Acts 7
Christian Standard Bible
Stephen’s Sermon
7 “Are these things true?” the high priest asked.
2 “Brothers and fathers,” he replied, “listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,(A) 3 and said to him: Leave your country and relatives, and come to the land that I will show you.[a](B)
4 “Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this land in which you are now living.(C) 5 He didn’t give him an inheritance in it—not even a foot of ground—but he promised to give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him,(D) even though he was childless. 6 God spoke in this way: His descendants would be strangers in a foreign country, and they would enslave and oppress them for four hundred years. 7 I will judge the nation that they will serve as slaves, God said. After this, they will come out and worship me in this place.[b](E) 8 And so he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. After this, he fathered Isaac and circumcised(F) him on the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.(G)
The Patriarchs in Egypt
9 “The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt, but God was with him(H) 10 and rescued him out of all his troubles. He gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over his whole household.(I) 11 Now a famine and great suffering came over all of Egypt and Canaan,(J) and our ancestors could find no food. 12 When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there the first time. 13 The second time, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14 Joseph invited his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five people in all,(K) 15 and Jacob went down to Egypt. He and our ancestors died there,(L) 16 were carried back to Shechem, and were placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.(M)
Moses, a Rejected Savior
17 “As the time was approaching to fulfill the promise that God had made to Abraham, the people flourished and multiplied in Egypt(N) 18 until a different king who did not know Joseph ruled over Egypt.[c] 19 He dealt deceitfully with our race and oppressed our ancestors by making them abandon their infants outside so that they wouldn’t survive.(O) 20 At this time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in God’s sight. He was cared for in his father’s home for three months. 21 When he was put outside, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted and raised him as her own son.(P) 22 So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his speech and actions.(Q)
23 “When he was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. 24 When he saw one of them being mistreated, he came to his rescue and avenged the oppressed man by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He assumed his people would understand that God would give them deliverance through him, but they did not understand. 26 The next day he showed up while they were fighting and tried to reconcile them peacefully, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?’ (R)
27 “But the one who was mistreating his neighbor pushed Moses aside, saying: Who appointed you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me, the same way you killed the Egyptian yesterday?[d](S)
29 “When he heard this, Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.(T) 30 After forty years had passed, an angel[e] appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. As he was approaching to look at it, the voice of the Lord came: 32 I am the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.[f](U) Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look.
33 “The Lord said to him: Take off the sandals from your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. And now, come, I will send you to Egypt.[g](V)
35 “This Moses, whom they rejected when they said, Who appointed you a ruler and a judge?[h]—this one God sent as a ruler and a deliverer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.(W) 36 This man led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt,(X) at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.(Y)
Israel’s Rebellion against God
37 “This is the Moses who said to the Israelites: God[i] will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.[j](Z) 38 He is the one who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors.(AA) He received living oracles to give to us.(AB) 39 Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him. Instead, they pushed him aside, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.(AC) 40 They told Aaron: Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what’s happened to him.[k](AD) 41 They even made a calf in those days, offered sacrifice to the idol, and were celebrating what their hands had made.(AE) 42 God turned away(AF) and gave them up to worship(AG) the stars of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:
House of Israel, did you bring me offerings and sacrifices
for forty years in the wilderness?
43 You took up the tent of Moloch
and the star of your god Rephan,
the images that you made to worship.
So I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.[l](AH)
God’s Real Tabernacle
44 “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern he had seen.(AI) 45 Our ancestors in turn received it and with Joshua brought it in when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before them,(AJ) until the days of David. 46 He found favor in God’s sight and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God[m] of Jacob.(AK) 47 It was Solomon, rather, who built him a house,(AL) 48 but the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, as the prophet says:(AM)
49 Heaven is my throne,
and the earth my footstool.
What sort of house will you build for me?
says the Lord,
or what will be my resting place?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?[n](AN)
Resisting the Holy Spirit
51 “You stiff-necked(AO) people with uncircumcised hearts and ears!(AP) You are always resisting the Holy Spirit. As your ancestors did, you do also. 52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute?(AQ) They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers(AR) you have now become. 53 You received the law under the direction of angels(AS) and yet have not kept it.”
The First Christian Martyr
54 When they heard these things, they were enraged[o] and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.(AT) 56 He said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (AU)
57 They yelled at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. 58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone(AV) him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.(AW) 59 While they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” (AX) 60 He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice,(AY) “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And after saying this, he fell asleep.(AZ)
Footnotes
- 7:3 Gn 12:1
- 7:6–7 Gn 15:13–14
- 7:18 Other mss omit over Egypt
- 7:27–28 Ex 2:14
- 7:30 Other mss add of the Lord
- 7:32 Ex 3:6,15
- 7:33–34 Ex 3:5,7–8,10
- 7:35 Ex 2:14
- 7:37 Other mss read The Lord your God
- 7:37 Dt 18:15
- 7:40 Ex 32:1,23
- 7:42–43 Am 5:25–27
- 7:46 Other mss read house
- 7:49–50 Is 66:1–2
- 7:54 Or were cut to the quick
Acts 7
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
7 And de the ho high priest archiereus said legō, “ Are echō these houtos things true houtōs?” 2 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, 3 and kai said legō to pros him autos, ‘ Go exerchomai out from ek · ho your sy land gē and kai from ek · ho your sy relatives syngeneia and kai come deuro to eis the ho land gē that hos I will show deiknymi you sy.’ 4 Then tote he went exerchomai out from ek the land gē 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 gē in eis which hos you hymeis are now nyn living katoikeō. 5 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. 6 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 gē, and kai that the people would enslave douloō and kai mistreat kakoō them four hundred tetrakosioi years etos. 7 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.’ 8 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.
9 “ 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 mē 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 gē 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 gē. 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 gē 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 gē 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 mē; 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 gē 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.”
54 Now de when they heard akouō these houtos things , they became furious diapriō · ho and kai ground brychō their ho teeth odous at epi him autos. 55 But de Stephen, being hyparchō full plērēs of the Holy hagios Spirit pneuma, looked atenizō right into eis · ho heaven ouranos and saw the glory doxa of God theos, and kai Jesus Iēsous standing histēmi at ek the right dexios hand of ho God theos. 56 And kai he said legō, “ Behold idou, I see theōreō the ho heavens ouranos opened dianoigō, and kai the ho Son hyios of ho Man anthrōpos standing histēmi at ek the right dexios hand of ho God theos.” 57 But de they cried krazō out with a loud megas voice phōnē and covered synechō · ho their autos ears ous and kai rushed hormaō together homothumadon at epi him autos. 58 · kai When they had driven ekballō him out exō of the ho city polis, they began to stone lithoboleō him; and kai the ho witnesses martys laid apotithēmi · ho their autos cloaks himation at para the ho feet pous of a young neanias man named kaleō Saul Saulos. 59 · kai They kept stoning lithoboleō · ho Stephen Stephanos as he was calling epikaleō on God and kai saying legō, “ Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous, receive dechomai · ho my egō spirit pneuma!” 60 And de falling tithēmi to his ho knees gony he cried krazō out in a loud megas voice phōnē, “ Lord kyrios, do not mē hold histēmi this houtos sin hamartia against them autos.” · ho And kai when he had said legō this houtos, he fell asleep koimaō.
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