司提反在议会讲道

大祭司问司提反:“真有这些事吗?”

司提反说:“各位父老兄弟,请听!我们的先祖亚伯拉罕哈兰以前,还在美索不达米亚的时候,荣耀的神向他显现, 对他说:

‘你要离开你的故土和亲族,
到我所要指示你的地方去。’[a]

“于是亚伯拉罕离开迦勒底人的地方,住在哈兰。他的父亲死了以后,神使他从那里迁移到你们现在所住的这地方。 在这里,神并没有赐给他继业,连立足的地方也没有。可是神应许要把这地赐给他和他的后裔为业。当时,亚伯拉罕还没有孩子。 神这样说:

‘他的后裔要在他人之地做寄居的,
那里的人要奴役、虐待他们四百年。
可是我要惩罚那奴役他们的国家。’
神又说:
‘这些事以后,他们将要出来,在这地方事奉我。’[b]

神又赐给亚伯拉罕割礼的约。这样,亚伯拉罕生了以撒,第八天给他行了割礼。后来以撒生了雅各雅各生了十二位先祖。

先祖在埃及

“先祖们嫉妒约瑟,把他卖到埃及去。可是神与他同在, 10 救他脱离一切患难,并且使他在埃及王法老面前蒙恩宠、有智慧。法老就委任约瑟做宰相,统管埃及和法老全家。 11 后来整个埃及[c]迦南地区遭遇了饥荒和大灾难,我们的祖先找不到粮食。 12 雅各听说埃及有粮食,就派我们的祖先去,这是第一次。 13 第二次去的时候,约瑟的身世被他的兄弟们知道了,这样,约瑟的家族就被法老知道了。 14 于是约瑟派人把他的父亲雅各和所有的亲属请来,一共七十五人[d][e] 15 雅各下到埃及,后来他死了,我们的祖先也死了, 16 遗体被带回示剑,安放到亚伯拉罕示剑用一笔银子从哈莫尔的子孙买来的坟墓里。

拒绝摩西的拯救

17 “随着神向亚伯拉罕所宣告[f]的那应许时期临近,以色列子民在埃及兴旺、增多, 18 直到另一个不认识约瑟的王起来统治埃及 19 这王狡猾地对待我们的同胞,虐待我们的祖先,强迫他们丢弃自己的婴孩,好使婴孩活不下去。 20 就在那时候,摩西出生了。他在神的眼里[g]十分俊美,在父亲家里被抚养了三个月。 21 后来他被丢弃的时候,法老的女儿把他捡去,当做自己的儿子抚养。 22 摩西埃及人的一切智慧上受了教育,说话行事都有能力。

23 “当他满四十岁的时候,心里决定要去探望[h]自己的同胞[i]以色列子民。 24 他看见一个同胞[j]受欺负,就去卫护他,为那受压迫的人报仇,打死了那个埃及人。 25 摩西以为自己的同胞[k]会领悟神是藉着他的手拯救他们[l],但他们却不领悟。 26 第二天,一些同胞在争斗,摩西就出来,劝他们和睦,说:‘各位!你们是同胞[m],为什么互相欺负呢?’

27 “但那欺负同伴[n]的人把摩西推开,说:

‘谁委任你做我们的首领和审判官呢? 28 难道你想杀了我,像你昨天杀了那个埃及人一样吗?’[o]

29 摩西听了这话就逃跑了,并寄居在米甸[p],在那里生了两个儿子。 30 过了四十年,在西奈山的旷野,一位天使[q]在荆棘火焰中向摩西显现。 31 摩西见了这景象[r],感到惊奇。正当他上前要观看的时候,有主的声音说: 32 ‘我是你祖先的神,就是亚伯拉罕以撒雅各的神[s]。’[t]摩西战战兢兢,不敢观看。

33 “主对他说:

‘脱掉你脚上的鞋,因为你站的地方是圣地。 34 我的子民在埃及的困苦,我确实看见了;他们的呻吟,我也听见了;于是我下来要救他们。现在你来!我要差派你到埃及去。’[u]

35 “这摩西就是他们拒绝说‘谁委任你做首领和审判官’[v]的那位,神却藉着那在荆棘中向他显现的天使的手,差派他做首领、做救赎者。 36 这个人带领以色列子民出来,在埃及地、在红海,并且在旷野的四十年间,行了奇事和神迹。

以色列悖逆神

37 “这个人就是摩西,他曾告诉以色列子民:‘神[w]将要从你们兄弟中给你们兴起一位先知,像兴起我一样。[x][y] 38 这个人曾在旷野的会众当中,与那在西奈山对他讲话的天使在一起,又和我们的祖先在一起。他接受了生命的话语,把它传给了我们。 39 我们的祖先不肯顺从,反而弃绝了他,甚至在心里转回埃及去, 40 亚伦说:

‘为我们造一些神明在我们前面引路吧,因为带领我们出埃及地的那个摩西,我们不知道他出了什么事!’[z]

41 在那些日子里,他们造了一个牛犊的像,又向那偶像献上祭物,并且为自己手所做的而庆祝。 42 神就转身不顾,任凭他们去事奉天上的万象,正如先知书上所记载的:

以色列家呀!
你们在旷野的四十年里献上的牺牲和祭物,
难道是给我的吗?
43 你们抬起了摩洛的帐幕和你们理番神的星,
就是你们为敬拜而造的像。
因此,我要把你们迁移到巴比伦以外去。’[aa]

真正的会幕

44 “我们的祖先在旷野有见证的会幕,是照着对摩西说话的那一位所吩咐的,并按照摩西看到的样式所做成的。 45 我们的祖先相继承受了这会幕,并且与约书亚一起把它带进了继业之地,就是神从我们祖先面前赶出的外邦人的地,直到大卫的时代。 46 大卫在神面前蒙了恩典,就祈求为雅各的神[ab]预备[ac]一个居所[ad] 47 但为神建造殿宇[ae]的却是所罗门 48 其实至高者并不住在人手所造的殿宇[af]里,正如先知所说:

49 ‘主说:“天是我的宝座,
地是我的脚凳。
你们要为我建造什么样的殿宇[ag]呢?
我安息的地方在哪里呢?
50 这一切难道不都是我手所造的吗?”’[ah]

抗拒圣灵

51 “你们这些顽固不化、心和耳都未受割礼的人哪,你们总是抗拒圣灵!你们的祖先怎样,你们也怎样。 52 有哪一位先知,你们的祖先不逼迫呢?他们杀了那些预言那义者要来的先知,现在你们又成为那义者的出卖者和凶手了。 53 你们领受了藉天使所设立的律法,却不遵守。”

司提反殉道

54 他们听了这些话就勃然大怒[ai],向司提反咬牙切齿。 55 但是司提反充满圣灵,注目望天,看见了神的荣耀,又看见耶稣站在神的右边。 56 他说:“看哪,我看见诸天开了,人子站在神的右边。”

57 于是他们大声喊叫,捂着耳朵,一齐向他冲过去, 58 把他拉到城外,用石头砸他。那些见证人把自己的外衣放在一个称为扫罗的年轻人脚前。 59 他们用石头砸司提反的时候,司提反向主[aj]呼求,说:“主耶稣,求你接受我的灵魂!” 60 然后他跪下,大声呼喊:“主啊,不要把这罪归于他们。”说了这话,他就睡了。

Footnotes

  1. 使徒行传 7:3 《创世记》12:1。
  2. 使徒行传 7:7 《创世记》15:13-14。
  3. 使徒行传 7:11 埃及——有古抄本作“埃及地”。
  4. 使徒行传 7:14 人——原文直译“灵魂”。
  5. 使徒行传 7:14 七十五人——参《创世记》46:27;《出埃及记》1:5。希伯来原文作“七十人”。
  6. 使徒行传 7:17 宣告——有古抄本作“起誓”。
  7. 使徒行传 7:20 有古抄本没有“在神的眼里”。
  8. 使徒行传 7:23 探望——或译作“照顾”。
  9. 使徒行传 7:23 同胞——原文直译“兄弟”。
  10. 使徒行传 7:24 同胞——原文直译“人”。
  11. 使徒行传 7:25 同胞——原文直译“兄弟”。
  12. 使徒行传 7:25 拯救他们——原文直译“给他们拯救”。
  13. 使徒行传 7:26 同胞——原文直译“兄弟”。
  14. 使徒行传 7:27 同伴——原文直译“邻人”。
  15. 使徒行传 7:28 《出埃及记》2:14。
  16. 使徒行传 7:29 寄居在米甸地——原文直译“成了在米甸地的一个寄居者”。
  17. 使徒行传 7:30 天使——有古抄本作“主的天使”或“主的使者”。
  18. 使徒行传 7:31 景象——或译作“异象”。
  19. 使徒行传 7:32 亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的神——有古抄本作“亚伯拉罕的神、以撒的神、雅各的神”。
  20. 使徒行传 7:32 《出埃及记》3:6,15。
  21. 使徒行传 7:34 《出埃及记》3:5,7-8,10。
  22. 使徒行传 7:35 《出埃及记》2:14。
  23. 使徒行传 7:37 神——有古抄本作“主——你们的神”。
  24. 使徒行传 7:37 有古抄本附“你们当听从他。”
  25. 使徒行传 7:37 《申命记》18:15。
  26. 使徒行传 7:40 《出埃及记》32:1,23。
  27. 使徒行传 7:43 《阿摩司书》5:25-27。
  28. 使徒行传 7:46 雅各的神——有古抄本作“雅各的家”。
  29. 使徒行传 7:46 预备——原文直译“寻找”。
  30. 使徒行传 7:46 居所——原文直译“帐幕”或“会幕”。
  31. 使徒行传 7:47 殿宇——原文直译“家”。
  32. 使徒行传 7:48 有古抄本没有“殿宇”。
  33. 使徒行传 7:49 殿宇——原文直译“家”。
  34. 使徒行传 7:50 《以赛亚书》66:1-2。
  35. 使徒行传 7:54 勃然大怒——或译作“心如被刀割”。
  36. 使徒行传 7:59 向主——辅助词语。

Stephen’s Speech

The high priest said to Stephen, “Are these ·things [charges] true?”

Stephen answered, “Brothers [L Men, brothers] and fathers, listen to me. ·Our glorious God [The God of glory] appeared to Abraham, our ·ancestor [patriarch; L father], in Mesopotamia before he lived in Haran [C a city in Syria where Abraham resided before reaching the Promised Land; Gen. 11:31]. God said to Abraham, ‘Leave your country and your relatives, and go to the land I will show you [Gen. 12:1].’ So Abraham left the ·country [land] of Chaldea [C another name for southern Mesopotamia, the location of Ur] and went to live in Haran. After Abraham’s father [C Terah] died, God sent him to this place where you now live. God did not give Abraham ·any of this land [L an inheritance in it], not even a ·foot of it [L a foot’s length]. But God promised that he would give this land to him [L as a possession] and his ·descendants [L seed; Gen. 12:2], even before Abraham had a child. This is what God said to him: ‘Your ·descendants [L seed] will be ·strangers [foreigners; resident aliens] in a ·land they don’t own [foreign land; land belonging to others; C Egypt]. The people there will make them slaves and will ·mistreat [oppress] them for four hundred years. But I will ·punish [judge] the nation where they are slaves. Then ·your descendants [L they] will leave that land and will worship me in this place [Gen. 15:13–14; Ex. 3:12].’ God made an ·agreement [covenant; C a treaty-like relationship] with Abraham, the sign of which was circumcision [Gen. 17:9–14]. And so when Abraham ·had his son [became the father of; T begat] Isaac, Abraham circumcised him when he was eight days old. Isaac ·also circumcised his son Jacob [or became the father of Jacob], and Jacob ·did the same for his sons, [or became the father of] the twelve ·ancestors of our people [patriarchs; C the twelve sons of Jacob who were the “fathers” of the twelve tribes of Israel].

“·Jacob’s sons [L The patriarchs] became jealous of Joseph and sold him to be a slave in Egypt. But God was with him 10 and ·saved [rescued; delivered] him from all his ·troubles [afflictions]. God gave Joseph ·wisdom to gain the favor of [L favor and wisdom before] Pharaoh, king of Egypt. The king made him governor of Egypt and put him in charge of ·all the people in his palace [L his whole household].

11 “Then all the land of Egypt and Canaan experienced a famine, and the people suffered very much. ·Jacob’s sons, our ancestors, [L Our fathers] could not find anything to eat. 12 But when Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent ·his sons [L our fathers] there. This was their first trip to Egypt [Gen. 42]. 13 When they went there a second time [Gen. 43—45], Joseph ·told his brothers who he was [made himself known to his brothers], and ·the king [L Pharaoh] learned about Joseph’s family. 14 Then Joseph sent messengers to ·invite [summon; call] Jacob, his father, to come to Egypt along with all his relatives (seventy-five persons altogether). 15 So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and ·his sons [L our fathers] died. 16 Later their bodies were moved to Shechem and put in a grave there. (It was the same grave Abraham had bought for a sum of ·money [L silver] from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.) [C Stephen combines two accounts, Abraham’s purchase of a field in Hebron (Gen. 23:3–20) and Jacob’s purchase of a field in Shechem (Josh. 24:32).]

17 “The promise God made to Abraham [Gen. 15:12–16] was soon to come true, and the number of people in Egypt ·grew large [L increased/flourished and multiplied]. 18 Then ·a new [L another] king, who ·did not know who Joseph was [or did not think Joseph was important], ·began to rule Egypt [L arose; Ex. 1:8]. 19 This king ·tricked [exploited; dealt treacherously with] our ·people [L race] and was cruel to our ·ancestors [L fathers], forcing them to ·leave [L expose; abandon] their babies outside to die [C such abandonment was a common ancient method of population control]. 20 At this time Moses was born, and he was ·very beautiful [beautiful before/to God; or of high status in God’s eyes]. For three months Moses was cared for in his father’s house. 21 When ·they put Moses outside [L he was abandoned/exposed; C when Moses’ mother “exposed” Moses to the elements, she was actually hiding him; Ex. 2:3–4], ·the king’s [L Pharaoh’s] daughter adopted him and raised him as if he were her own son. 22 ·The Egyptians taught Moses everything they knew [L So Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians], and he was a powerful man in ·what he said and did [L his words and actions].

23 “When Moses was about forty years old, ·he thought it would be good [L it rose up in his heart] to visit his own ·people [relatives; L brothers (and sisters)], the ·people [L sons; children] of Israel. 24 Moses saw an Egyptian ·mistreating [wronging] one of his people, so he defended the ·Israelite [L oppressed man] and ·punished the Egyptian by killing him [L avenged him by striking down the Egyptian; Ex. 2:11–12]. 25 Moses ·thought [assumed] his own ·people [relatives; L brothers (and sisters)] would understand that God was using him to save them, but they did not. 26 The next day when Moses saw two men of Israel fighting, he tried to ·make peace between [reconcile] them. He said, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you ·hurting [wronging] each other?’ 27 The man who was ·hurting [wronging] ·the other [L his neighbor] pushed Moses away and said, ‘Who made you our ruler and judge? 28 ·Are you going [or Do you want] to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday [Ex. 2:14]?’ 29 When Moses heard him say this, he ·left Egypt [L fled] and went to live in the land of Midian [C a land without distinct borders centered in northwestern Arabia] where he was a ·stranger [foreigner; resident alien; Ex. 2:15–25]. While Moses lived in Midian, he had two sons.

30 “Forty years later an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush as he was in the ·desert [wilderness] near Mount Sinai [Ex. 3]. 31 When Moses saw this, he was amazed [L at the sight/vision] and went near to look closer. Moses heard the Lord’s voice say, 32 ‘I am the God of your ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers], the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob [Ex. 3:6].’ Moses began to ·shake [tremble] with fear and ·was afraid [did not dare] to look. 33 The Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, because you are standing on holy ground. 34 I have [surely; indeed] seen the ·troubles [wrongs; mistreatment; oppression] my people have suffered in Egypt. I have heard their ·cries [groans] and have come down to ·save [rescue; deliver] them. And now, Moses, I am sending you back to Egypt [Ex. 3:5, 7–8, 10].’

35 “This Moses was the same man the two men of Israel rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge [Ex. 2:14; C compare the rejection of Jesus in v. 52]?’ This same man God sent to be a ruler and ·savior [rescuer; liberator; redeemer], with the ·help [L hand] of the angel that ·Moses saw [L appeared to him] in the burning bush. 36 ·So Moses [L This man] led the people out of Egypt. He worked ·miracles [wonders] and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea [C the Hebrew OT calls it the Sea of Reeds; the Septuagint (the Greek OT) calls it the Red Sea; Ex. 13:18; 15:4], and then in the ·desert [wilderness] for forty years. 37 This is the same Moses that said to the ·people [L sons; children] of Israel, ‘God will ·give [L raise up for] you a prophet like me, ·who is one of your own ·people [L from among your brothers; Deut. 18:15].’ 38 This is the Moses who was with the ·gathering of the Israelites [assembly; congregation] in the ·desert [wilderness]. He was with the angel that spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and he was with our ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers]. He received ·commands from God that give life [life-giving messages; or living oracles], and he gave those commands to us [Ex. 19—24].

39 “But our ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers] did not want to obey Moses. They ·rejected him [pushed him away] and ·wanted to go [L in their hearts turned] back to Egypt. 40 They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will ·lead [L go before] us. Moses led us out of Egypt, but we don’t know what has happened to him [Ex. 32:1].’ 41 So [L in those days] the people made an idol that looked like a calf. Then they ·brought [or offered up] sacrifices to it and ·were proud of [celebrated; L rejoiced about] what they had made with their own hands. 42 But God turned ·against [or away from] them and did not try to stop them from worshiping the ·sun, moon, and stars [L host of heaven]. This is what is written in the book of the prophets: God says,

‘·People [L House] of Israel, you did not ·bring [offer up to] me sacrifices and offerings
    while you traveled in the ·desert [wilderness] for forty years.
43 You have carried with you
    the tent to worship Molech [C a pagan deity; Lev. 18:21; 20:2–5]
    and the idols of ·the star god [or the star of your god] Rephan [C a pagan deity, perhaps associated with the planet Saturn] that you made to worship.
So I will send you away [C into exile] beyond Babylon [Amos 5:25–27].’

44 “The ·Holy Tent [L Tent/T Tabernacle of Testimony/Witness] where God spoke to our ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers] was with them in the ·desert [wilderness]. God told Moses how to make this ·Tent [T Tabernacle], and he made it like the ·plan [pattern] God showed him [Ex. 25—31]. 45 Later, Joshua led our ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers] to ·capture [take possession of] the lands of the other nations. Our people went in, and God forced the other people out [Josh. 1—12]. When our people went into this new land, they took with them this same ·Tent [T Tabernacle] they had received from their ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers]. They kept it until the time of David, 46 who ·pleased [L found favor with] God and asked God to ·let him build a house [L find a dwelling place] for him, the God of Jacob[a] [2 Sam. 7]. 47 But Solomon was the one who built ·the Temple [L a house for him; 1 Kin. 7—8].

48 “But the Most High does not live in houses that people build with their hands. As the prophet says:

49 ‘Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool.
·So do you think you can build a house [L What kind of house will you build] for me? says the Lord.
    ·Do I need a place to rest [L Or what is my resting place]?
50 ·Remember, my hand made [L Did not my hand make…?] all these things [Is. 66:1–2]!’”

51 Stephen continued speaking: “You ·stubborn [L stiff-necked] people! You have ·not given your hearts to God, nor will you listen to him [L uncircumcised hearts and ears]! You are always ·against [resisting] what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you, just as your ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers] were. 52 Was there ever a prophet your ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers] did not ·try to hurt [persecute]? They even killed ·the prophets [L those] who ·predicted [foretold; announced beforehand] the coming of the ·One who is good [Righteous One; C Jesus the Messiah]. And now you have ·turned against [betrayed] and ·killed [murdered] the ·One who is good [Righteous One]. 53 You received the law of Moses, which God gave you through his angels [Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2], but you haven’t obeyed it.”

Stephen Is Killed

54 When the leaders heard this, they became furious [L in their hearts]. They were so mad they were ·grinding [gnashing] their teeth at Stephen. 55 But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God’s right ·side [or hand; C the place of highest honor beside a king]. 56 He said, “Look! I see heaven open and the Son of Man [C a title for the Messiah; Dan. 7:13–14] standing at God’s right ·side [or hand].” [C Normally portrayed as “sitting” at God’s right side (Ps. 110:1), Jesus is standing either to give testimony to Stephen’s faithfulness, or to welcome him into God’s presence.]

57 Then they shouted loudly and covered their ears and all ·ran [rushed together; or rushed with one intent] at Stephen. 58 They ·took [dragged] him out of the city and began to ·throw stones at him to kill [stone] him [C the customary way to execute a criminal]. And ·those who told lies against Stephen [or his accusers; those who provided testimony; L the witnesses] left their coats ·with [L at the feet of] a young man named Saul [C later known as Paul]. 59 While they were ·throwing stones [stoning him], Stephen ·prayed [L called out], “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell on his knees and cried in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” After Stephen said this, he ·died [L fell asleep; C for believers death is temporary, like sleep].

Footnotes

  1. Acts 7:46 God of Jacob Some Greek copies read “for (or, with) the house of Jacob.” This means the people of Israel.

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

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.