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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.”

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 hold histēmi this houtos sin hamartia against them autos.” · ho And kai when he had said legō this houtos, he fell asleep koimaō.

Stephen’s Defense

Now the [a]high priest asked [Stephen], “Are these charges true?”

And he answered, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory [the Shekinah, the radiance of God] appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,(A) and He said to him, ‘Leave your country and your relatives, and come to the land that I will show you.’(B) Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, God sent him to this country in which you now live.(C) But He did not give him inheritable property, not even enough ground to take a step on, yet He promised that He would give it to Him as a possession, and to his descendants after him.(D) And this is, in effect, what God spoke [to him]: That his descendants would be aliens (strangers) in a foreign land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years. And I will judge any nation to whom they will be in bondage,’ said God, ‘and after that they will come out and serve Me [in worship] in this place.’(E) And God gave Abraham a covenant [a formal agreement to be strictly observed] of [which] circumcision [was the sign]; and so [under these circumstances] Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac [became the father] of [b]Jacob, and Jacob [became the father] of the [c]twelve patriarchs.(F)

“The [ten elder] patriarchs, overwhelmed with jealousy, sold [their younger brother] Joseph into [slavery in] Egypt; but God was with him,(G) 10 and He rescued him from all his suffering, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made Joseph governor over Egypt and over his entire household.(H)

11 “Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great distress and our fathers could not find food [for their households and livestock].(I) 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time.(J) 13 And on the second visit Joseph identified himself to his brothers, and Joseph’s family and background were revealed to Pharaoh.(K) 14 Then Joseph sent and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five persons in all.(L) 15 And Jacob (Israel) went down into Egypt, and [d]there he died, as did our fathers;(M) 16 and [from Egypt] [e]their bodies were taken back to Shechem and placed in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.(N)

17 “But as the time [for the fulfillment] of the promise which God had made to Abraham was approaching, the [Hebrew] people increased and multiplied in Egypt,(O) 18 until [the time when] there arose another king over egypt who did not know joseph [nor his history and the merit of his service to Egypt].(P) 19 He shrewdly exploited our race and mistreated our fathers, forcing them to expose their [male] babies so that they would die.(Q) 20 It was at this [critical] time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and for three months he was nourished in his father’s house.(R) 21 Then when he was set outside [to die], Pharaoh’s daughter rescued him and claimed him for herself, and cared for him as her own son.(S) 22 So Moses was educated in all the wisdom and culture of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds. 23 But when he reached the age of forty, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel. 24 And when he saw one [of them] being treated unfairly, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking and killing the Egyptian. 25 He expected his countrymen to understand that God was granting them freedom through him [assuming that they would accept him], but they did not understand. 26 Then on the next day he suddenly appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you wrong one another?’ 27 But the man who was injuring his neighbor pushed Moses away, saying, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? 28 Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 At this remark Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he fathered two sons.(T)

30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount [f]Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was astonished at the sight; but as he went near to look more closely, the voice of the Lord came [to him, saying]: 32 I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground [worthy of reverence and respect]. 34 I have most certainly seen the oppression of My people in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Now come, and I will send you to Egypt [as My messenger].’(U)

35 “This Moses whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the very one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer, with the [protecting and helping] hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush.(V) 36 This man led them out [of Egypt] after performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.(W) 37 This is the Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a Prophet [g]like me from your countrymen.’(X) 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles [divine words that still live] to be handed down to you.(Y) 39 Our fathers were unwilling to be subject to him [and refused to listen to him]. They rejected him, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.(Z) 40 They said to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’(AA) 41 In those days they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced and celebrated over the works of their hands.(AB) 42 But God turned away [from them] and handed them over to serve the [h]host of heaven. As it is written and forever remains written in the book of the prophets, ‘It was not [really] to Me that you offered victims and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel?(AC) 43 You also took along the tabernacle (portable temple) of Moloch and the star of the god Rompha, the images which you made to worship; and I will remove you beyond Babylon [carrying you away into exile].’(AD)

44 “Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as God directed Moses to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.(AE) 45 Our fathers also brought it in [with them into the land] with Joshua when they dispossessed the [i]nations whom God drove out before our fathers, [and so it remained here] until the time of David,(AF) 46 who found favor (grace, spiritual blessing) in the sight of God and asked that he might [be allowed to] find a dwelling place for the [j]God of Jacob.(AG) 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for Him.(AH) 48 However, the Most High [the One infinitely exalted above humanity] does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet [Isaiah] says,(AI)

49 
Heaven is My throne,
And the earth is the footstool for My feet;
What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord,
Or what place is there for My rest?
50 
Was it not My hand that made all these things?’(AJ)

51 “You stiff-necked and stubborn people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are always actively resisting the Holy Spirit. You are doing just as your fathers did.(AK) 52 Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; 53 you who received the law as ordained and delivered to you by angels, and yet you did not obey it!”

Stephen Put to Death

54 Now when [k]they heard this [accusation and understood its implication], they were cut to the heart, and they began grinding their teeth [in rage] at him. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit and led by Him, gazed into heaven and saw the glory [the great splendor and majesty] of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened up [in welcome] and [l]the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57 But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and together rushed at him [considering him guilty of blasphemy]. 58 Then they drove him out of the city and began stoning him; and the witnesses placed their outer robes at the feet of a young man named [m]Saul.(AL) 59 They continued stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive and accept and welcome my spirit!” 60 Then falling on his knees [in worship], he cried out loudly, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them [do not charge them]!” When he had said this, he fell asleep [in death].

Footnotes

  1. Acts 7:1 Probably Caiaphas. See 4:6.
  2. Acts 7:8 Jacob’s name was changed to Israel (Gen 32:28).
  3. Acts 7:8 Ancestral fathers of the twelve tribes: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.
  4. Acts 7:15 Jacob was buried in Abraham’s tomb at Machpelah in Canaan.
  5. Acts 7:16 Lit they, i.e. the bodies of Joseph and his brothers.
  6. Acts 7:30 Horeb is the range of mountains of which Sinai is a peak (Ex 3:1).
  7. Acts 7:37 Or as He raised up me.
  8. Acts 7:42 A mythological group of gods represented by the heavenly bodies and constellations.
  9. Acts 7:45 Or Gentiles.
  10. Acts 7:46 The earliest mss read house instead of “God”; the Septuagint reads God.
  11. Acts 7:54 This would include the members of the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) and those witnessing the proceedings.
  12. Acts 7:56 The vision acknowledged Stephen’s right standing with God.
  13. Acts 7:58 At this time Saul (later known as the apostle Paul) was an active and devoted Pharisee.