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And the high priest said, Are these things so? And he said,

Brethren and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said unto him, Get thee out of thy land, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Haran: and from thence, when his father was dead, God 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: and he promised that he would give it to him in 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 treat them ill, four hundred years. And the nation to which 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 the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt: and God was with him, 10 and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 11 Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time. 13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s race became manifest unto Pharaoh. 14 And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. 15 And Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died, himself and our fathers; 16 and they were carried over unto Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver of the sons of [a]Hamor in Shechem. 17 But as the time of the promise drew nigh which God vouchsafed unto Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 till there arose another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. 19 The same dealt craftily with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, that [b]they should cast out their babes to the end they might not [c]live. 20 At which season Moses was born, and was [d]exceeding fair; and he was nourished three months in his father’s house: 21 and when he was cast out, Pharaoh’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 works. 23 But when he was well-nigh 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, smiting the Egyptian: 25 and he supposed that his brethren understood that God by his hand was giving them [e]deliverance; but they understood not. 26 And the day following he appeared 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 neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Wouldest thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? 29 And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons. 30 And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord, 32 I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not behold. 33 And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I 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? him hath God sent to be both a ruler and a [f]deliverer with the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them forth, having wrought wonders and signs in Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. 37 This is that Moses, who said unto the children of Israel, [g]A prophet shall God raise up unto you from among your brethren, [h]like unto me. 38 This is he that was in the [i]church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received living oracles to give unto us: 39 to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt, 40 saying unto Aaron, Make us gods that shall go before us: for as for this Moses, who led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. 41 And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands. 42 But God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets,

[j]Did ye offer unto me slain beasts and sacrifices
Forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 And ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch,
And the star of the god Rephan,
The figures which ye made to worship them:
And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he appointed who spake unto Moses, that he should make it according to the figure that he had seen. 45 Which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with [k]Joshua when they entered on the possession of the [l]nations, that God thrust out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; 46 who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built him a house. 48 Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands; as saith the prophet,

49 [m]The heaven is my throne,
And the earth the footstool of my feet:
What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord:
Or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?

51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52 Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers; 53 ye who received the law [n]as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 7:16 Greek Emmor.
  2. Acts 7:19 Or, he
  3. Acts 7:19 Greek be preserved alive.
  4. Acts 7:20 Or, fair unto God. Compare 2 Cor. 10:4.
  5. Acts 7:25 Or, salvation
  6. Acts 7:35 Greek redeemer.
  7. Acts 7:37 Dt. 18:15.
  8. Acts 7:37 Or, as he raised up me
  9. Acts 7:38 Or, congregation
  10. Acts 7:42 Am. 5:25ff.
  11. Acts 7:45 Greek Jesus. Compare Heb. 4:8.
  12. Acts 7:45 Or, Gentiles. Compare 4:25.
  13. Acts 7:49 Isa. 66:1f.
  14. Acts 7:53 Or, as the ordinance of angels. Greek unto ordinances of angels.

And de the ho high priest archiereus said legō, “ Are echō these houtos things true houtōs?” And de Stephen ho said phēmi: “ My brothers anēr and kai fathers patēr, hear akouō me. The ho God theos of ho glory doxa appeared horaō to ho our hēmeis father patēr Abraham Abraam when he was eimi in en · ho Mesopotamia Mesopotamia, before prin ē he autos lived katoikeō in en Haran Charran, and kai said legō to pros him autos, ‘ Go exerchomai out from ek · ho your sy land and kai from ek · ho your sy relatives syngeneia and kai come deuro to eis the ho land that hos I will show deiknymi you sy.’ Then tote he went exerchomai out from ek the land of the Chaldeans Chaldaios and lived katoikeō in en Haran Charran. And kakeithen after meta · ho his autos father patēr died apothnēskō, · ho God had him autos move metoikizō to eis · ho this houtos land in eis which hos you hymeis are now nyn living katoikeō. Yet kai he gave didōmi him autos no ou inheritance klēronomia in en it autos, not oude even a foot pous of ground bēma, but kai promised epangellomai to give didōmi it autos to him autos as eis a possession kataschesis and kai to ho his autos descendants sperma after meta him autos, though as yet eimi Abraham autos had eimi no ou child teknon. And de God theos spoke laleō thus houtōs, · ho that hoti Abraham’ s autos descendants sperma would be eimi · ho sojourners paroikos in en a foreign allotrios land , and kai that the people would enslave douloō and kai mistreat kakoō them four hundred tetrakosioi years etos. But kai, ‘ Whatever hos · ho nation ethnos they serve douleuō as slaves , I egō will punish krinō,’ said legō · ho God theos, ‘ and kai after meta this houtos they will come exerchomai out and kai they will worship latreuō me egō in en · ho this houtos place topos.’ And kai he gave didōmi him autos a covenant diathēkē of circumcision peritomē; and kai so houtōs Abraham became gennaō the father of · ho Isaac Isaak and kai circumcised peritemnō him autos on the ho eighth ogdoos day hēmera; · ho and kai Isaac Isaak became the father of · ho Jacob Iakōb, and kai Jacob Iakōb of the ho twelve dōdeka patriarchs patriarchēs.

And kai the ho patriarchs patriarchēs, jealous zēloō of ho Joseph Iōsēph, sold apodidōmi him into eis Egypt Aigyptos; but kai God theos was eimi · ho with meta him autos, 10 and kai rescued exaireō him autos out ek of all pas · ho his autos afflictions thlipsis and kai gave didōmi him autos favor charis and kai wisdom sophia before enantion Pharaoh Pharaō, king basileus of Egypt Aigyptos, who kai appointed kathistēmi him autos ruler hēgeomai over epi Egypt Aigyptos and kai over epi all holos · ho his autos royal household oikos. 11 Now de there came erchomai a famine limos upon epi all holos · ho Egypt Aigyptos and kai Canaan Chanaan, · kai bringing great megas affliction thlipsis, and kai our hēmeis fathers patēr could find heuriskō no ou food chortasma. · ho 12 But de Jacob Iakōb, hearing akouō that there was eimi grain sition in eis Egypt Aigyptos, sent exapostellō · ho our hēmeis fathers patēr out on their first prōton visit. 13 · kai On en their ho second deuteros visit Joseph Iōsēph made himself known anagnōrizō to ho his autos brothers adelphos, and kai the ho lineage genos of ho Joseph Iōsēph became ginomai clear phaneros to ho Pharaoh Pharaō. 14 Then de Joseph Iōsēph sent apostellō and summoned metakaleō Jacob Iakōb · ho his autos father patēr and kai all pas his ho relatives syngeneia, seventy-five hebdomēkonta persons psychē. 15 And kai Jacob Iakōb went katabainō down into eis Egypt Aigyptos, and kai he himself autos died teleutaō there, along kai with · ho our hēmeis fathers patēr, 16 and kai they were brought metatithēmi back to eis Shechem Sychem and kai laid tithēmi in en the ho tomb mnēma that hos Abraham Abraam had bought ōneomai for a sum timē of silver argyrion from para the ho sons hyios of Hamor Hemmōr in en Shechem Sychem.

17  But de as kathōs the ho time chronos of the ho promise epangelia drew near engizō, which hos God theos had granted homologeō · ho to ho Abraham Abraam, our ho people laos increased auxanō and kai multiplied plēthunō in en Egypt Aigyptos, 18 until achri hos there arose anistēmi another heteros king basileus over epi Egypt Aigyptos who hos did not ou know oida · ho Joseph Iōsēph. 19 He houtos took katasophizomai advantage of · ho our hēmeis nation genos and mistreated kakoō · ho our hēmeis fathers patēr, · ho making poieō them expose ekthetos · ho their autos infants brephos, so eis that they would not be kept alive zōiogoneō. 20 At en which hos time kairos Moses Mōysēs was born gennaō, and kai he was eimi beautiful asteios before ho God theos. He hos was brought anatrephō up for three treis months mēn in en · ho his ho father’ s patēr house oikos; 21 and de when he autos was abandoned ektithēmi, the ho daughter thugatēr of Pharaoh Pharaō rescued anaireō him autos and kai brought anatrephō him autos up for herself heautou as eis a son hyios. 22 So kai Moses Mōysēs was trained paideuō in en all pas the wisdom sophia of the Egyptians Aigyptios and de was eimi powerful dynatos in en his autos words logos and kai deeds ergon.

23  When hōs · de he autos was plēroō about forty tesserakontaetēs years old chronos, it entered anabainō · ho his autos mind kardia to visit episkeptomai · ho his autos brothers adelphos, the ho sons hyios of Israel Israēl. 24 And kai seeing one tis of them being treated unjustly adikeō, he defended amynomai him and kai brought poieō justice ekdikēsis to the ho one being mistreated kataponeō by striking patassō down the ho Egyptian Aigyptios. 25 He thought nomizō · de that his autos brothers adelphos would understand syniēmi · ho that hoti · ho God theos, by dia his autos hand cheir, was granting didōmi them autos deliverance sōtēria; but de they ho did not ou understand syniēmi. 26 On the ho following epeimi day hēmera he appeared horaō to them autos as they were quarreling machomai and kai tried to reconcile synallassō them autos to be at eis peace eirēnē, saying legō, ‘ Men anēr, you are eimi brothers adelphos. Why hinati are you hurting adikeō one allēlōn another ?’ 27 But de the ho one who was trying to injure adikeō his ho neighbor plēsion pushed apōtheō Moses autos aside, saying legō, ‘ Who tis made kathistēmi you sy a ruler archōn and kai a judge dikastēs over epi us hēmeis? 28 Do thelō you sy want thelō to kill anaireō me egō as hos tropos yesterday echthes you killed anaireō the ho Egyptian Aigyptios?’ 29 At en this houtos remark logos, Moses Mōysēs fled pheugō · de · ho and kai became ginomai an exile paroikos in en the land of Midian Madiam, where hou he had gennaō two dyo sons hyios.

30  Now kai when forty tesserakonta years etos had passed plēroō, there appeared horaō to him autos in en the ho desert erēmos near ho Mount oros Sinai Sina an angel angelos in en the flame phlox of a burning pyr bush batos. 31 When · ho · de Moses Mōysēs saw it, he wondered thaumazō at the ho sight horama; and de as he autos came proserchomai closer to look katanoeō at it, there came ginomai the voice phōnē of the Lord kyrios: 32  I egō am the ho God theos of ho your sy forefathers patēr, the ho God theos of Abraham Abraam and kai of Isaac Isaak and kai of Jacob Iakōb.’ And de Moses Mōysēs began ginomai to tremble entromos and did not ou dare tolmaō to look katanoeō. 33 And de the ho Lord kyrios said legō to him autos, ‘ Take lyō off the ho sandals hypodēma from ho your sy feet pous, for gar the ho place topos on epi which hos you stand histēmi is eimi holy hagios ground . 34 Surely I have seen the ho oppression kakōsis of ho my egō people laos · ho in en Egypt Aigyptos, and kai I have heard akouō · ho their autos groaning stenagmos, and kai I have come katabainō down to deliver exaireō them autos. · kai Now nyn come deuro, I will send apostellō you sy back to eis Egypt Aigyptos.’ 35 This houtos · ho Moses Mōysēs, whom hos they rejected arneomai, saying legō, ‘ Who tis made kathistēmi you sy a ruler archōn and kai a judge dikastēs?’— this houtos man · ho God theos sent apostellō both kai as ruler archōn and kai redeemer lytrōtēs by syn the hand cheir of the angel angelos who ho appeared horaō to him autos in en the ho bush batos. 36 He houtos led exagō them autos out, performing poieō wonders teras and kai signs sēmeion in en the land of Egypt Aigyptos and kai at en the Red erythros Sea thalassa and kai in en the ho wilderness erēmos for forty tesserakonta years etos. 37 This houtos is eimi the ho Moses Mōysēs who ho said legō to the ho sons hyios of Israel Israēl, ‘ God theos will raise up anistēmi a prophet prophētēs for you hymeis · ho from ek among · ho your hymeis brothers adelphos, as hōs he raised up me egō.’ 38 He houtos is eimi the ho one who was ginomai in en the ho congregation ekklēsia in en the ho wilderness erēmos with meta the ho angel angelos who ho spoke laleō to him autos on en · ho Mount oros Sinai Sina, and kai with · ho our hēmeis fathers patēr, and he hos received dechomai living zaō oracles logion to give didōmi to us hēmeis. 39 To him hos our hēmeis fathers patēr were not ou willing thelō to be ginomai obedient hypēkoos, · ho but alla thrust apōtheō him aside , and kai turned strephō in en · ho their autos hearts kardia to eis Egypt Aigyptos, 40 saying legō to ho Aaron Aarōn, ‘ Make poieō for us hēmeis gods theos who hos will go before proporeuomai us hēmeis, · ho for gar this houtos Moses Mōysēs who hos brought exagō us hēmeis from ek the land of Egypt Aigyptos, we do not ou know oida what tis has happened ginomai to him autos.’ 41 And kai they made a calf moschopoieō in en · ho those ekeinos days hēmera and kai offered anagō a sacrifice thusia to the ho idol eidōlon and kai began rejoicing euphrainō in en the ho works ergon of ho their autos hands cheir. 42 But de God theos turned strephō away · ho and kai gave paradidōmi them autos over to worship latreuō the ho host stratia of ho heaven ouranos, as kathōs it is written graphō in en the book biblos of the ho prophets prophētēs: ‘ Did you bring prospherō to me egō slain sphagion beasts and kai sacrifices thusia forty tesserakonta years etos in en the ho wilderness erēmos, O house oikos of Israel Israēl? No ; 43 · kai You took analambanō along the ho shrine skēnē of ho Moloch Moloch and kai the ho star astron of ho your hymeis god theos Rephan Rhaiphan, the ho images typos that hos you made poieō, to worship proskyneō them autos, so kai I will make you hymeis move metoikizō beyond epekeina Babylon Babylōn.’

44  The ho tabernacle skēnē of ho witness martyrion was eimi with ho our hēmeis fathers patēr in en the ho wilderness erēmos just kathōs as the ho one who spoke laleō to ho Moses Mōysēs ordered diatassō him to make poieō it autos according kata to the ho pattern typos that hos he had seen horaō. 45 And when diadechomai our hēmeis fathers patēr received diadechomai it hos in return diadechomai, · kai they brought eisagō it in · ho with meta Joshua Iēsous in en · ho taking kataschesis possession of the ho nations ethnos, whom hos God theos drove exōtheō out · ho before apo the face prosōpon of ho our hēmeis fathers patēr, until heōs the ho days hēmera of David Dauid, 46 who hos found heuriskō favor charis in the sight enōpion of ho God theos and kai asked aiteō to find heuriskō a dwelling skēnōma place for the ho God oikos of Jacob Iakōb. 47 But de it was Solomon Solomōn who built oikodomeō a house oikos for him autos. 48 Yet alla the ho Most High hypsistos does katoikeō not ou dwell katoikeō in en houses cheiropoiētos made by hands ; as kathōs the ho prophet prophētēs says legō, 49 · ho Heaven ouranos is my egō throne thronos, · ho and de earth is the footstool hypopodion for ho my egō feet pous. What poios sort of house oikos will you build oikodomeō for me egō, says legō the Lord kyrios, or ē what tis is the place topos of ho my egō rest katapausis? 50 Did not ouchi · ho my egō hand cheir make poieō all pas these houtos things ?’

51  You stiff-necked sklērotrachēlos people , · kai uncircumcised aperitmētos in heart kardia and kai · ho ears ous! You hymeis are antipiptō always aei resisting antipiptō the ho Holy hagios Spirit pneuma. · ho As hōs · ho your hymeis fathers patēr were, so also kai are you hymeis. 52 Which tis of the ho prophets prophētēs did not ou your hymeis fathers patēr persecute diōkō? · ho · kai They killed apokteinō those ho who announced beforehand prokatangellō concerning peri the ho coming eleusis of the ho Righteous dikaios One , of whom hos you hymeis have ginomai now nyn become ginomai betrayers prodotēs and kai murderers phoneus! 53 You, who hostis received lambanō the ho law nomos by eis decrees diatagē given by angels angelos and kai did not ou keep phylassō it.”

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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.”

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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