭司說:“真有這些事嗎?” 司提反說:“各位父老兄弟請聽!我們的祖宗亞伯拉罕,在美索不達米亞,還沒有住在哈蘭的時候,榮耀的 神向他顯現, 對他說:‘你要離開本地本族,到我指示你的地方去。’ 他就離開迦勒底人的地方,住在哈蘭。他父親死後, 神又叫他從那裡遷到你們現在所住的地方。 在這裡 神並沒有賜他產業,連立足之地也沒有。但 神應許把這地賜給他和他的後裔為業,雖然那時他還沒有兒子。  神就這樣說:‘你的後裔必在外地寄居,人要奴役、虐待他們四百年。’  神又說:‘奴役他們的那個國家,我要親自懲罰。以後,他們要出來,在這地方事奉我。’  神也賜他割禮為約。這樣,亞伯拉罕生了以撒,第八天就給他行了割禮。後來,以撒生雅各,雅各生了十二位祖先。

“祖先妒忌約瑟,把他賣到埃及去,然而 神與他同在, 10 救他脫離一切苦難,使他在埃及王法老面前,有智慧、得恩寵。法老立他為首相,管理埃及和法老的全家。 11 後來埃及和迦南全地遭遇饑荒、大災難,我們的祖先找不到糧食。 12 雅各聽見埃及有穀糧,就派我們的祖先去,這是第一次。 13 第二次的時候,約瑟就向哥哥們表露自己的身世,法老才知道約瑟的家世。 14 約瑟就派人去把他父親雅各和全家七十五人都接來。 15 於是雅各下了埃及。後來他和我們祖先都死了, 16 運到示劍,埋葬在亞伯拉罕用銀子向哈抹子孫買來的墳地裡。

17 “ 神給亞伯拉罕的應許快要實現的時候,以色列人在埃及人口繁盛增多; 18 但是,到了另一位不認識約瑟的君王興起統治埃及的時候, 19 他就謀害我們的同胞,虐待我們的祖先,逼他們拋棄自己的嬰孩,不容嬰孩存活。 20 就在那時候,摩西出生了,他非常俊美,在父親的家中撫養了三個月。 21 他被拋棄的時候,法老的女兒把他拾起來,當作兒子撫養。 22 摩西學盡了埃及人的一切學問,說話行事都有能力。

23 “到了四十歲,他心中起了一個念頭,要去看望自己的同胞以色列人。 24 當他看見有一個人受欺負,就去護衛,為那受屈的抱不平,打死了那個埃及人。 25 他以為同胞們都必知道 神要藉著他的手拯救他們,事實上他們卻不知道。 26 第二天,有人在打架,摩西就出面調解,說:‘你們是弟兄,為甚麼彼此欺負呢?’ 27 那欺負鄰舍的把他推開,說:‘誰立了你作我們的領袖和審判官呢? 28 難道你想殺我,像昨天殺那個埃及人一樣嗎?’ 29 摩西因為這句話,就逃到米甸地寄居,在那裡生了兩個兒子。

30 “過了四十年,在西奈山的曠野,有一位使者,在荊棘中的火燄裡,向摩西顯現。 31 他見了這個異象,十分驚奇;他正上前察看的時候,就有主的聲音說: 32 ‘我是你祖宗的 神,就是亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的 神。’摩西戰戰兢兢,不敢觀看。 33 主對他說:‘把你腳上的鞋脫掉,因為你所站的地方是聖地。 34 我的子民在埃及所受的痛苦,我實在看見了;他們的歎息我也聽見了,我下來是要救他們。你來,我要派你到埃及去。’ 35 他們拒絕了這位摩西,說:‘誰立了你作領袖和審判官呢?’但 神藉著在荊棘中向他顯現的使者的手,派他作領袖和救贖者。 36 這人領他們出來,並且在埃及地、紅海和曠野,行奇事神蹟四十年。 37 以前那位對以色列人說‘ 神要從你們弟兄中間,給你們興起一位先知像我’的,就是這摩西。 38 那曾經在曠野的大會中,和那在西奈山上對他說話的使者同在,也與我們的祖先同在的,就是他。他領受了活的聖言,傳給我們。 39 我們的祖先不肯聽從他,反而把他推開,他們的心已經轉向了埃及, 40 就對亞倫說:‘給我們做一些神像,可以走在我們前頭。因為把我們從埃及地領出來的那個摩西,我們不知道他遭遇了甚麼事。’ 41 在那些日子裡,他們做了一個牛犢,把祭物獻給那偶像,並且因自己手所做的而歡樂。 42 於是 神轉身離開,任憑他們事奉天象,正如先知書所說:

‘以色列家啊,

你們在曠野四十年,

豈是將祭牲和祭物獻給我呢?

43 你們抬著摩洛的帳幕,

和理番神的星,

就是你們做來敬拜的像。

所以我要把你們放逐到巴比倫那一邊去。’

44 “我們的祖先在曠野有作證的帳幕,就是跟摩西談話的那位指示他,依照他看見的樣式做的。 45 我們的祖先相繼承受了這帳幕, 神把外族人從他們面前趕走以後,他們就同約書亞把帳幕帶進所得為業的地方,直到大衛的日子。 46 大衛在 神面前蒙了恩,就求為雅各的 神找個居所, 47 而由所羅門為他建造殿宇。 48 其實至高者並不住人手所造的,正如先知說:

49 ‘主說:天是我的寶座,

地是我的腳凳,

你們要為我建造怎樣的殿呢?

哪裡是我安息的地方呢?

50 這一切不都是我手所造的嗎?’

51 “你們頸項剛硬、心和耳都未受割禮的人哪!你們時常抗拒聖靈,你們的祖先怎樣,你們也怎樣。 52 有哪一個先知,你們的祖先不迫害呢?你們殺了那些預先宣告那義者要來的人,現在又把那義者出賣了,殺害了。 53 你們領受了由天使傳達的律法,卻不遵守。”

司提反被石頭打死

54 眾人聽了這些話,心中非常惱怒,就向著司提反咬牙切齒。 55 但司提反被聖靈充滿,定睛望著天,看見 神的榮耀,並且看見耶穌站在 神的右邊, 56 就說:“看哪!我看見天開了,人子站在 神的右邊。” 57 眾人大聲喊叫,掩著耳朵,一齊向他衝過去, 58 把他推出城外,用石頭打他。那些證人把自己的衣服,放在一個名叫掃羅的青年人腳前。 59 他們用石頭打司提反的時候,他呼求說:“主耶穌啊,求你接收我的靈魂!” 60 然後跪下來大聲喊著說:“主啊,不要把這罪歸給他們!”說了這話,就睡了。

司提凡的申辩

大祭司问:“这是真的吗?” 司提凡说:“各位父老兄弟,请听我说!我们的祖先亚伯拉罕还未迁到哈兰之前,住在美索不达米亚,荣耀的上帝向他显现,说, ‘你要离开家乡和亲族,到我要指示你的地方去。’ 亚伯拉罕就离开迦勒底人的地方,在哈兰住了下来。他父亲过世以后,上帝又领他到你们现在居住的这个地方。 当时在这片土地上,上帝没有给他任何产业,他甚至连立足之地也没有。但上帝应许要把这片土地赐给他和他的后裔作产业,尽管那时候亚伯拉罕还没有儿子。 上帝又说,‘你的子孙必流落异乡,受奴役、被虐待四百年。 但我必惩罚奴役他们的国家,之后你的子孙要离开那里,在这片土地上事奉我。’ 上帝又赐下割礼作为祂与亚伯拉罕立约的凭据。亚伯拉罕在以撒出生后的第八天为他行割礼。照样,以撒为他的儿子雅各行了割礼,雅各也为他的儿子——以色列十二位先祖行了割礼。[a]

“先祖们嫉妒自己的弟弟约瑟,把他卖到了埃及。但上帝一直与他同在, 10 救他脱离一切危难,又赐他过人的智慧,使他在埃及法老面前得到恩宠,官拜宰相治理全国,并管理王室。 11 后来,埃及和迦南全境遭遇饥荒,灾情严重,我们的先祖们断了粮。 12 雅各听说埃及有粮,就派先祖们去那里买粮,那是我们的先祖初次去埃及。 13 他们第二次去的时候,约瑟才和弟兄们相认,并且领他们拜见埃及王。 14 后来,约瑟派人去把父亲雅各和全族七十五人都接到埃及。 15 从此以后,雅各和其他先祖们便定居埃及,直到去世。 16 后来他们的遗体被带回示剑,安葬在亚伯拉罕买自哈抹子孙的墓地里。

17 “上帝对亚伯拉罕所应许的日子快到的时侯,以色列人在埃及的人口已大大增加。 18 后来埃及有一位不认识约瑟的新王登基。 19 他用毒计苦害我们的同胞,虐待我们的祖先,强令他们把婴孩抛弃,不让婴孩存活。 20 那时,摩西出生了,他长得俊美非凡。他的父母在家里偷偷地抚养了他三个月, 21 最后不得已才丢弃他。法老的女儿救了他,收为养子。

22 “摩西学会了埃及人一切的学问,成为一个说话办事很有能力的人。 23 他四十岁那年决定去探望自己的同胞以色列人。 24 他到了他们那里,看见一个埃及人正在欺负以色列人,就打抱不平,杀了那个埃及人。 25 摩西以为同胞们会明白上帝要借着他的手拯救他们,可是他们并不明白。 26 第二天,他看见两个以色列人在打架,就上前劝解说,‘大家都是同胞,为什么互相殴打呢?’ 27 不料那个欺负人的推开摩西说,‘谁立你做我们的首领和审判官? 28 难道你要杀我,像昨天杀那个埃及人一样吗?’ 29 摩西听了这话,就逃到米甸寄居,在那里成家,生了两个儿子。

30 “过了四十年,在西奈山的旷野,上帝的天使在荆棘火焰中向摩西显现。 31 摩西见状很惊奇,正要上前看个究竟,就听见主说, 32 ‘我是你祖先的上帝,是亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的上帝。’摩西战战兢兢,不敢观看。 33 主又说,‘脱下你脚上的鞋子,因为你所站的地方是圣地。 34 我已清楚看见我子民在埃及所受的苦难,也听见了他们的哀叹,我下来要救他们。你来,我要派你回埃及。’

35 “百姓曾拒绝这位摩西,说,‘谁立你做我们的首领和审判官?’上帝却借着在荆棘中显现的天使亲自差遣他,立他为首领和拯救者。 36 摩西带领以色列人出埃及,过红海,越旷野,四十年间行了许多神迹奇事。 37 就是这位摩西曾对以色列人说,‘上帝要在你们中间兴起一位像我一样的先知。’ 38 这位摩西曾在旷野与以色列的会众——我们的祖先在一起,又在西奈山上与向他传信息的天使在一起,并且领受了生命之道传给我们。

39 “可是我们的祖先不听从他,甚至弃绝他,心里对埃及恋恋不舍。 40 他们请求亚伦说,‘为我们造一些神像来带领我们吧!领我们离开埃及的那个摩西不知怎样了。’ 41 于是,他们造了一个牛犊像,向它献祭,并为自己所做的事沾沾自喜。 42 因此,上帝转脸不顾他们,任由他们祭拜日月星辰,正如先知书的记载,

“‘以色列家啊,
在旷野的四十年间,
你们向我献过祭物和供品吗?
43 你们抬着为自己所造的神像,
就是摩洛的帐篷和理番神明的星,
祭拜它们,
所以我要把你们赶到比巴比伦还远的地方去。’

44 “我们的祖先在旷野的时候,一直带着安放约柜的圣幕,这圣幕是上帝吩咐摩西照他所看见的样式造的。 45 后来我们的祖先承受了圣幕。上帝从我们祖先面前赶走外族人,使他们得到了应许之地。他们同约书亚把圣幕带到那里,一直到大卫的时代。 46 大卫蒙上帝悦纳,祈求为雅各的上帝建造一座圣殿。 47 结果是他的儿子所罗门为上帝建成了圣殿。

48 “其实至高的上帝并不住人造的殿,祂曾借着先知说, 49 ‘天是我的宝座,地是我的脚凳,你们要为我造怎样的殿宇?哪里可作我的安歇之处? 50 这一切不都是我亲手创造的吗?’

51 “你们这些顽固不化、耳不听心不悔的人[b],经常抗拒圣灵,所作所为和你们的祖先如出一辙! 52 哪一位先知没有被你们祖先迫害?那些预言义者——弥赛亚要来的人也被你们的祖先杀害。如今你们竟出卖了那位公义者,杀害了祂! 53 你们接受了上帝借天使所传的律法,竟不遵守!”

司提凡殉道

54 众人听了这番话,怒火中烧,咬牙切齿。 55 司提凡却被圣灵充满,定睛望天,看见上帝的荣耀和站在上帝右边的耶稣。 56 司提凡说:“看啊!我看见天开了,人子站在上帝的右边。”

57 众人大喊大叫,捂着耳朵,蜂拥而上, 58 把司提凡拉到城外,用石头打他。指控他的人把他们的衣服交给一个名叫扫罗的青年看管。 59 在乱石击打之下,司提凡呼求说:“主耶稣啊,接收我的灵魂吧!”然后跪下高声说: 60 “主啊,不要追究他们的罪!”说完后,就断气了。

Footnotes

  1. 7:8 第八节后半部分或译“以撒生雅各,雅各生以色列十二位先祖。”
  2. 7:51 耳不听心不悔的人”希腊文是“心与耳未受割礼的人”。

Then the high priest said: Are these things so?

Who said: Ye men, brethren, and fathers, hear. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charan.

And said to him: Go forth out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

Then he went out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charan. And from thence, after his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein you now dwell.

And he gave him no inheritance in it; no, not the pace of a foot: but he promised to give it him in possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

And God said to him: That his seed should sojourn in a strange country, and that they should bring them under bondage, and treat them evil four hundred years.

And the nation which they shall serve will I judge, said the Lord; and after these things they shall go out, and shall serve me in this place.

And he gave him the covenant of circumcision, and so he begot Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob; and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.

And the patriarchs, through envy, sold Joseph into Egypt; and God was with him,

10 And delivered him out of all his tribulations: and he gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharao, the king of Egypt; and he appointed him governor over Egypt, and over all his house.

11 Now there came a famine upon all Egypt and Chanaan, and great tribulation; and our fathers found no food.

12 But when Jacob had heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent our fathers first:

13 And at the second time, Joseph was known by his brethren, and his kindred was made known to Pharao.

14 And Joseph sending, called thither Jacob, his father, and all his kindred, seventy-five souls.

15 So Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died, and our fathers.

16 And they were translated into Sichem, and were laid in the sepulchre, that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Hemor, the son of Sichem.

17 And when the time of the promise drew near, which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased, and were multiplied in Egypt,

18 Till another king arose in Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

19 This same dealing craftily with our race, afflicted our fathers, that they should expose their children, to the end they might not be kept alive.

20 At the same time was Moses born, and he was acceptable to God: who was nourished three months in his father's house.

21 And when he was exposed, Pharao's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.

22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and in his deeds.

23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel.

24 And when he had seen one of them suffer wrong, he defended him; and striking the Egyptian, he avenged him who suffered the injury.

25 And he thought that his brethren understood that God by his hand would save them; but they understood it not.

26 And the day following, he shewed himself to them when they were at strife; and would have reconciled them in peace, saying: Men, ye are brethren; why hurt you one another?

27 But he that did the injury to his neighbour thrust him away, saying: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge over us?

28 What, wilt thou kill me, as thou didst yesterday kill the Egyptian?

29 And Moses fled upon this word, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begot two sons.

30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the desert of mount Sina, an angel in a flame of fire in a bush.

31 And Moses seeing it, wondered at the sight. And as he drew near to view it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:

32 I am the God of thy fathers; the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses being terrified, durst not behold.

33 And the Lord said to him: Loose the shoes from thy feet, for the place wherein thou standest, is holy ground.

34 Seeing I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, and I will send thee into Egypt.

35 This Moses, whom they refused, saying: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge? him God sent to be prince and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

36 He brought them out, doing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the desert forty years.

37 This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel: A prophet shall God raise up to you of your own brethren, as myself: him shall you hear.

38 This is he that was in the church in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on mount Sina, and with our fathers; who received the words of life to give unto us.

39 Whom our fathers would not obey; but thrust him away, and in their hearts turned back into Egypt,

40 Saying to Aaron: Make us gods to go before us. For as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.

41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

42 And God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of heaven, as it is written in the books of the prophets: Did you offer victims and sacrifices to me for forty years, in the desert, O house of Israel?

43 And you took unto you the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Rempham, figures which you made to adore them. And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

44 The tabernacle of the testimony was with our fathers in the desert, as God ordained for them, speaking to Moses, that he should make it according to the form which he had seen.

45 Which also our fathers receiving, brought in with Jesus, into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David.

46 Who found grace before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

47 But Solomon built him a house.

48 Yet the most High dwelleth not in houses made by hands, as the prophet saith:

49 Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool. What house will you build me? saith the Lord; or what is the place of my resting?

50 Hath not my hand made all these things?

51 You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do you also.

52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them who foretold of the coming of the Just One; of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers:

53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

54 Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed with their teeth at him.

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And he said: Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

56 And they crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and with one accord ran violently upon him.

57 And casting him forth without the city, they stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul.

58 And they stoned Stephen, invoking, and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

59 And falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord. And Saul was consenting to his death.