Acts 7
7
1 Then the high priest said, "Are these things so?"
2 And Stephen said: "Noble brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he stayed in Haran.
3 And God said to him, 'Depart from your country and from your kindred, and go into the land that I will show to you.'
4 Then he went away from the land of the Chaldeans, and he lived at Haran. And later, after his father was dead, God brought him into this land, in which you now dwell.
5 And he gave him no inheritance in it, not even the space of one step. But he promised to give it to him as a possession, and to his offspring after him, though he did not have a son.
6 Then God told him that his offspring would be a settler in a foreign land, and that they would subjugate them, and treat them badly, for four hundred years.
7 'And the nation whom they will serve, I will judge,' said the Lord. 'And after these things, they shall depart and shall serve me in this place.'
8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so he conceived Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac conceived Jacob, and Jacob, the twelve Patriarchs.
9 And the Patriarchs, being jealous, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him.
10 And he rescued him from all his tribulations. And he gave him grace and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And he appointed him as governor over Egypt and over all his house.
11 Then a famine occurred in all of Egypt and Canaan, and a great tribulation. And our fathers did not find food.
12 But when Jacob had heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers first.
13 And on the second occasion, Joseph was recognized by his brothers, and his ancestry was made manifest to Pharaoh.
14 Then Joseph sent for and brought his father Jacob, with all his kindred, seventy-five souls.
15 And Jacob descended into Egypt, and he passed away, and so did our fathers.
16 And they crossed over into Shechem, and they were placed in the sepulcher which Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the son of Shechem.
17 And when the time of the Promise that God had revealed to Abraham drew near, the people increased and were multiplied in Egypt,
18 even until another king, who did not know Joseph, rose up in Egypt.
19 This one, encompassing our kindred, afflicted our fathers, so that they would expose their infants, lest they be kept alive.
20 In the same time, Moses was born. And he was in the grace of God, and he was nourished for three months in the house of his father.
21 Then, having been abandoned, the daughter of Pharaoh took him in, and she raised him as her own son.
22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. And he was mighty in his words and in his deeds.
23 But when forty years of age were completed in him, it rose up in his heart that he should visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.
24 And when he had seen a certain one suffering injury, he defended him. And striking the Egyptian, he wrought a retribution for him who was enduring the injury.
25 Now he supposed that his brothers would understand that God would grant them salvation through his hand. But they did not understand it.
26 So truly, on the following day, he appeared before those who were arguing, and he would have reconciled them in peace, saying, 'Men, you are brothers. So why would you harm one another?'
27 But he who was causing the injury to his neighbor rejected him, saying: 'Who has appointed you as leader and judge over us?
28 Could it be that you want to kill me, in the same way that you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'
29 Then, at this word, Moses fled. And he became a foreigner in the land of Midian, where he produced two sons.
30 And when forty years were completed, there appeared to him, in the desert of Mount Sinai, an Angel, in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 And upon seeing this, Moses was amazed at the sight. And as he drew near in order to gaze at it, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying:
32 'I am the God of your fathers: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' And Moses, being made to tremble, did not dare to look.
33 But the Lord said to him: 'Loosen the shoes from your feet. For the place in which you stand is holy ground.
34 Certainly, I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning. And so, I am coming down to free them. And now, go forth and I will send you into Egypt.'
35 This Moses, whom they rejected by saying, 'Who has appointed you as leader and judge?' is the one God sent to be leader and redeemer, by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 This man led them out, accomplishing signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and at the Red Sea, and in the desert, for forty years.
37 This is Moses, who said to the sons of Israel: 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own brothers. You shall listen to him.'
38 This is he who was in the Church in the wilderness, with the Angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. It is he who received the words of life to give to us.
39 It is he whom our fathers were not willing to obey. Instead, they rejected him, and in their hearts they turned away toward Egypt,
40 saying to Aaron: 'Make gods for us, which may go before us. For this Moses, who led us away from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.'
41 And so they fashioned a calf in those days, and they offered sacrifices to an idol, and they rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
42 Then God turned, and he handed them over, to subservience to the armies of heaven, just as it was written in the Book of the Prophets: 'Did you not offer victims and sacrifices to me for forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?
43 And yet you took up for yourselves the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, figures which you yourselves formed in order to adore them. And so I will carry you away, beyond Babylon.'
44 The tabernacle of the testimony was with our fathers in the desert, just as God ordained for them, speaking to Moses, so that he would make it according to the form that he had seen.
45 But our fathers, receiving it, also brought it, with Joshua, into the land of the Gentiles, whom God expelled before the face of our fathers, even until the days of David,
46 who found grace before God and who asked that he might obtain a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.
48 Yet the Most High does not live in houses built by hands, just as he said through the prophet:
49 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house would you build for me? says the Lord. And which is my resting place?
50 Has not my hand made all these things?'
51 Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you ever resist the Holy Spirit. Just as your fathers did, so also do you do.
52 Which of the Prophets have your fathers not persecuted? And they killed those who foretold the advent of the Just One. And you have now become the betrayers and murderers of him.
53 You received the law by the actions of Angels, and yet you have not kept it."
54 Then, upon hearing these things, they were deeply wounded in their hearts, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
55 But he, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and gazing intently toward heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God."
56 Then they, crying out with a loud voice, blocked their ears and, with one accord, rushed violently toward him.
57 And driving him out, beyond the city, they stoned him. And witnesses placed their garments beside the feet of a youth, who was called Saul.
58 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
59 Then, having been brought to his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord. And Saul was consenting to his murder.
Currently Selected:
Acts 7: CPDV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Acts 7
7
1And the high priest said, Are these things then so? 2And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3and said to him, Go out of thy land and out of thy kindred, and come into the land which I will shew thee. 4Then going out of the land of the Chaldeans he dwelt in Charran, and thence, after his father died, he removed him into this land in which ye now dwell. 5And he did not give him an inheritance in it, not even what his foot could stand on; and promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he had no child. 6And God spoke thus: His seed shall be a sojourner in a strange land, and they shall enslave them and evil entreat them four hundred years; 7and the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and serve me in this place. 8And he gave to him the covenant of circumcision; and thus he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. 9And the patriarchs, envying Joseph, sold him away into Egypt. And God was with him, 10and delivered him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he appointed him chief over Egypt and all his house. 11But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food. 12But Jacob, having heard of there being corn in Egypt, sent out our fathers first; 13and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh. 14And Joseph sent and called down to him his father Jacob and all his kindred, seventy-five souls. 15And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers, 16and were carried over to Sychem and placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
17But as the time of promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, 18until another king over Egypt arose who did not know Joseph. 19He dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that they might not live. 20In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly lovely, who was nourished three months in the house of his father. 21And when he was cast out, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself to be for a son. 22And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. 23And when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it came into his heart to look upon his brethren, the sons of Israel; 24and seeing a certain one wronged, he defended him, and avenged him that was being oppressed, smiting the Egyptian. 25For he thought that his brethren would understand that God by his hand was giving them deliverance. But they understood not. 26And on the morrow he shewed himself to them as they were contending, and compelled them to peace, saying, Ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one another? 27But he that was wronging his neighbour thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us? 28Dost thou wish to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? 29And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Madiam, where he begat two sons.
30And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire of a bush. 31And Moses seeing it wondered at the vision; and as he went up to consider it, there was a voice of the Lord, 32I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not consider it. 33And the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place on which thou standest is holy ground. 34I have surely seen the ill treatment of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groan, and have come down to take them out of it; and now, come, I will send thee to Egypt. 35This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him did God send to be a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36He led them out, having wrought wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. 37This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up to you out of your brethren like me him shall ye hear. 38This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received living oracles to give to us; 39to whom our fathers would not be subject, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, 40saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us; for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has happened to him. 41And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
42But God turned and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Have ye offered me victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43Yea, ye took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the forms which ye made to do homage to them; and I will transport you beyond Babylon. 44Our fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the model which he had seen; 45which also our fathers, receiving from their predecessors, brought in with Joshua when they entered into possession of the lands of the nations, whom God drove out from the face of our fathers, until the days of David; 46who found favour before God, and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; 47but Solomon built him a house. 48But the Most High dwells not in places made with hands; as says the prophet, 49The heaven is my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord, or where is the place of my rest? 50has not my hand made all these things?
51O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also. 52Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain those who announced beforehand concerning the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have now become deliverers up and murderers! 53who have received the law as ordained by the ministry of angels, and have not kept it.
54And hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him. 55But being full of the Holy Spirit, having fixed his eyes on heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56and said, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. 57And they cried out with a loud voice, and held their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; 58and having cast him out of the city, they stoned him. And the witnesses laid aside their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. 59And they stoned Stephen, praying, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60And kneeling down, he cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And having said this, he fell asleep.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.