Acts 7

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

2 And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

3 and told him, ‘Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you.’

4 So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God brought him out of that place and into this land where you are now living.

5 He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a child.

6 God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

7 ‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.’

8 Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

9 Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him

10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.

11 Then famine and great suffering swept across the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.

12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.

13 On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.

14 Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all.

15 So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.

16 Their bones were carried back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor of Shechem for a price he paid in silver.

17 As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number.

18 Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose.

19 He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

20 At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God. For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house.

21 When he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.

22 So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

23 When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.

24 And when he saw one of them being mistreated, Moses went to his defense and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him.

25 He assumed his brothers would understand that God was using him to deliver them, but they did not.

26 The next day he came upon two Israelites who were fighting, and he urged them to make peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?’

27 But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?

28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’

29 At this remark, Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he lived as a foreigner and had two sons.

30 After forty years had passed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.

31 When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight. As he approached to look more closely, the voice of the Lord came to him:

32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.

33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.

34 I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’

35 This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be their ruler and redeemer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

36 He led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.

37 This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘The Lord our God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’

38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received a living word to pass on to us.

39 But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their heart turned back to Egypt.

40 They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’

41 At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.

42 But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

43 You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Remphan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.

45 And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David,

46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

47 But it was Solomon who built the house for Him.

48 However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says:

49 ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be?

50 Has not My hand made all these things?’

51 You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.

52 Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

53 you who received the law ordained by angels, yet have not kept it.”

54 On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.

55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

57 At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him.

58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

60 Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

1 ¶ Then said the high priest, Are these things so?

2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not [so much as] to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when [as yet] he had no child.

6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat [them] evil four hundred years.

7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.

8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so [Abraham] begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac [begat] Jacob; and Jacob [begat] the twelve patriarchs.

9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.

13 And at the second [time] Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.

14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to [him], and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,

16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor [the father] of Sychem.

17 ¶ But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.

19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:

21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.

22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

24 And seeing one [of them] suffer wrong, he defended [him], and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:

25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?

27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?

29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

30 ¶ And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.

31 When Moses saw [it], he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold [it], the voice of the Lord came unto him,

32 [Saying], I [am] the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.

34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.

35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send [to be] a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.

36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and [with] our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust [him] from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for [as for] this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

42 ¶ Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices [by the space of] forty years in the wilderness?

43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.

45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;

46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

47 But Solomon built him an house.

48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

49 Heaven [is] my throne, and earth [is] my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what [is] the place of my rest?

50 Hath not my hand made all these things?

51 ¶ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers [did], so [do] ye.

52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept [it].

54 ¶ When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with [their] teeth.

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

58 And cast [him] out of the city, and stoned [him]: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon [God], and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

1 And the high priest said, Is it so?

2 And he said, Brethren and fathers, hear me. God of glory appeared unto Abraham our father, while he was yet in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,

3 And he said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy friendship, and go into a land which I will shew thee.

4 And he went out of the country of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Haran. And from thence, when his father was dead, he brought him over into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

5 And he gave him no inheritance in it, neither a foot wide: and he promised him that he would give it to him to possess, and to his seed after him, when he had no child.

6 But God said thus, Thy seed shall be a stranger in a strange land, and they shall make him servant, and do evil four hundred years.

7 And the people whom they shall serve will I judge, said God; and afterward they shall go forth and serve me in this place.

8 And gave him the covenant of circumcision. And he begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day, and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob the twelve archfathers.

9 And the fathers envied Joseph, and sold him into Egypt. But God was with him

10 And delivered him out of all his affliction, and gave him grace and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt: and he made him ruler over Egypt, and over all his house.

11 And there came a time of trouble upon all the land of Egypt, and upon Canaan, and a great tribulation; and our fathers found no meat.

12 And Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, and sent forth our fathers the first time.

13 And the second time Joseph was known of his brethren, and Pharaoh Joseph's family was made manifest.

14 And Joseph sent and fetched Jacob his father, and all his company, seventy and five souls.

15 And Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he and our fathers.

16 And they were brought over to Shechem, and laid in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for money of the children of Hemor in Shechem.

17 And it came to pass, when the time of the promise which God sware unto Abraham was at hand, that the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

18 Till another king arose, who knew nothing of Joseph.

19 This man deceived our kindred, and did evil to our fathers, and caused the young children to be cast down, that they should not live.

20 And Moses was born at that time, and was a goodly child in the sight of God, and was nourished in his father's house three months.

21 And when he was cast down, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and brought him up to be a son.

22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in works and words.

22 Which prophet did not your fathers persecute, and slay them that proclaimed beforehand the future of that righteous man, whose betrayer and murderer ye are now become?

23 And when he was forty years old, he considered to see his brethren the children of Israel,

24 And he saw one wronged. And he prevailed, and avenged him that was wronged, and slew the Egyptian.

25 And he thought that his brethren should hear, that by his hand God would give them salvation: but they heard it not.

26 And the next day he came to them, when they were at strife one with another, and dealt with them, that they might have peace, saying, Men, ye are brethren; why doth one wrong another?

27 And he that wronged his neighbour cast him away, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge over us?

28 Wilt thou kill me also, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?

29 And Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian. And there he begat two sons.

30 And for forty years the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in the wilderness in mount Sinai in a flame of fire in a bush.

31 And when Moses saw it, he marvelled at the vision. And when he went to look, the voice of the LORD came unto him:

32 I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and could not look.

33 And the LORD said unto him, Put off thy shoes from off thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.

34 I have seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. Now therefore come hither, and I will send thee into Egypt.

35 This Moses, whom they denied, saying: Who made you a ruler and a judge? God sent him to be a ruler and a redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

36 And he led them out, and did wonders and signs in Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

37 This is Moses, which said unto the children of Israel: A prophet shall the LORD your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me, and ye shall hear him.

38 This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that talked with him in mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received the living word to give unto us;

39 Whom your fathers would not obey, but cast him away, and turned back their hearts into Egypt.

40 And they said unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for we know not what hath befallen this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt.

41 And they made a calf at that time, and offered sacrifices unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.

42 But God turned, and gave them to serve the host of heaven: as it is written in the book of the prophet: Did ye of the house of Israel offer me sacrifices and cattle in the wilderness forty years?

43 And ye approached unto the tabernacle of Moloch, and unto the star of Remphan your god, even unto the images which ye had made to worship them: and I will cast you away beyond Babylon.

44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, as he commanded them, when he spake unto Moses, that he should make it after the pattern which he had seen,

45 Which our fathers also received, and brought them with Joshua into the land which the heathen possessed, whom God cast out from before the face of our fathers unto the days of David.

46 And he found grace in the sight of God, and asked that he might find a tabernacle unto the God of Jacob.

47 But built him an house.

48 But the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as the prophet saith:

49 Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool: what house will ye build me, saith the LORD, or what is the place of my rest?

50 Did not my hand do all this?

51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye always resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so do ye.

53 Ye have received the law by the business of angels, and have not kept it.

54 And when they heard these things, they were sore troubled, and gnashed their teeth at him.

55 And when he was full of the Holy Ghost, he looked up to heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see heaven open, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

56 And they cried with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed in with one accord unto him, and thrust him out of the city, and stoned him.

57 And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man whose name was Saul.

58 And they stoned Stephen, who cried out, saying, Lord JEsu, receive my spirit.

59 And he kneeled down, and cried aloud: Lord, do not keep this sin from them! And when he had said this, he fell asleep.