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司提反的申辩

大祭司说:“真有这些事吗?” 司提反说:“各位父老兄弟请听!我们的祖宗亚伯拉罕,在美索不达米亚,还没有住在哈兰的时候,荣耀的 神向他显现, 对他说:‘你要离开本地本族,到我指示你的地方去。’ 他就离开迦勒底人的地方,住在哈兰。他父亲死后, 神又叫他从那里迁到你们现在所住的地方。 在这里 神并没有赐他产业,连立足之地也没有。但 神应许把这地赐给他和他的后裔为业,虽然那时他还没有儿子。  神就这样说:‘你的后裔必在外地寄居,人要奴役、虐待他们四百年。’  神又说:‘奴役他们的那个国家,我要亲自惩罚。以后,他们要出来,在这地方事奉我。’  神也赐他割礼为约。这样,亚伯拉罕生了以撒,第八天就给他行了割礼。后来,以撒生雅各,雅各生了十二位祖先。

“祖先妒忌约瑟,把他卖到埃及去,然而 神与他同在, 10 救他脱离一切苦难,使他在埃及王法老面前,有智慧、得恩宠。法老立他为首相,管理埃及和法老的全家。 11 后来埃及和迦南全地遭遇饥荒、大灾难,我们的祖先找不到粮食。 12 雅各听见埃及有谷粮,就派我们的祖先去,这是第一次。 13 第二次的时候,约瑟就向哥哥们表露自己的身世,法老才知道约瑟的家世。 14 约瑟就派人去把他父亲雅各和全家七十五人都接来。 15 于是雅各下了埃及。后来他和我们祖先都死了, 16 运到示剑,埋葬在亚伯拉罕用银子向哈抹子孙买来的坟地里。

17 “ 神给亚伯拉罕的应许快要实现的时候,以色列人在埃及人口繁盛增多; 18 但是,到了另一位不认识约瑟的君王兴起统治埃及的时候, 19 他就谋害我们的同胞,虐待我们的祖先,逼他们拋弃自己的婴孩,不容婴孩存活。 20 就在那时候,摩西出生了,他非常俊美,在父亲的家中抚养了三个月。 21 他被拋弃的时候,法老的女儿把他拾起来,当作儿子抚养。 22 摩西学尽了埃及人的一切学问,说话行事都有能力。

23 “到了四十岁,他心中起了一个念头,要去看望自己的同胞以色列人。 24 当他看见有一个人受欺负,就去护卫,为那受屈的抱不平,打死了那个埃及人。 25 他以为同胞们都必知道 神要借着他的手拯救他们,事实上他们却不知道。 26 第二天,有人在打架,摩西就出面调解,说:‘你们是弟兄,为甚么彼此欺负呢?’ 27 那欺负邻舍的把他推开,说:‘谁立了你作我们的领袖和审判官呢? 28 难道你想杀我,像昨天杀那个埃及人一样吗?’ 29 摩西因为这句话,就逃到米甸地寄居,在那里生了两个儿子。

30 “过了四十年,在西奈山的旷野,有一位使者,在荆棘中的火焰里,向摩西显现。 31 他见了这个异象,十分惊奇;他正上前察看的时候,就有主的声音说: 32 ‘我是你祖宗的 神,就是亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的 神。’摩西战战兢兢,不敢观看。 33 主对他说:‘把你脚上的鞋脱掉,因为你所站的地方是圣地。 34 我的子民在埃及所受的痛苦,我实在看见了;他们的叹息我也听见了,我下来是要救他们。你来,我要派你到埃及去。’ 35 他们拒绝了这位摩西,说:‘谁立了你作领袖和审判官呢?’但 神借着在荆棘中向他显现的使者的手,派他作领袖和救赎者。 36 这人领他们出来,并且在埃及地、红海和旷野,行奇事神迹四十年。 37 以前那位对以色列人说‘ 神要从你们弟兄中间,给你们兴起一位先知像我’的,就是这摩西。 38 那曾经在旷野的大会中,和那在西奈山上对他说话的使者同在,也与我们的祖先同在的,就是他。他领受了活的圣言,传给我们。 39 我们的祖先不肯听从他,反而把他推开,他们的心已经转向了埃及, 40 就对亚伦说:‘给我们做一些神像,可以走在我们前头。因为把我们从埃及地领出来的那个摩西,我们不知道他遭遇了甚么事。’ 41 在那些日子里,他们做了一个牛犊,把祭物献给那偶像,并且因自己手所做的而欢乐。 42 于是 神转身离开,任凭他们事奉天象,正如先知书所说:

‘以色列家啊,

你们在旷野四十年,

岂是将祭牲和祭物献给我呢?

43 你们抬着摩洛的帐幕,

和理番神的星,

就是你们做来敬拜的像。

所以我要把你们放逐到巴比伦那一边去。’

44 “我们的祖先在旷野有作证的帐幕,就是跟摩西谈话的那位指示他,依照他看见的样式做的。 45 我们的祖先相继承受了这帐幕, 神把外族人从他们面前赶走以后,他们就同约书亚把帐幕带进所得为业的地方,直到大卫的日子。 46 大卫在 神面前蒙了恩,就求为雅各的 神找个居所, 47 而由所罗门为他建造殿宇。 48 其实至高者并不住人手所造的,正如先知说:

49 ‘主说:天是我的宝座,

地是我的脚凳,

你们要为我建造怎样的殿呢?

哪里是我安息的地方呢?

50 这一切不都是我手所造的吗?’

51 “你们颈项刚硬、心和耳都未受割礼的人哪!你们时常抗拒圣灵,你们的祖先怎样,你们也怎样。 52 有哪一个先知,你们的祖先不迫害呢?你们杀了那些预先宣告那义者要来的人,现在又把那义者出卖了,杀害了。 53 你们领受了由天使传达的律法,却不遵守。”

司提反被石头打死

54 众人听了这些话,心中非常恼怒,就向着司提反咬牙切齿。 55 但司提反被圣灵充满,定睛望着天,看见 神的荣耀,并且看见耶稣站在 神的右边, 56 就说:“看哪!我看见天开了,人子站在 神的右边。” 57 众人大声喊叫,掩着耳朵,一齐向他冲过去, 58 把他推出城外,用石头打他。那些证人把自己的衣服,放在一个名叫扫罗的青年人脚前。 59 他们用石头打司提反的时候,他呼求说:“主耶稣啊,求你接收我的灵魂!” 60 然后跪下来大声喊着说:“主啊,不要把这罪归给他们!”说了这话,就睡了。

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。

Then the high priest asked, `Is this true?'

Stephen replied, `Men, brothers and fathers, listen to me. When our father Abraham was in the country of Mesopotamia, before he lived in the country of Haran, the God who is great and wonderful came to him.

God said, "Leave your country and your family and come to the country that I will show you."

Then Abraham came out of the country of the Chaldeans and lived for a while in the country of Haran. After his father died, God led him from there to this country where you are living now.

But God did not give any of the land to Abraham, not even a small part. But he promised that the land would belong to him. After him it would belong to his children, even though he did not have a child then.

This is what God told Abraham. He told him that his children would travel and live in another land. They would be slaves to the people there. They would have a hard time for four hundred years.

And God said, "I will judge the people who make them slaves. After that, they will come out of that land and serve me here."

God made the agreement of circumcision with Abraham. Abraham had a son Isaac. He made the mark of circumcision on the child's body and circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac had a son Jacob, and Jacob had twelve sons who were our fathers.

`Because they were jealous, they sold Joseph to be a slave in the country of Egypt. But God was with Joseph.

10 He took him out of all his troubles. He blessed him and made him wise in the eyes of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh made him president in Egypt and a ruler over all the people of his house.

11 For a long, long time there was no rain in Egypt and Canaan. And so there was very little food. This caused much trouble. Our fathers had nothing to eat.

12 Then Jacob heard that there was food in Egypt. He sent his sons on their first trip to buy some. They were our fathers of long ago.

13 The second time they went, Joseph told his brothers who he was. And Pharaoh found out who Joseph's family was.

14 Then Joseph sent for Jacob his father and all the family to come. There were seventy-five people.

15 So Jacob went to Egypt. There he and our fathers died.

16 They were taken back to the place called Shechem and buried. Abraham had bought a grave from the family of Hamor in Shechem. He had paid money for it.

17 `Then it was almost time for God to do what he had promised to Abraham. The family of Jacob had become very large in Egypt.

18 Then a new king who did not know Joseph ruled over Egypt.

19 This king was not kind to our fathers but he gave them a hard time. They had to put their babies outside to die.

20 `Moses was born during that time. He was a very fine baby. For three months he was raised in his own father's home.

21 When he was put outside to die, Pharaoh's daughter took him. She raised him as her own son.

22 Moses was taught all the things the Egyptians knew. He knew how to talk and could do great things.

23 `When he was forty years old he decided to visit his own family, the people of Israel.

24 There he saw one of them being hurt by an Egyptian. So he helped him. He fought for him and knocked down the Egyptian.

25 He thought his people would know that God wanted him to make them free. But they did not understand.

26 The next day he saw two of his own people fighting and he wanted to make peace. "You are brothers," he said. "Why are you fighting?"

27 But the one who was fighting his neighbour pushed Moses away. He said, "Who made you our ruler and our judge?

28 Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?"

29 When Moses heard these words, he left Egypt at once. He lived as a stranger in the country of Midian. While he was there, two sons were born to him.

30 `When forty years had passed, he was in the wilderness near the hill called Sinai. There he saw fire in a small tree. An angel of the Lord was in the fire.

31 Moses looked at it. He was very much surprised. He came closer to look at it better. Then he heard the Lord speak to him.

32 The Lord said, "I am the God of your fathers. I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob." Moses began to shake. He was afraid to look.

33 Then the Lord said, "Take off your shoes. You are standing on holy ground.

34 I have looked and seen the trouble my people have in Egypt. I have heard them crying and I have come to make them free. Now come, I will send you to Egypt."

35 `This is the same Moses the people would not accept when they said, "Who made you our ruler and our judge?" This is the one God sent to be their ruler and to make them free when he spoke through the angel in the small tree.

36 It was Moses who led the people out of Egypt. He had done wonderful things and signs there, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness, for forty years.

37 `This is the same Moses who said, "God will raise up one of your brothers to be a prophet, as he did me. Listen to him."

38 This is the same Moses who was with God's people in the wilderness at the hill called Mount Sinai. He was with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers of long ago . It was he who received the words of life to give to us.

39 `Our fathers would not obey Moses. They did not want him to lead them. They wished they were back in Egypt.

40 They said to Aaron, "Make gods to lead us. We do not know what has happened to this Moses who brought us out of Egypt."

41 They made a young cow at that time and gave sacrifices to this god which was not the true God. They were very happy. What they had made pleased them.

42 `Then God turned away from them. He let them worship the sun, moon, and the many stars in the sky. The prophets of God wrote about it long ago. They said, "You people of Israel, did you sacrifice animals to me forty years in the wilderness?

43 You carried the house of the god called Moloch and the star of the god called Rephan. You made gods of them to worship. I will carry you away to the other side of Babylon."

44 `Our fathers had the tent for the laws of God in the wilderness. It was built the way God showed Moses to make it.

45 Our fathers brought that tent with them when they came to this country. Joshua was their leader. God put aside the people who lived here first. Our fathers kept that tent with them until the time of David.

46 God blessed David who asked God to let him make a better house for Jacob's God.

47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

48 But even so, God is above all. He does not live in houses that people make with their hands. The prophet says,

49 "The Lord said, `The sky is the big chair from which I rule. I put my feet on the earth. So then, what kind of house will you build for me? Or where will I rest myself?

50 I have made all these things myself.''

51 `You hard-hearted people! You have hearts and ears like the people who are not Jews. You always fight against the Holy Spirit just as your fathers did long ago.

52 What did your fathers do to the prophets of God? They made a lot of trouble for every one of them. They killed the ones who told that the Right and True One would come. He is the One you gave up to be killed. You are the killers.

53 You received the law given by angels, but you have not kept it.'

54 When the men heard what Stephen said, they were very angry. They made noises with their teeth to show they hated him.

55 But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked at the sky and saw the greatness of God. He saw Jesus standing at God's right side.

56 `Look,' he said, `I see the sky open. I see the Son of man standing at God's right hand side.'

57 Then the men shouted. They put their fingers in their ears. All together they ran at Stephen.

58 They put him out of the city and threw stones at him. (Those who had talked against him laid their clothes down by the feet of a young man named Saul.)

59 They kept on throwing stones at Stephen. He spoke to God and said, `Oh, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.'

60 Then he kneeled down and said in a loud voice, `Lord, do not punish them for this wrong thing they are doing,' After he said this, he died.