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Laj Esteban quixchˈolob xya̱lal chiruheb li nequeˈtaklan saˈ xbe̱neb laj judío

Ut li xyucuaˈil eb laj tij quixpatzˈ re laj Esteban ma ya̱l li yo̱queb chixyebal. Quichakˈoc laj Esteban ut quixye: ―Ex cuas cui̱tzˈin ut la̱ex li nequexcˈamoc be, abihomak li oc cue chixyebal. Li Dios li kˈaxal lokˈ quixcˈutbesi rib chiru laj Abraham li kaxeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ nak cuan aran Mesopotamia nak toj ma̱jiˈ naxic chi cua̱nc saˈ li naˈajej Harán. Quixye re: ―Tat‑e̱lk saˈ li naˈajej aˈin. Ta̱canabeb la̱ cuechˈalal ut tatxic saˈ jun li naˈajej li tincˈut cha̱cuu la̱in, chan. Qui‑el ut laj Abraham saˈ li naˈajej Caldeo ut co̱ chi cua̱nc saˈ li naˈajej Harán. Nak ac cuan saˈ li naˈajej aˈan quicam lix yucuaˈ. Ut chirix aˈan li Dios quixtakla chi cua̱nc saˈ li naˈajej li cuanquex cuiˈ la̱ex anakcuan. Abanan li Dios incˈaˈ quixqˈue xchˈochˈ laj Abraham aran. Chi ti̱c ma̱cˈaˈ quixqˈue re. Abanan quixye re nak tixqˈue chokˈ reheb li ralal xcˈajol li teˈcua̱nk mokon usta toj ma̱ jun lix cocˈal cuan. Aˈan aˈin li quixye li Dios re laj Abraham: ―Eb la̱ cualal a̱cˈajol teˈcua̱nk saˈ jalan tenamit ma̱cuaˈ xtenamiteb. Ut saˈ li tenamit aˈan teˈcua̱nk chokˈ rahobtesinbil mo̱s ut xicˈ teˈilekˈ chiru ca̱hib ciento chihab. Ut la̱in tinrakok a̱tin saˈ xbe̱n li tenamit aˈan li teˈrahobtesi̱nk reheb la̱ cualal a̱cˈajol. Ut nak teˈe̱lk saˈ li tenamit aˈan teˈcˈanjelak chicuu saˈ li naˈajej aˈin, chan li Dios. Nak li Dios quixba̱nu li contrato riqˈuin laj Abraham quixye re nak tento teˈxba̱nu li circuncisión. Joˈcan nak laj Abraham quixba̱nu li circuncisión riqˈuin laj Isaac li ralal nak ac cuan cuakxakib cutan re. Ut laj Isaac quixba̱nu riqˈuin laj Jacob li ralal ut joˈcan ajcuiˈ quixba̱nu laj Jacob riqˈuineb li ralal cablaju. Eb li ralal laj Jacob cˈajoˈ nak queˈxcakali laj José li ri̱tzˈineb. Joˈcan nak queˈxcˈayi laj José ut quicˈameˈ aran Egipto. Abanan nak ac cuan aran Egipto, li Dios yo̱ chi tenkˈa̱nc re. 10 Ut aˈan quitenkˈan re chixcuybal li raylal li quixcˈul. Quirosobtesi ut quixqˈue xnaˈleb. Ut laj Faraón li acuabej aran Egipto quixqˈue retal nak laj José cuan xnaˈleb ut quixxakab chi takla̱nc saˈ xbe̱n li tenamit ut saˈ xbe̱neb ajcuiˈ li cuanqueb saˈ li rochoch. 11 Ut quicuan jun nimla cueˈej ut jun nimla raylal saˈ eb li tenamit Egipto ut Canaán. Ut eb li kaxeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ incˈaˈ chic queˈxtau xtzacae̱mkeb. 12 Nak quirabi laj Jacob nak aran Egipto cuan nabal li trigo, quixtaklaheb li ralal aran chixcˈambaleb xtrigo. 13 Nak queˈco̱eb cuiˈchic xcaˈ sut li ralal aran Egipto, laj José quixye reheb nak aˈan laj José li ri̱tzˈineb. Ut saˈ ajcuiˈ li cutan aˈan laj Faraón quixnau nak laj José, aˈan xcomoneb li ralal xcˈajoleb laj judío. 14 Ut chirix aˈan laj José quixtakla xcˈambal lix yucuaˈ joˈqueb ajcuiˈ li rechˈalal. Chixjunileb li rechˈalal cuanqueb oˈlaju xca̱cˈa̱l (75). 15 Joˈcaˈin nak co̱eb aran Egipto laj Jacob li kaxeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ ut aran quicam joˈqueb ajcuiˈ li ralal. 16 Lix bakeleb queˈcˈameˈ Siquem ut queˈmukeˈ saˈ li naˈajej li quixlokˈ laj Abraham riqˈuineb li ralal xcˈajol laj Hamor. 17 Cˈajoˈ nak yo̱queb chi qˈuia̱nc li ralal xcˈajol laj Israel aran Egipto nak ac yo̱ chi cuulac xkˈehil nak teˈisi̱k saˈ li tenamit aˈan joˈ quiyechiˈi̱c re laj Abraham xban li Dios. 18 Ut qui‑oc jalan chic acuabej ut aˈan incˈaˈ quixnau ru laj José chi moco quixnau chanru lix naˈleb nak quicuan. 19 Li acuabej aˈan quixsicˈ xya̱lal chanru nak tixba̱nu raylal reheb li kaxeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ. Quixrahobtesiheb nak quixtakla xcamsinquileb li cocˈ te̱lom li teˈyoˈla̱k re nak incˈaˈ chic teˈta̱mk li ralal xcˈajoleb. 20 Saˈ eb li cutan aˈan quiyoˈla laj Moisés. Li cˈulaˈal aˈan raro xban li Ka̱cuaˈ. Ut oxib po quiqˈuiresi̱c xbaneb lix naˈ xyucuaˈ. 21 Abanan quicuulac xkˈehil nak quicanaba̱c chak saˈ li nimaˈ ut lix rabin laj Faraón quixococ re, re ta̱ru̱k ta̱colekˈ. Quixcˈam chokˈ re ut quixqˈuiresi joˈ tzˈakal re. 22 Laj Moisés quixtzol rib joˈ nequeˈxtzol ribeb laj Egipto. Ut cuan xnaˈleb chi a̱tinac ut chixba̱nunquil li cha̱bil naˈleb. 23 Nak ac xba̱nu li caˈcˈa̱l chihab (40), qui‑ala saˈ xchˈo̱l xic chirilbaleb laj Israel li rech tenamitil. 24 Nak quiril jun reheb yo̱ chi saqˈuecˈ xban jun aj Egipto, quixcol saˈ rukˈ. Quixchap laj Egipto ut quixcamsi. Chi joˈcaˈin quixqˈue re̱kaj li quixba̱nu re li rech tenamitil. 25 Laj Moisés quixcˈoxla nak eb li rech tenamitil teˈxqˈue retal nak aˈan li ta̱cˈanjelak chiru li Dios re xcolbaleb. Abanan eb aˈan incˈaˈ queˈxqˈue retal. 26 Cuulajak chic laj Moisés quixtau cuib laj Israel yo̱queb chi pletic. Quixkˈuseb re teˈxcanab xchˈeˈbal rib. Quixye reheb: ―La̱ex e̱comon e̱rib. ¿Cˈaˈut nak yo̱quex chixpletinquil e̱rib? chan reheb. 27 Ut li jun li yo̱ chi sacˈoc re li jun chic quixtiquisi laj Moisés ut quixye re: ―¿Ani xqˈuehoc a̱cue chi takla̱nc ut chi rakoc a̱tin saˈ kabe̱n? 28 ¿Ma ta̱cuaj tina̱camsi la̱in joˈ nak xacamsi laj Egipto ecue̱r? chan re laj Moisés. 29 Nak quirabi li cˈaˈru quixye, laj Moisés quixucuac ut quie̱lelic. Co̱ chi cua̱nc saˈ li naˈajej Madian li moco tzˈakal xtenamit ta. Nak cuan aran, queˈyoˈla cuib li ralal. 30 Ac xnumeˈ chic caˈcˈa̱l chihab roquic saˈ li chaki chˈochˈ aˈan, nak quiril jun to̱n li qˈuix yo̱ xxamlel nachˈ riqˈuin li tzu̱l Sinaí. Ut saˈ li xam aˈan quixcˈutbesi rib jun li ángel chiru. 31 Ut laj Moisés cˈajoˈ nak quisach xchˈo̱l chirilbal ut quinachˈoc riqˈuin re ta̱ril chi us. Quirabi xya̱b xcux li Ka̱cuaˈ nak quixye: 32 ―La̱in li Ka̱cuaˈ Dios li queˈxlokˈoni chak la̱ xeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ. La̱in li Dios li queˈxlokˈoni chak laj Abraham, laj Isaac, ut laj Jacob, chan. Ut laj Moisés nasicsot xban xxiu ut incˈaˈ chic quixcuy rilbal. 33 Ut quixye li Ka̱cuaˈ re: ―Isi la̱ xa̱b cha̱cuok xban nak li naˈajej cuancat cuiˈ, aˈan santil naˈajej. 34 Relic chi ya̱l la̱in yo̱quin chirilbal li raylal li yo̱queb chixcˈulbal lin tenamit li cuanqueb Egipto. Ut yo̱quin ajcuiˈ chirabinquil nak yo̱queb xkˈokonquil ribeb xban li raylal. Joˈcan nak xinchal chixcolbaleb saˈ rukˈeb laj Egipto. Abi li tinye a̱cue. Tatintakla Egipto, chan li Ka̱cuaˈ re laj Moisés. 35 Laj Moisés, aˈan li queˈxtzˈekta̱na laj Israel nak queˈxye: ―¿Ani xqˈuehoc a̱cue chi takla̱nc ut chi rakoc a̱tin? chanqueb. Aˈan li quitakla̱c chixtenkˈanquileb laj Israel ut chixcolbaleb. Quitakla̱c xban li Ka̱cuaˈ nak li ángel quixcˈutbesi rib chiru saˈ li jun to̱n chi qˈuix yo̱ xxamlel. 36 Laj Moisés, aˈan li qui‑isin reheb Egipto. Nabal li milagro ut li sachba chˈo̱lej quixba̱nu aran Egipto ut saˈ li Caki Palau. Chiru caˈcˈa̱l chihab quicˈamoc be chiruheb saˈ li chaki chˈochˈ. 37 Aˈan laj Moisés li quiyehoc chak re aˈin reheb laj Israel: ―Li Ka̱cuaˈ le̱ Dios tixqˈue junak profeta saˈ e̱ya̱nk sicˈbil ru xban joˈ la̱in. E̱comon ajcuiˈ la̱ex. Cheba̱nu chixjunil li cˈaˈru tixye e̱re, chan. 38 Aˈan li quicuan rochbeneb laj Israel nak queˈxchˈutub ribeb saˈ li chaki chˈochˈ. Quicuan rochbeneb li kaxeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ ut rochben ajcuiˈ li ángel li quia̱tinac riqˈuin saˈ li tzu̱l Sinaí nak quixye re li ra̱tin li Dios li naqˈuehoc yuˈam re nak aˈan chic ta̱yehok ke la̱o. 39 Abanan eb li kaxeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ incˈaˈ queˈraj xpa̱banquil li cˈaˈru quixye. Queˈxtzˈekta̱na ban ut queˈraj raj sukˈi̱c cuiˈchic Egipto. 40 Queˈxye re laj Aarón: ―Yi̱b kadios re teˈcˈamok be chiku. Incˈaˈ nakanau cˈaˈru xcˈul chak laj Moisés li qui‑isin chak ke Egipto. ¿Cˈaˈru aj e nak yo̱ko chiroybeninquil? chanqueb li kaxeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ. 41 Joˈcan nak queˈxyi̱b riqˈuin oro xjalam u̱ch jun li cuacax ut queˈmayejac chiru. Cˈajoˈ nak queˈsahoˈ saˈ xchˈo̱leb chirilbal lix dioseb li queˈxyi̱b riqˈuin rukˈeb. Ut queˈxba̱nu jun li ninkˈe re xlokˈoninquil. 42 Joˈcan nak li Ka̱cuaˈ Dios quixcanabeb xjuneseb. Quixcanabeb chixlokˈoninquil li chahim li cuan chiru choxa. Ut quitzˈakloc ru li tzˈi̱banbil chak najter xbaneb li profeta nak queˈxye:

La̱ex aj Israel, ¿ma quexmayejac ta biˈ chak chicuu la̱in nak yo̱quex chak chi numecˈ saˈ li chaki chˈochˈ chiru caˈcˈa̱l chihab?
43 ¿Ma ma̱cuaˈ ta biˈ le̱ yi̱banbil dios Moloc ut Renfán quelokˈoni? La̱ex queyi̱b li jalam u̱ch aˈin re te̱lokˈoni. Joˈcan nak texincanab re nak jalan tenamit ta̱numta̱k saˈ e̱be̱n ut texcˈamekˈ chi najt saˈ jun li naˈajej li cuan jun pacˈal li tenamit Babilonia, chan li Ka̱cuaˈ.

44 Eb li kaxeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ queˈxyi̱b ajcuiˈ chak li tabernáculo nak yo̱queb chak chi numecˈ saˈ li chaki chˈochˈ ut aran xocxo li chakˈrab. Queˈxyi̱b joˈ li retalil li quicˈuteˈ chiru laj Moisés xban li Dios. 45 Eb li kaxeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ queˈxcˈul li muheba̱l aˈin. Ut nak laj Josué quicˈamoc be chiruheb chi pletic, queˈxcˈam li muheba̱l chirixeb. Ut queˈre̱chani lix chˈochˈeb li ma̱cuaˈeb aj judío nak li Dios quirisi chiruheb li kaxeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ li xicˈ queˈiloc reheb. Li muheba̱l aˈan quicˈanjelac saˈ eb li cutan aˈan toj chalen nak quicuan laj David chokˈ rey. 46 Laj David quixba̱nu li cˈaˈru quiraj li Dios, ut li Dios quisahoˈ xchˈo̱l riqˈuin. Quixtzˈa̱ma chiru li Dios nak tixyi̱b li templo bar teˈxlokˈoni cuiˈ li Dios li quixlokˈoni laj Jacob. 47 Abanan ma̱cuaˈ laj David quiyi̱ban re li templo. Laj Salomón, aˈan li quiyi̱ban re. 48 Quixyi̱b li templo usta li nimajcual Dios incˈaˈ nacuan saˈ junak cab yi̱banbil xban cui̱nk joˈ quixye chak li profeta Isaías nak quixye chi joˈcaˈin:

49 Li choxa, aˈan li naˈajej li nincˈojla cuiˈ ut li ruchichˈochˈ, aˈan xnaˈaj li cuok. ¿Cˈaˈru chi ochochil ta̱ru̱k te̱yi̱b chokˈ cue? Ut, ¿bar cuan lin naˈaj li tinhila̱nk cuiˈ?
50 ¿Ma ma̱cuaˈ ta biˈ la̱in xinyi̱ban re chixjunil li cˈaˈru cuan? chan li Ka̱cuaˈ.

51 La̱ex incˈaˈ nequetau xya̱lal. Kˈaxal cau e̱chˈo̱l. Chanchanex li incˈaˈ nequeˈpa̱ban re li Dios. Junelic nequekˈetkˈeti e̱rib chiru li Santil Musikˈej joˈ queˈxba̱nu le̱ xeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ. 52 ¿Ma cuan ta biˈ junak profeta incˈaˈ quirahobtesi̱c xbaneb le̱ xeˈto̱nil yucuaˈ? ¿Ma incˈaˈ ta biˈ queˈxcamsiheb li queˈchˈoloban chak resil lix cˈulunic li jun li Ti̱c Xchˈo̱l, li quekˈaxtesi la̱ex chi camsi̱c? 53 La̱ex quecˈul li chakˈrab li quixqˈue e̱re li ángel, abanan incˈaˈ nequeba̱nu li cˈaˈru naxye, chan laj Esteban.

Nak queˈxcamsi laj Esteban

54 Nak queˈrabi li cˈaˈru yo̱ chixyebal laj Esteban, cˈajoˈ nak queˈjoskˈoˈ. Queˈxcˈuxuxi li ruch re xbaneb xjoskˈil. 55 Ut laj Esteban nujenak chi Santil Musikˈej. Qui‑iloc saˈ choxa ut quiril lix nimajcual lokˈal li Dios ut quiril li Jesús saˈ xnim ukˈ li Dios. 56 Quixye: ―Ilomak. Teto li choxa nak nacuil ut li Cˈajolbej cuan chi xnim ukˈ li Dios, chan. 57 Ut eb li tenamit xicˈ queˈrabi li quixye ut queˈxtzˈap lix xiqueb ut queˈxjap reheb chi cau xban xjoskˈileb ut jun xiquiqueb saˈ xbe̱n nak queˈxchap. 58 Queˈrisi laj Esteban saˈ li tenamit. Ut eb li oqueb re chi cutuc re chi pec, queˈxcanab li rakˈeb chi rok jun li sa̱j cui̱nk aj Saulo xcˈabaˈ. 59 Nak yo̱queb chixcutbal chi pec, laj Esteban yo̱ chi tijoc ut quixye: ―At Ka̱cuaˈ Jesús, cˈul lin musikˈ.― 60 Quixcuikˈib rib, quixjap re chi cau ut quixye: ―At Ka̱cuaˈ, ma̱qˈue li ma̱c aˈin saˈ xbe̱neb.― Ut nak quixye aˈan, quicam.

Then said the high priest, Are these things so?

And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.

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

And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

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

13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.

14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

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

16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.

19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:

21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.

22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in 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 seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:

25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?

27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?

29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

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

31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,

32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.

34 I have seen, 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, I will send thee into Egypt.

35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.

36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

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

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

42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?

43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.

45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;

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

47 But Solomon built him an house.

48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

50 Hath not my hand made all these things?

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

52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

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

54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stephen’s Speech to the Sanhedrin

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

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

“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.(E) He gave him no inheritance here,(F) not even enough ground to set his foot on. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land,(G) 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.(H) 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.’[b](I) Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision.(J) And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth.(K) Later Isaac became the father of Jacob,(L) and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.(M)

“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph,(N) they sold him as a slave into Egypt.(O) But God was with him(P) 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.(Q)

11 “Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food.(R) 12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our forefathers on their first visit.(S) 13 On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was,(T) and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family.(U) 14 After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family,(V) seventy-five in all.(W) 15 Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our ancestors died.(X) 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.(Y)

17 “As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased.(Z) 18 Then ‘a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.’[c](AA) 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.(AB)

20 “At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child.[d] For three months he was cared for by his family.(AC) 21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.(AD) 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians(AE) 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?(AF) 28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’[e] 29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.(AG)

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:(AH) 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers,(AI) the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’[f] Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.(AJ)

33 “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.(AK) 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.’[g](AL)

35 “This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’(AM) 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(AN) and performed wonders and signs(AO) in Egypt, at the Red Sea(AP) and for forty years in the wilderness.(AQ)

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

39 “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.(AW) 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!’[i](AX) 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.(AY) 42 But God turned away from them(AZ) and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars.(BA) 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’[j](BB) beyond Babylon.

44 “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law(BC) with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.(BD) 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.(BE) It remained in the land until the time of David,(BF) 46 who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.[k](BG) 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.(BH)

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

49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool.(BK)
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?’[l](BL)

51 “You stiff-necked people!(BM) Your hearts(BN) 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?(BO) They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him(BP) 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels(BQ) but have not obeyed it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious(BR) and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,(BS) looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.(BT) 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open(BU) and the Son of Man(BV) 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(BW) and began to stone him.(BX) Meanwhile, the witnesses(BY) laid their coats(BZ) at the feet of a young man named Saul.(CA)

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

Footnotes

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