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Esther 9-10
New King James Version

The Jews Destroy Their Tormentors

9 Now (A)in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, (B)the time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves (C)overpowered those who hated them. 2 The Jews (D)gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who (E)sought their harm. And no one could withstand them, (F)because fear of them fell upon all people. 3 And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and all those doing the king’s work, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for this man Mordecai (G)became increasingly prominent. 5 Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction, and did what they pleased with those who hated them.

6 And in (H)Shushan[a] the [b]citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 Also Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vajezatha— 10 (I)the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews—they killed; (J)but they did not lay a hand on the [c]plunder.

11 On that day the number of those who were killed in [d]Shushan the [e]citadel [f]was brought to the king. 12 And the king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the citadel, and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now (K)what is your petition? It shall be granted to you. Or what is your further request? It shall be done.”

13 Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow (L)according to today’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons (M)be hanged on the gallows.”

14 So the king commanded this to be done; the decree was issued in Shushan, and they hanged Haman’s ten sons.

15 And the Jews who were in [g]Shushan (N)gathered together again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred men at Shushan; (O)but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

16 The remainder of the Jews in the king’s provinces (P)gathered together and protected their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies; (Q)but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. 17 This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. And on the fourteenth of [h]the month they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

The Feast of Purim

18 But the Jews who were at [i]Shushan assembled together (R)on the thirteenth day, as well as on the fourteenth; and on the fifteenth of [j]the month they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages who dwelt in the unwalled towns celebrated the fourteenth day of the month of Adar (S)with gladness and feasting, (T)as a holiday, and for (U)sending presents to one another.

20 And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, 21 to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar, 22 as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of (V)sending presents to one another and gifts to the (W)poor. 23 So the Jews accepted the custom which they had begun, as Mordecai had written to them, 24 because Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, (X)had plotted against the Jews to annihilate them, and had cast Pur (that is, the lot), to consume them and destroy them; 25 but (Y)when [k]Esther came before the king, he commanded by letter that [l]this wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should (Z)return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

26 So they called these days Purim, after the name [m]Pur. Therefore, because of all the words of (AA)this letter, what they had seen concerning this matter, and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews established and imposed it upon themselves and their descendants and all who would (AB)join them, that without fail they should celebrate these two days every year, according to the written instructions and according to the prescribed time, 28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city, that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, and that the memory of them should not perish among their descendants.

29 Then Queen Esther, (AC)the daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this (AD)second letter about Purim. 30 And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews, to (AE)the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, 31 to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had prescribed for them, and as they had decreed for themselves and their descendants concerning matters of their (AF)fasting and lamenting. 32 So the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim, and it was written in the book.

Mordecai’s Advancement

10 And King Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the land and on (AG)the islands of the sea. 2 Now all the acts of his power and his might, and the account of the greatness of Mordecai, (AH)to which the king [n]advanced him, are they not written in the book of the (AI)chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was (AJ)second to King Ahasuerus, and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, (AK)seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his [o]countrymen.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 9:6 Or Susa
  2. Esther 9:6 palace
  3. Esther 9:10 spoil
  4. Esther 9:11 Or Susa
  5. Esther 9:11 palace
  6. Esther 9:11 Lit. came
  7. Esther 9:15 Or Susa
  8. Esther 9:17 Lit. it
  9. Esther 9:18 Or Susa
  10. Esther 9:18 Lit. it
  11. Esther 9:25 Lit. she or it
  12. Esther 9:25 Lit. his
  13. Esther 9:26 Lit. Lot
  14. Esther 10:2 Lit. made him great
  15. Esther 10:3 Lit. seed. LXX, Vg. add a dream of Mordecai here; Vg. adds six more chapters
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Esther 9-10
New International Version

9 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar,(A) the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand(B) over those who hated them.(C) 2 The Jews assembled in their cities(D) in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No one could stand against them,(E) because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. 3 And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews,(F) because fear of Mordecai had seized them.(G) 4 Mordecai(H) was prominent(I) in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.(J)

5 The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them,(K) and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons(L) of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews.(M) But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.(N)

11 The number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day. 12 The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.”(O)

13 “If it pleases the king,” Esther answered, “give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons(P) be impaled(Q) on poles.”

14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they impaled(R) the ten sons of Haman. 15 The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.(S)

16 Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief(T) from their enemies.(U) They killed seventy-five thousand of them(V) but did not lay their hands on the plunder.(W) 17 This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting(X) and joy.

18 The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

19 That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar(Y) as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.(Z)

Purim Established

20 Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, 21 to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar 22 as the time when the Jews got relief(AA) from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration.(AB) He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food(AC) to one another and gifts to the poor.(AD)

23 So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,(AE) the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur(AF) (that is, the lot(AG)) for their ruin and destruction.(AH) 25 But when the plot came to the king’s attention,[a] he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head,(AI) and that he and his sons should be impaled(AJ) on poles.(AK) 26 (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.(AL)) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. 28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.

29 So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail,(AM) along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. 30 And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces(AN) of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance— 31 to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting(AO) and lamentation.(AP) 32 Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.

The Greatness of Mordecai

10 King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores.(AQ) 2 And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai,(AR) whom the king had promoted,(AS) are they not written in the book of the annals(AT) of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 Mordecai the Jew was second(AU) in rank(AV) to King Xerxes,(AW) preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.(AX)

Footnotes

  1. Esther 9:25 Or when Esther came before the king
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Esther 9-10
New English Translation

The Jews Prevail over Their Enemies

9 In the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), on its thirteenth day, the edict of the king and his law were to be executed. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had supposed that they would gain power over them. But contrary to expectations, the Jews gained power over their enemies. 2 The Jews assembled themselves in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to strike out against those who were seeking their harm. No one was able to stand before them, for dread of them fell on all the peoples. 3 All the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and those who performed the king’s business were assisting the Jews, for the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4 Mordecai was of high rank[a] in the king’s palace, and word about him was spreading throughout all the provinces. His influence[b] continued to become greater and greater.

5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, bringing death and destruction, and they did as they pleased with their enemies. 6 In Susa the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men. 7 In addition, they also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not confiscate their property.

11 On that same day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was brought to the king’s attention. 12 Then the king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and the ten sons of Haman. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? What is your request? It shall be given to you. What other petition do you have? It shall be done.”

13 Esther replied, “If the king is so inclined, let the Jews who are in Susa be permitted to act tomorrow also according to today’s law, and let them hang the ten sons of Haman on the gallows.”

14 So the king issued orders for this to be done. A law was passed in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged. 15 The Jews who were in Susa then assembled on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they killed 300 men in Susa. But they did not confiscate their property.

16 The rest of the Jews who were throughout the provinces of the king assembled in order to stand up for themselves and to have rest from their enemies. They killed 75,000[c] of their adversaries, but they did not confiscate their property. 17 All this happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. They then rested on the fourteenth day and made it a day for banqueting and happiness.

The Origins of the Feast of Purim

18 But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth days, and rested on the fifteenth, making it a day for banqueting and happiness. 19 This is why the Jews who are in the rural country—those who live in rural villages—set aside the fourteenth day of the month of Adar for happiness, banqueting, a holiday, and sending gifts to one another.

20 Mordecai wrote these matters down and sent letters to all the Jews who were throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 to have them observe the fourteenth and the fifteenth days of the month of Adar each year 22 as the time when the Jews gave themselves rest from their enemies—the month when their trouble was turned to happiness and their mourning to a holiday. These were to be days of banqueting, happiness, sending gifts to one another, and providing for the poor.

23 So the Jews committed themselves to continuing what they had begun to do and to what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised plans against the Jews to destroy them. He had cast pur (that is, the lot) in order to afflict and destroy them. 25 But when the matter came to the king’s attention, the king[d] gave written orders that Haman’s[e] evil intentions that he had devised against the Jews should fall on his own head. He and his sons were hanged on the gallows. 26 For this reason these days are known as Purim, after the name of pur. Therefore, because of the account found in this letter and what they had faced in this regard and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews established as binding on themselves, their descendants, and all who joined their company that they should observe these two days without fail, just as written and at the appropriate time on an annual basis. 28 These days were to be remembered and to be celebrated in every generation and in every family, every province, and every city. The Jews were not to fail to observe these days of Purim; the remembrance of them was not to cease among their descendants.

29 So Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with full authority to confirm this second[f] letter about Purim. 30 Letters were sent[g] to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the empire of Ahasuerus—words of true peace[h]— 31 to establish these days of Purim in their proper times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established, and just as they had established both for themselves and their descendants, matters pertaining to fasting and lamentation. 32 Esther’s command established these matters of Purim, and the matter was officially recorded.[i]

Mordecai’s Fame Increases

10 King Ahasuerus then imposed forced labor on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. 2 Now all the actions carried out under his authority and his great achievements, along with an exact statement concerning the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king promoted, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles[j] of the Kings of Media and Persia? 3 Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking[k] Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives.[l] He worked enthusiastically for[m] the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of[n] all his descendants.[o]

Footnotes

  1. Esther 9:4 tn Heb “great”; NRSV “powerful”; NIV “prominent”; NCV “very important.”
  2. Esther 9:4 tn Heb “the man Mordecai” (so NASB, NRSV).
  3. Esther 9:16 tc For this number much of the Greek ms tradition reads “fifteen thousand.” The Lucianic Greek recension reads “70,100.”
  4. Esther 9:25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  5. Esther 9:25 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Haman) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  6. Esther 9:29 tc The LXX and the Syriac Peshitta omit the word “second.”
  7. Esther 9:30 tc The present translation is based on the Niphal form וַיִּשָׁלַח (vayyishalakh, “were sent”; so also NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT) rather than the reading of the MT וַיִּשְׁלַח (vayyishlakh, Qal, “and he sent”). The subject of the MT verb would have to be Mordecai (cf. NAB, NIV, NCV), but this is problematic in light of v. 29, where both Esther and Mordecai are responsible for the letters.
  8. Esther 9:30 tn Heb “peace and truth.” The expression is probably a hendiadys (see the note on 5:10 for an explanation of this figure).
  9. Esther 9:32 tn Heb “written in the book” (so NASB); NIV, NLT “written down in the records”; NRSV “recorded in writing.”
  10. Esther 10:2 tn Or “the Book of the Official Records.”
  11. Esther 10:3 tn Heb “great among the Jews” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “preeminent among the Jews”; NRSV “powerful among the Jews.”
  12. Esther 10:3 tn Heb “brothers”; NASB “kinsmen”; NIV “fellow Jews.”
  13. Esther 10:3 tn Heb “he was seeking”; NAB “as the promoter of his people’s welfare.”
  14. Esther 10:3 tn Heb “he was speaking peace to”; NRSV “and interceded for the welfare of.”
  15. Esther 10:3 sn A number of additions to the Book of Esther appear in the apocryphal (or deuterocanonical) writings. These additions supply further information about various scenes described in the canonical book and are interesting in their own right. However, they were never a part of the Hebrew Bible. The placement of this additional material in certain Greek manuscripts of the Book of Esther may be described as follows. At the beginning of Esther there is an account (= chapter 11) of a dream in which Mordecai is warned by God of a coming danger for the Jews. In this account two great dragons, representing Mordecai and Haman, prepare for conflict. But God responds to the prayers of his people, and the crisis is resolved. This account is followed by another one (= chapter 12) in which Mordecai is rewarded for disclosing a plot against the king’s life. After Esth 3:13 there is a copy of a letter from King Artaxerxes authorizing annihilation of the Jews (= chapter 13). After Esth 4:17 the account continues with a prayer of Mordecai (= part of chapter 13), followed by a prayer of Esther (= chapter 14), and an account which provides details about Esther’s appeal to the king in behalf of her people (= chapter 15). After Esth 8:12 there is a copy of a letter from King Artaxerxes in which he denounces Haman and his plot and authorizes his subjects to assist the Jews (= chapter 16). At the end of the book, following Esth 10:3, there is an addition which provides an interpretation to Mordecai’s dream, followed by a brief ascription of genuineness to the entire book (= chapter 11).
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Acts 7:1-21
New King James Version

Stephen’s Address: The Call of Abraham

7 Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?”

2 And he said, (A)“Brethren and fathers, listen: The (B)God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in (C)Haran, 3 and said to him, (D)‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’ 4 Then (E)he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was (F)dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. 5 And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, (G)He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him. 6 But God spoke in this way: (H)that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into (I)bondage and oppress them four hundred years. 7 (J)‘And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will (K)judge,’ said God, (L)‘and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.’ 8 (M)Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; (N)and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; (O)and Isaac begot Jacob, and (P)Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.

The Patriarchs in Egypt

9 (Q)“And the patriarchs, becoming envious, (R)sold Joseph into Egypt. (S)But God was with him 10 and delivered him out of all his troubles, (T)and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 11 (U)Now a famine and great [a]trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. 12 (V)But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13 And the (W)second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh. 14 (X)Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and (Y)all his relatives to him, [b]seventy-five people. 15 (Z)So Jacob went down to Egypt; (AA)and he died, he and our fathers. 16 And (AB)they were carried back to Shechem and laid in (AC)the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.

God Delivers Israel by Moses

17 “But when (AD)the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, (AE)the people grew and multiplied in Egypt 18 till another king (AF)arose who did not know Joseph. 19 This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, (AG)making them expose their babies, so that they might not live. 20 (AH)At this time Moses was born, and (AI)was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. 21 But (AJ)when he was set out, (AK)Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 7:11 affliction
  2. Acts 7:14 Or seventy, Ex. 1:5
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Acts 7:1-21
New International Version

Stephen’s Speech to the Sanhedrin

7 Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”

2 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) 3 ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’[a](D)

4 “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) 5 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. 6 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) 7 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) 8 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)

9 “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)

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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
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Acts 7:1-21
New English Translation

Stephen’s Defense Before the Council

7 Then the high priest said, “Are these things true?”[a] 2 So he replied,[b] “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our forefather[c] Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your country and from your relatives, and come to the land I will show you.’[d] 4 Then he went out from the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God[e] made him move[f] to this country where you now live. 5 He[g] did not give any of it to him for an inheritance,[h] not even a foot of ground,[i] yet God[j] promised to give it to him as his possession, and to his descendants after him,[k] even though Abraham[l] as yet had no child. 6 But God spoke as follows: ‘Your[m] descendants will be foreigners[n] in a foreign country, whose citizens will enslave them and mistreat them for 400 years.[o] 7 But I will punish[p] the nation they serve as slaves,’ said God, ‘and after these things they will come out of there[q] and worship[r] me in this place.’[s] 8 Then God[t] gave Abraham[u] the covenant[v] of circumcision, and so he became the father of Isaac and circumcised him when he was eight days old,[w] and Isaac became the father of[x] Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.[y] 9 The[z] patriarchs, because they were jealous of Joseph, sold[aa] him into Egypt. But[ab] God was with him, 10 and rescued him from all his troubles, and granted him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made[ac] him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Then a famine occurred throughout[ad] Egypt and Canaan, causing[ae] great suffering, and our[af] ancestors[ag] could not find food. 12 So when Jacob heard that there was grain[ah] in Egypt, he sent our ancestors[ai] there[aj] the first time. 13 On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph’s family[ak] became known to Pharaoh. 14 So Joseph sent a message[al] and invited[am] his father Jacob and all his relatives to come, seventy-five people[an] in all. 15 So Jacob went down to Egypt and died there,[ao] along with our ancestors,[ap] 16 and their bones[aq] were later moved to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a certain sum of money[ar] from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

17 “But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham,[as] the people increased greatly in number[at] in Egypt, 18 until another king who did not know about[au] Joseph ruled[av] over Egypt.[aw] 19 This was the one who exploited[ax] our people[ay] and was cruel to our ancestors,[az] forcing them to abandon[ba] their infants so they would die.[bb] 20 At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful[bc] to God. For[bd] three months he was brought up in his father’s house, 21 and when he had been abandoned,[be] Pharaoh’s daughter adopted[bf] him and brought him up[bg] as her own son.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 7:1 tn Grk “If it is so concerning these things” (see BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.a for this use).
  2. Acts 7:2 tn Grk “said.”
  3. Acts 7:2 tn Or “ancestor”; Grk “father.”
  4. Acts 7:3 sn A quotation from Gen 12:1.
  5. Acts 7:4 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  6. Acts 7:4 tn The translation “made him move” for the verb μετοικίζω (metoikizō) is given by L&N 85.83. The verb has the idea of “resettling” someone (BDAG 643 s.v.); see v. 43, where it reappears.
  7. Acts 7:5 tn Grk “And he.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
  8. Acts 7:5 tn Grk “He did not give him an inheritance in it.” This could be understood to mean that God did not give something else to Abraham as an inheritance while he was living there. The point of the text is that God did not give any of the land to him as an inheritance, and the translation makes this clear.
  9. Acts 7:5 tn Grk “a step of a foot” (cf. Deut 2:5).
  10. Acts 7:5 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  11. Acts 7:5 sn An allusion to Gen 12:7; 13:15; 15:2, 18; 17:8; 24:7; 48:4. On the theological importance of the promise and to his descendants after him, see Rom 4 and Gal 3.
  12. Acts 7:5 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  13. Acts 7:6 tn Grk “that his”; the discourse switches from indirect to direct with the following verbs. For consistency the entire quotation is treated as second person direct discourse in the translation.
  14. Acts 7:6 tn Or “will be strangers,” that is, one who lives as a noncitizen of a foreign country.
  15. Acts 7:6 sn A quotation from Gen 15:13. Exod 12:40 specifies the sojourn as 430 years.
  16. Acts 7:7 tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α states, “Oft. the emphasis is unmistakably laid upon that which follows the Divine Judge’s verdict, upon the condemnation or punishment: condemn, punish…Ac 7:7 (Gen 15:14).”
  17. Acts 7:7 tn The words “of there” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.sn A quotation from Gen 15:14.
  18. Acts 7:7 tn Or “and serve,” but with religious/cultic overtones (BDAG 587 s.v. λατρεύω).
  19. Acts 7:7 sn An allusion to Exod 3:12.
  20. Acts 7:8 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  21. Acts 7:8 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  22. Acts 7:8 sn God gave…the covenant. Note how the covenant of promise came before Abraham’s entry into the land and before the building of the temple.
  23. Acts 7:8 tn Grk “circumcised him on the eighth day,” but many modern readers will not understand that this procedure was done on the eighth day after birth. The temporal clause “when he was eight days old” conveys this idea more clearly. See Gen 17:11-12.
  24. Acts 7:8 tn The words “became the father of” are not in the Greek text due to an ellipsis, but must be supplied for the English translation. The ellipsis picks up the verb from the previous clause describing how Abraham fathered Isaac.
  25. Acts 7:8 sn The twelve patriarchs refers to the twelve sons of Jacob, the famous ancestors of the Jewish race (see Gen 35:23-26).
  26. Acts 7:9 tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
  27. Acts 7:9 tn The meaning “sell” for the middle voice of ἀποδίδωμι (apodidōmi) is given by BDAG 110 s.v. 5.a. See Gen 37:12-36, esp. v. 28.
  28. Acts 7:9 tn Though the Greek term here is καί (kai), in context this remark is clearly contrastive: Despite the malicious act, God was present and protected Joseph.
  29. Acts 7:10 tn Or “appointed.” See Gen 41:41-43.
  30. Acts 7:11 tn Grk “came upon all Egypt.”
  31. Acts 7:11 tn Grk “and,” but logically causal.
  32. Acts 7:11 sn Our. Stephen spoke of “our” ancestors (Grk “fathers”) in an inclusive sense throughout the speech until his rebuke in v. 51, where the nation does what “your” ancestors did, at which point an exclusive pronoun is used. This serves to emphasize the rebuke.
  33. Acts 7:11 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
  34. Acts 7:12 tn Or possibly “food,” since in a number of extrabiblical contexts the phrase σιτία καὶ ποτά (sitia kai pota) means “food and drink,” where solid food is contrasted with liquid nourishment (L&N 3.42).
  35. Acts 7:12 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
  36. Acts 7:12 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
  37. Acts 7:13 tn BDAG 194 s.v. γένος 2. gives “family, relatives” here; another alternative is “race” (see v. 19).
  38. Acts 7:14 tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
  39. Acts 7:14 tn Or “Joseph had his father summoned” (BDAG 121 s.v. ἀποστέλλω 2.b).
  40. Acts 7:14 tn Grk “souls” (here an idiom for the whole person).
  41. Acts 7:15 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
  42. Acts 7:15 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
  43. Acts 7:16 tn “and they.”
  44. Acts 7:16 sn See Gen 49:29-32.
  45. Acts 7:17 tn Grk “But as the time for the fulfillment of the promise drew near that God had declared to Abraham.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to improve English style. See vv. 6-7 above.
  46. Acts 7:17 tn Grk “the people increased and multiplied.”
  47. Acts 7:18 tn Or simply “did not know.” However, in this context the point is that the new king knew nothing about Joseph, not whether he had known him personally (which is the way “did not know Joseph” could be understood).
  48. Acts 7:18 tn Grk “arose,” but in this context it clearly refers to a king assuming power.
  49. Acts 7:18 sn A quotation from Exod 1:8.
  50. Acts 7:19 tn According to L&N 88.147 it is also possible to translate κατασοφισάμενος (katasophisamenos) as “took advantage by clever words” or “persuaded by sweet talk.”
  51. Acts 7:19 tn Or “race.”
  52. Acts 7:19 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
  53. Acts 7:19 tn Or “expose” (BDAG 303 s.v. ἔκθετος).
  54. Acts 7:19 tn Grk “so that they could not be kept alive,” but in this context the phrase may be translated either “so that they would not continue to live,” or “so that they would die” (L&N 23.89).
  55. Acts 7:20 tn Or “was well-formed before God,” or “was well-pleasing to God” (BDAG 145 s.v. ἀστεῖος suggests the meaning is more like “well-bred” as far as God was concerned; see Exod 2:2).
  56. Acts 7:20 tn Grk “who was brought up for three months.” The continuation of the sentence as a relative clause is awkward in English, so a new sentence was started in the translation by changing the relative pronoun to a regular pronoun (“he”).
  57. Acts 7:21 tn Or “exposed” (see v. 19).
  58. Acts 7:21 tn Grk “Pharaoh’s daughter took him up for herself.” According to BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω, “The pap. exx. involve exposed children taken up and reared as slaves…The rendering ‘adopt’ lacks philological precision and can be used only in a loose sense (as NRSV), esp. when Gr-Rom. terminology relating to adoption procedures is taken into account.” In this instance both the immediate context and the OT account (Exod 2:3-10) do support the normal sense of the English word “adopt,” although it should not be understood to refer to a technical, legal event.
  59. Acts 7:21 tn Or “and reared him” (BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατρέφω b).
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