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 Then G1161 said G2036 the high priest, G749 Are G1487 G686 G2192 these things G5023 so? G3779
2 And G1161 he said, G5346 Men, G435 brethren, G80 and G2532 fathers, G3962 hearken; G191 The God G2316 of glory G1391 appeared G3700 unto our G2257 father G3962 Abraham, G11 when he was G5607 in G1722 Mesopotamia, G3318 before G4250 G2228 he G846 dwelt G2730 in G1722 Charran, G5488
3 And G2532 said G2036 unto G4314 him, G846 Get thee G1831 out of G1537 thy G4675 country, G1093 and G2532 from G1537 thy G4675 kindred, G4772 and G2532 come G1204 into G1519 the land G1093 which G3739 G302 I shall shew G1166 thee. G4671
4 Then G5119 came he G1831 out of G1537 the land G1093 of the Chaldaeans, G5466 and dwelt G2730 in G1722 Charran: G5488 and from thence, G2547 when G3326 his G846 father G3962 was dead, G599 he removed G3351 him G846 into G1519 this G5026 land, G1093 wherein G1519 G3739 ye G5210 now G3568 dwell. G2730
5 And G2532 he gave G1325 him G846 none G3756 inheritance G2817 in G1722 it, G846 no, not G3761 so much as to set G968 his foot G4228 on: G968 yet G2532 he promised G1861 that he would give G1325 it G846 to him G846 for G1519 a possession, G2697 and G2532 to his G846 seed G4690 after G3326 him, G846 when as yet he G846 had G5607 no G3756 child. G5043
6 And G1161 God G2316 spake G2980 on this wise, G3779 That G3754 his G846 seed G4690 should G2071 sojourn G3941 in G1722 a strange G245 land; G1093 and G2532 that they should bring G1402 them G846 into bondage, G1402 and G2532 entreat them evil G2559 four hundred G5071 years. G2094
7 And G2532 the nation G1484 to whom G3739 G1437 they shall be in bondage G1398 will G2919 I G1473 judge, G2919 said G2036 God: G2316 and G2532 after G3326 that G5023 shall they come forth, G1831 and G2532 serve G3000 me G3427 in G1722 this G5129 place. G5117
8 And G2532 he gave G1325 him G846 the covenant G1242 of circumcision: G4061 and G2532 so G3779 Abraham begat G1080 Isaac, G2464 and G2532 circumcised G4059 him G846 the eighth G3590 day; G2250 and G2532 Isaac G2464 begat Jacob; G2384 and G2532 Jacob G2384 begat the twelve G1427 patriarchs. G3966
9 And G2532 the patriarchs, G3966 moved with envy, G2206 sold G591 Joseph G2501 into G1519 Egypt: G125 but G2532 God G2316 was G2258 with G3326 him, G846
10 And G2532 delivered G1807 him G846 out of G1537 all G3956 his G846 afflictions, G2347 and G2532 gave G1325 him G846 favour G5485 and G2532 wisdom G4678 in the sight G1726 of Pharaoh G5328 king G935 of Egypt; G125 and G2532 he made G2525 him G846 governor G2233 over G1909 Egypt G125 and G2532 all G3650 his G846 house. G3624
11 Now G1161 there came G2064 a dearth G3042 over G1909 all G3650 the land G1093 of Egypt G125 and G2532 Chanaan, G5477 and G2532 great G3173 affliction: G2347 and G2532 our G2257 fathers G3962 found G2147 no G3756 sustenance. G5527
12 But G1161 when Jacob G2384 heard G191 that there was G5607 corn G4621 in G1722 Egypt, G125 he sent out G1821 our G2257 fathers G3962 first. G4412
13 And G2532 at G1722 the second G1208 time Joseph G2501 was made known G319 to his G846 brethren; G80 and G2532 Joseph's G2501 kindred G1085 was made G1096 known G5318 unto Pharaoh. G5328
14 Then G1161 sent G649 Joseph, G2501 and called G3333 his G846 father G3962 Jacob G2384 to him, and G2532 all G3956 his G846 kindred, G4772 G1722 threescore G1440 and fifteen G4002 souls. G5590
15 So G1161 Jacob G2384 went down G2597 into G1519 Egypt, G125 and G2532 died, G5053 he, G846 and G2532 our G2257 fathers, G3962
16 And G2532 were carried over G3346 into G1519 Sychem, G4966 and G2532 laid G5087 in G1722 the sepulchre G3418 that G3739 Abraham G11 bought G5608 for a sum G5092 of money G694 of G3844 the sons G5207 of Emmor G1697 the father G3588 of Sychem. G4966
17 But G1161 when G2531 the time G5550 of the promise G1860 drew nigh, G1448 which G3739 God G2316 had sworn G3660 to Abraham, G11 the people G2992 grew G837 and G2532 multiplied G4129 in G1722 Egypt, G125
18 Till G891 G3757 another G2087 king G935 arose, G450 which G3739 knew G1492 not G3756 Joseph. G2501
19 The same G3778 dealt subtilly G2686 with our G2257 kindred, G1085 and evil entreated G2559 our G2257 fathers, G3962 so that G4160 they cast out G1570 their G846 young children, G1025 to the end G1519 they might G2225 not G3361 live. G2225
20 In G1722 which G3739 time G2540 Moses G3475 was born, G1080 and G2532 was G2258 exceeding G2316 fair, G791 and G3739 nourished up G397 in G1722 his G846 father's G3962 house G3624 three G5140 months: G3376
21 And G1161 when he G846 was cast out, G1620 Pharaoh's G5328 daughter G2364 took G337 him G846 up, G337 and G2532 nourished G397 him G846 for G1519 her own G1438 son. G5207
22 And G2532 Moses G3475 was learned G3811 in all G3956 the wisdom G4678 of the Egyptians, G124 and G1161 was G2258 mighty G1415 in G1722 words G3056 and G2532 in G1722 deeds. G2041
23 And G1161 when G5613 he G846 was full G4137 forty years G5063 old, G5550 it came G305 into G1909 his G846 heart G2588 to visit G1980 his G846 brethren G80 the children G5207 of Israel. G2474
24 And G2532 seeing G1492 one G5100 of them suffer wrong, G91 he defended G292 him, and G2532 avenged G1557 G4160 him that was oppressed, G2669 and smote G3960 the Egyptian: G124
25 For G1161 he supposed G3543 his G846 brethren G80 would have understood G4920 how G3754 that God G2316 by G1223 his G846 hand G5495 would deliver G1325 G4991 them: G846 but G1161 they understood G4920 not. G3756
26 And G5037 the next G1966 day G2250 he shewed himself G3700 unto them G846 as they strove, G3164 and G2532 would have set G4900 them G846 at G1519 one again, G1515 saying, G2036 Sirs, G435 ye G5210 are G2075 brethren; G80 why G2444 do ye wrong G91 one to another? G240
27 But G1161 he that did G91 his neighbour G4139 wrong G91 thrust G683 him G846 away, G683 saying, G2036 Who G5101 made G2525 thee G4571 a ruler G758 and G2532 a judge G1348 over G1909 us? G2248
28 Wilt G3361 G2309 thou G4771 kill G337 me, G3165 as G3739 G5158 thou diddest G337 the Egyptian G124 yesterday? G5504
29 Then G1161 fled G5343 Moses G3475 at G1722 this G5129 saying, G3056 and G2532 was G1096 a stranger G3941 in G1722 the land G1093 of Madian, G3099 where G3757 he begat G1080 two G1417 sons. G5207
30 And G2532 when forty G5062 years G2094 were expired, G4137 there appeared G3700 to him G846 in G1722 the wilderness G2048 of mount G3735 Sina G4614 an angel G32 of the Lord G2962 in G1722 a flame G5395 of fire G4442 in a bush. G942
31 When G1161 Moses G3475 saw G1492 it, he wondered G2296 at the sight: G3705 and G1161 as he G846 drew near G4334 to behold G2657 it, the voice G5456 of the Lord G2962 came G1096 unto G4314 him, G846
32 Saying, I G1473 am the God G2316 of thy G4675 fathers, G3962 the God G2316 of Abraham, G11 and G2532 the God G2316 of Isaac, G2464 and G2532 the God G2316 of Jacob. G2384 Then G1161 Moses G3475 trembled, G1096 G1790 and durst G5111 not G3756 behold. G2657
33 Then G1161 said G2036 the Lord G2962 to him, G846 Put off G3089 thy shoes G5266 from thy G4675 feet: G4228 for G1063 the place G5117 where G1722 G3739 thou standest G2476 is G2076 holy G40 ground. G1093
34 I have seen, G1492 I have seen G1492 the affliction G2561 of my G3450 people G2992 which G3588 is in G1722 Egypt, G125 and G2532 I have heard G191 their G846 groaning, G4726 and G2532 am come down G2597 to deliver G1807 them. G846 And G2532 now G3568 come, G1204 I will send G649 thee G4571 into G1519 Egypt. G125
35 This G5126 Moses G3475 whom G3739 they refused, G720 saying, G2036 Who G5101 made G2525 thee G4571 a ruler G758 and G2532 a judge? G1348 the same G5126 did God G2316 send G649 to be a ruler G758 and G2532 a deliverer G3086 by G1722 the hand G5495 of the angel G32 which G3588 appeared G3700 to him G846 in G1722 the bush. G942
36 He G3778 brought G1806 them G846 out, G1806 after that he had shewed G4160 wonders G5059 and G2532 signs G4592 in G1722 the land G1093 of Egypt, G125 and G2532 in G1722 the Red G2063 sea, G2281 and G2532 in G1722 the wilderness G2048 forty G5062 years. G2094
37 This G3778 is G2076 that Moses, G3475 which G3588 said G2036 unto the children G5207 of Israel, G2474 A prophet G4396 shall G450 the Lord G2962 your G5216 God G2316 raise up G450 unto you G5213 of G1537 your G5216 brethren, G80 like G5613 unto me; G1691 him G846 shall ye hear. G191
38 This G3778 is he, G2076 that was G1096 in G1722 the church G1577 in G1722 the wilderness G2048 with G3326 the angel G32 which G3588 spake G2980 to him G846 in G1722 the mount G3735 Sina, G4614 and G2532 with our G2257 fathers: G3962 who G3739 received G1209 the lively G2198 oracles G3051 to give G1325 unto us: G2254
39 To whom G3739 our G2257 fathers G3962 would G2309 not G3756 obey, G1096 G5255 but G235 thrust him from them, G683 and G2532 in their G846 hearts G2588 turned back again G4762 into G1519 Egypt, G125
40 Saying G2036 unto Aaron, G2 Make G4160 us G2254 gods G2316 to G3739 go before G4313 us: G2257 for G1063 as for this G3778 Moses, G3475 which G3739 brought G1806 us G2248 out of G1537 the land G1093 of Egypt, G125 we wot G1492 not G3756 what G5101 is become G1096 of him. G846
41 And G2532 they made a calf G3447 in G1722 those G1565 days, G2250 and G2532 offered G321 sacrifice G2378 unto the idol, G1497 and G2532 rejoiced G2165 in G1722 the works G2041 of their own G846 hands. G5495
42 Then G1161 God G2316 turned, G4762 and G2532 gave G3860 them G846 up G3860 to worship G3000 the host G4756 of heaven; G3772 as it G2531 is written G1125 in G1722 the book G976 of the prophets, G4396 O ye house G3624 of Israel, G2474 have ye offered G3361 G4374 to me G3427 slain beasts G4968 and G2532 sacrifices G2378 by the space of forty G5062 years G2094 in G1722 the wilderness? G2048
43 Yea, G2532 ye took up G353 the tabernacle G4633 of Moloch, G3434 and G2532 the star G798 of your G5216 god G2316 Remphan, G4481 figures G5179 which G3739 ye made G4160 to worship G4352 them: G846 and G2532 I will carry G3351 you G5209 away G3351 beyond G1900 Babylon. G897
44 Our G2257 fathers G3962 had G2258 the tabernacle G4633 of witness G3142 G1722 in G1722 the wilderness, G2048 as G2531 he had appointed, G1299 speaking G2980 unto Moses, G3475 that he should make G4160 it G846 according G2596 to the fashion G5179 that G3739 he had seen. G3708
45 Which G3739 also G2532 our G2257 fathers G3962 that came G1237 after brought in G1521 with G3326 Jesus G2424 into G1722 the possession G2697 of the Gentiles, G1484 whom G3739 God G2316 drave out G1856 before G575 the face G4383 of our G2257 fathers, G3962 unto G2193 the days G2250 of David; G1138
46 Who G3739 found G2147 favour G5485 before G1799 God, G2316 and G2532 desired G154 to find G2147 a tabernacle G4638 for the God G2316 of Jacob. G2384
47 But G1161 Solomon G4672 built G3618 him G846 an house. G3624
48 Howbeit G235 the most High G5310 dwelleth G2730 not G3756 in G1722 temples G3485 made with hands; G5499 as G2531 saith G3004 the prophet, G4396
49 Heaven G3772 is my G3427 throne, G2362 and G1161 earth G1093 is my G3450 footstool: G4228 G5286 what G4169 house G3624 will ye build G3618 me? G3427 saith G3004 the Lord: G2962 or G2228 what G5101 is the place G5117 of my G3450 rest? G2663
50 Hath G4160 not G3780 my G3450 hand G5495 made G4160 all G3956 these things? G5023
51 Ye stiffnecked G4644 and G2532 uncircumcised G564 in heart G2588 and G2532 ears, G3775 ye G5210 do G496 always G104 resist G496 the Holy G40 Ghost: G4151 as G5613 your G5216 fathers G3962 did, so G2532 do ye. G5210
52 Which G5101 of the prophets G4396 have G1377 not G3756 your G5216 fathers G3962 persecuted? G1377 and G2532 they have slain G615 them which G3588 shewed before G4293 of G4012 the coming G1660 of the Just One; G1342 of whom G3739 ye G5210 have been G1096 now G3568 the betrayers G4273 and G2532 murderers: G5406
53 Who G3748 have received G2983 the law G3551 by G1519 the disposition G1296 of angels, G32 and G2532 have G5442 not G3756 kept G5442 it.
54 When G1161 they heard G191 these things, G5023 they were cut G1282 to the heart, G2588 G846 and G2532 they gnashed G1031 on G1909 him G846 with their teeth. G3599
55 But G1161 he, being G5225 full G4134 of the Holy G40 Ghost, G4151 looked up stedfastly G816 into G1519 heaven, G3772 and saw G1492 the glory G1391 of God, G2316 and G2532 Jesus G2424 standing G2476 on G1537 the right hand G1188 of God, G2316
56 And G2532 said, G2036 Behold, G2400 I see G2334 the heavens G3772 opened, G455 and G2532 the Son G5207 of man G444 standing G2476 on G1537 the right hand G1188 of God. G2316
57 Then G1161 they cried out G2896 with a loud G3173 voice, G5456 and stopped G4912 their G846 ears, G3775 and G2532 ran G3729 upon G1909 him G846 with one accord, G3661
58 And G2532 cast G1544 him out of G1854 the city, G4172 and stoned G3036 him: and G2532 the witnesses G3144 laid down G659 their G846 clothes G2440 at G3844 a young man's G3494 feet, G4228 whose name was G2564 Saul. G4569
59 And G2532 they stoned G3036 Stephen, G4736 calling upon G1941 God, and G2532 saying, G3004 Lord G2962 Jesus, G2424 receive G1209 my G3450 spirit. G4151
60 And G1161 he kneeled down, G5087 G1119 and cried G2896 with a loud G3173 voice, G5456 Lord, G2962 lay G2476 not G3361 this G5026 sin G266 to their G846 charge. And G2532 when he had said G2036 this, G5124 he fell asleep. G2837
1 And the high priest said, Are these things so?
2 And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
3 and said unto him, Get thee out of thy land, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.
4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Haran: and from thence, when his father was dead, `God' 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: and he promised that he would give it to him in 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 treat them ill, four hundred years.
7 And the nation to which 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 the twelve patriarchs.
9 And the patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt: and God was with him,
10 and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
11 Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time.
13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's race became manifest unto Pharaoh.
14 And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
15 And Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died, himself and our fathers;
16 and they were carried over unto Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver of the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
17 But as the time of the promise drew nigh which God vouchsafed unto Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
18 till there arose another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.
19 The same dealt craftily with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, that they should cast out their babes to the end they might not live.
20 At which season Moses was born, and was exceeding fair; and he was nourished three months in his father's house.
21 and when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.
22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and works.
23 But when he was well-nigh 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, smiting the Egyptian:
25 and he supposed that his brethren understood that God by his hand was giving them deliverance; but they understood not.
26 And the day following he appeared 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 neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
28 Wouldest thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?
29 And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons.
30 And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord,
32 I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not behold.
33 And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I 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? him hath God sent `to be' both a ruler and a deliverer with the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush.
36 This man led them forth, having wrought wonders and signs in Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
37 This is that Moses, who said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me.
38 This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received living oracles to give unto us:
39 to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt,
40 saying unto Aaron, Make us gods that shall go before us: for as for this Moses, who led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
41 And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.
42 But God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Did ye offer unto me slain beasts and sacrifices Forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 And ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, And the star of the god Rephan, The figures which ye made to worship them: And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he appointed who spake unto Moses, that he should make it according to the figure that he had seen.
45 Which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered on the possession of the nations, that God thrust out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;
46 who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.
47 But Solomon built him a house.
48 Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in `houses' made with hands; as saith the prophet,
49 The heaven is my throne, And the earth the footstool of my feet: What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: Or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?
51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers;
53 ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.
54 Now 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 Spirit, 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 But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord;
58 and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon `the Lord', 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 chief priest said, `Are then these things so?'
2 and he said, `Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken: The God of the glory did appear to our father Abraham, being in Mesopotamia, before his dwelling in Haran,
3 and He said to him, Go forth out of thy land, and out of thy kindred, and come to a land that I shall shew thee.
4 `Then having come forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran, and from thence, after the death of his father, He did remove him to this land wherein ye now dwell,
5 and He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a footstep, and did promise to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him -- he having no child.
6 `And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years,
7 and the nation whom they shall serve I will judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and shall do Me service in this place.
8 `And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac `begat' Jacob, and Jacob -- the twelve patriarchs;
9 and the patriarchs, having been moved with jealousy, sold Joseph to Egypt, and God was with him,
10 and did deliver him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he did set him -- governor over Egypt and all his house.
11 `And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance,
12 and Jacob having heard that there was corn in Egypt, sent forth our fathers a first time;
13 and at the second time was Joseph made known to his brethren, and Joseph's kindred became manifest to Pharaoh,
14 and Joseph having sent, did call for his father Jacob, and all his kindred -- with seventy and five souls --
15 and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers,
16 and they were carried over into Sychem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Sychem.
17 `And according as the time of the promise was drawing nigh, which God did swear to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
18 till another king rose, who had not known Joseph;
19 this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live;
20 in which time Moses was born, and he was fair to God, and he was brought up three months in the house of his father;
21 and he having been exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and did rear him to herself for a son;
22 and Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in words and in works.
23 `And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came upon his heart to look after his brethren, the sons of Israel;
24 and having seen a certain one suffering injustice, he did defend, and did justice to the oppressed, having smitten the Egyptian;
25 and he was supposing his brethren to understand that God through his hand doth give salvation; and they did not understand.
26 `On the succeeding day, also, he shewed himself to them as they are striving, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, brethren are ye, wherefore do ye injustice to one another?
27 and he who is doing injustice to the neighbour, did thrust him away, saying, Who set thee a ruler and a judge over us?
28 to kill me dost thou wish, as thou didst kill yesterday the Egyptian?
29 `And Moses fled at this word, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons,
30 and forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai a messenger of the Lord, in a flame of fire of a bush,
31 and Moses having seen did wonder at the sight; and he drawing near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord 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 having become terrified, durst not behold,
33 and the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place in which thou hast stood is holy ground;
34 seeing I have seen the affliction of My people that `is' in Egypt, and their groaning I did hear, and came down to deliver them; and now come, I will send thee to Egypt.
35 `This Moses, whom they did refuse, saying, Who did set thee a ruler and a judge? this one God a ruler and a redeemer did send, in the hand of a messenger who appeared to him in the bush;
36 this one did bring them forth, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years;
37 this is the Moses who did say to the sons of Israel: A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me, him shall ye hear.
38 `This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the messenger who is speaking to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers who did receive the living oracles to give to us;
39 to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but did thrust away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,
40 saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who shall go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what hath happened to him.
41 `And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands,
42 and God did turn, and did give them up to do service to the host of the heaven, according as it hath been written in the scroll of the prophets: Slain beasts and sacrifices did ye offer to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 and ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan -- the figures that ye made to bow before them, and I will remove your dwelling beyond Babylon.
44 `The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He did direct, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen;
45 which also our fathers having in succession received, did bring in with Joshua, into the possession of the nations whom God did drive out from the presence of our fathers, till the days of David,
46 who found favour before God, and requested to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob;
47 and Solomon built Him an house.
48 `But the Most High in sanctuaries made with hands doth not dwell, according as the prophet saith:
49 The heaven `is' My throne, and the earth My footstool; what house will ye build to Me? saith the Lord, or what `is' the place of My rest?
50 hath not My hand made all these things?
51 `Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears! ye do always the Holy Spirit resist; as your fathers -- also ye;
52 which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed those who declared before about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom now ye betrayers and murderers have become,
53 who received the law by arrangement of messengers, and did not keep `it'.'
54 And hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts, and did gnash the teeth at him;
55 and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked stedfastly to the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 and he said, `Lo, I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.'
57 And they, having cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and did rush with one accord upon him,
58 and having cast him forth outside of the city, they were stoning `him' -- and the witnesses did put down their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul --
59 and they were stoning Stephen, calling and saying, `Lord Jesus, receive my spirit;'
60 and having bowed the knees, he cried with a loud voice, `Lord, mayest thou not lay to them this sin;' and this having said, he fell asleep.
1 And the high priest said, Are these things then so?
2 And 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,
3 and said to him, Go out of thy land and out of thy kindred, and come into the land which I will shew thee.
4 Then 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.
5 And 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.
6 And 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;
7 and 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.
8 And 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.
9 And the patriarchs, envying Joseph, sold him away into Egypt. And God was with him,
10 and 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.
11 But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food.
12 But Jacob, having heard of there being corn in Egypt, sent out our fathers first;
13 and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh.
14 And Joseph sent and called down to him his father Jacob and all [his] kindred, seventy-five souls.
15 And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers,
16 and 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.
17 But as the time of promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
18 until another king over Egypt arose who did not know Joseph.
19 *He* dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that they might not live.
20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly lovely, who was nourished three months in the house of his father.
21 And when he was cast out, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself [to be] for a son.
22 And Moses was instructed in all [the] wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.
23 And when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it came into his heart to look upon his brethren, the sons of Israel;
24 and seeing a certain one wronged, he defended [him], and avenged him that was being oppressed, smiting the Egyptian.
25 For he thought that his brethren would understand that God by his hand was giving them deliverance. But they understood not.
26 And 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?
27 But he that was wronging his neighbour thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us?
28 Dost *thou* wish to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?
29 And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Madiam, where he begat two sons.
30 And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire of a bush.
31 And Moses seeing it wondered at the vision; and as he went up to consider it, there was a voice of [the] Lord,
32 *I* am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not consider [it].
33 And the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place on which thou standest is holy ground.
34 I 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.
35 This 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.
36 *He* led them out, having wrought wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
37 This 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].
38 This 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;
39 to whom our fathers would not be subject, but thrust [him] from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,
40 saying 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.
41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
42 But 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?
43 Yea, 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.
44 Our 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;
45 which 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;
46 who found favour before God, and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob;
47 but Solomon built him a house.
48 But the Most High dwells not in [places] made with hands; as says the prophet,
49 The 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?
50 has not my hand made all these things?
51 O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, *ye* do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, *ye* also.
52 Which 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!
53 who have received the law as ordained by [the] ministry of angels, and have not kept [it].
54 And hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him.
55 But 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,
56 and said, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.
57 And they cried out with a loud voice, and held their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord;
58 and 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.
59 And they stoned Stephen, praying, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And kneeling down, he cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And having said this, he fell asleep.
1 The high priest said, "Are these things so?"
2 He said, "Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
3 and said to him, 'Get out of your land, and from your relatives, and come into a land which I will show you.'
4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and lived in Haran. From there, when his father was dead, God moved him into this land, where you are now living.
5 He gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on. He promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he still had no child.
6 God spoke in this way: that his seed would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.
7 'I will judge the nation to which they will be in bondage,' said God, 'and after that will they come out, and serve me in this place.'
8 He gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
9 "The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him,
10 and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
11 Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.
12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time.
13 On the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's race was revealed to Pharaoh.
14 Joseph sent, and summoned Jacob, his father, and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.
15 Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, himself and our fathers,
16 and they were brought back to Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver from the children of Hamor of Shechem.
17 "But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
18 until there arose a different king, who didn't know Joseph.
19 The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn't stay alive.
20 At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome. He was nourished three months in his father's house.
21 When he was thrown out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and reared him as her own son.
22 Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works.
23 But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers{The word for "brothers" here and where the context allows may be also correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."}, the children of Israel.
24 Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian.
25 He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn't understand.
26 "The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, 'Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?'
27 But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
28 Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'
29 Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
30 "When forty years were fulfilled, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he came close to see, a voice of the Lord came to him,
32 'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Moses trembled, and dared not look.
33 The Lord said to him, 'Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into Egypt.'
35 "This Moses, whom they refused, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?'--God has sent him as both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 This man led them out, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.
37 This is that Moses, who said to the children of Israel, 'The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me.{TR adds "You shall listen to him."}'
38 This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living oracles to give to us,
39 to whom our fathers wouldn't be obedient, but rejected him, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,
40 saying to Aaron, 'Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him.'
41 They made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.
42 But God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of the sky, as it is written in the book of the prophets, 'Did you offer to me slain animals and sacrifices Forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 You took up the tent of Moloch, The star of your god Rephan, The figures which you made to worship. I will carry you away beyond Babylon.'
44 "Our fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern that he had seen;
45 which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered into the possession of the nations, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, to the days of David,
46 who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.
47 But Solomon built him a house.
48 However, the Most High doesn't dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says,
49 'heaven is my throne, And the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me?' says the Lord; 'Or what is the place of my rest?
50 Didn't my hand make all these things?'
51 "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.
52 Which of the prophets didn't your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.
53 You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn't keep it!"
54 Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly 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 at the right hand of God!"
57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord.
58 They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit!"
60 He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them!" When he had said this, he fell asleep.
1 Then the high priest said, Are these things true?
2 And he said, My brothers and fathers, give hearing. The God of glory came to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he was living in Haran,
3 And said to him, Go out of your land, and away from your family, and come into the land to which I will be your guide.
4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and went into Haran; and from there, when his father was dead, he was guided by God into this land, where you are living now:
5 And God gave him no heritage in it, not even enough to put his foot on: but he gave him an undertaking that he would give it to him and to his children after him, though he had no child at that time.
6 And God said that his seed would be living in a strange land, and that they would make them servants, and be cruel to them for four hundred years.
7 And I will be the judge, said God, of that nation which made them servants: and after that, they will come out and give me worship in this place.
8 And he made with him the agreement of which circumcision was the sign. And so Abraham had a son, Isaac, and gave him circumcision on the eighth day; and Isaac had a son, Jacob, and Jacob was the father of the twelve heads of the families of Israel.
9 And the brothers, moved with envy against Joseph, gave him to the Egyptians for money: but God was with him,
10 And made him free from all his troubles, and gave him wisdom and the approval of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and all his house.
11 Now there was no food to be had in all Egypt and Canaan, and there was great trouble: and our fathers were not able to get food.
12 But Jacob, hearing that there was grain in Egypt, sent out our fathers the first time.
13 And the second time his brothers had a meeting with Joseph, and Pharaoh had knowledge of Joseph's family.
14 Then Joseph sent for Jacob his father and all his family, seventy-five persons.
15 And Jacob went down to Egypt, and came to his end there, and so did our fathers;
16 And they were taken over to Shechem, and put to rest in the place which Abraham got for a price in silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
17 But when the time was near for putting into effect the undertaking which God had given to Abraham, the people were increasing in Egypt,
18 Till another king came to power, who had no knowledge of Joseph.
19 He, having evil designs against our nation, was cruel to our fathers, and they were forced to put out their young children, so that they might not go on living.
20 At which time Moses came to birth, and he was very beautiful; and he was kept for three months in his father's house:
21 And when he was put out, Pharaoh's daughter took him and kept him as her son.
22 And Moses was trained in all the wisdom of Egypt, and was great in his words and works.
23 But when he was almost forty years old, it came into his heart to go and see his brothers, the children of Israel.
24 And seeing one of them being attacked, he went to his help and gave the Egyptian a death-blow:
25 And he was hoping that his brothers would see that God had sent him to be their saviour; but they did not see.
26 And the day after, he came to them, while they were having a fight, and would have made peace between them, saying, Sirs, you are brothers; why do you do wrong to one another?
27 But the man who was doing wrong to his neighbour, pushing him away, said, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
28 Will you put me to death as you did the Egyptian yesterday?
29 And at these words, Moses went in flight to the land of Midian, and was living there for a time, and had two sons.
30 At the end of forty years, an angel came to him in the waste land of Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn-tree.
31 And Moses, seeing it, was full of wonder, and when he came up to have a nearer view of it, 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. And Moses, shaking with fear, kept his eyes from looking at it.
33 And the Lord said, Take off the shoes from your feet, for the place where you are is holy.
34 Truly, I have seen the sorrows of my people in Egypt, and their cries have come to my ears, and I have come down to make them free: and now, come, I will send you to Egypt.
35 This Moses, whom they would not have, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? him God sent to be a ruler and a saviour, by the hand of the angel whom he saw in the thorn-tree.
36 This man took them out, having done wonders and signs in Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the waste land, for forty years.
37 This is the same Moses, who said to the children of Israel, God will give you a prophet from among your brothers, like me.
38 This is the man who was in the church in the waste land with the angel who was talking to him in Sinai, and with our fathers; and to him were given the living words of God, so that he might give them to you.
39 By whom our fathers would not be controlled; but they put him on one side, turning back in their hearts to Egypt,
40 And saying to Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: as for this Moses, who took us out of the land of Egypt, we have no idea what has become of him.
41 And they made the image of a young ox in those days, and made an offering to it, and had joy in the work of their hands.
42 But God was turned from them and let them give worship to the stars of heaven, as it says in the book of the prophets, Did you make offerings to me of sheep and oxen for forty years in the waste land, O house of Israel?
43 And you took up the tent of Moloch and the star of the god Rephan, images which you made to give worship to them: and I will take you away, farther than Babylon.
44 Our fathers had the Tent of witness in the waste land, as God gave orders to Moses to make it after the design which he had seen.
45 Which our fathers, in their turn, took with them when, with Joshua, they came into the heritage of the nations whom God was driving out before the face of our fathers, till the time of David,
46 Who was pleasing to God; and he had a desire to make a holy tent for the God of Jacob.
47 But Solomon was the builder of his house.
48 But still, the Most High has not his resting-place in houses made with hands, as the prophet says,
49 Heaven is the seat of my power, and earth is a resting-place for my feet: what sort of house will you make for me, says the Lord, or what is my place of rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?
51 You whose hearts are hard and whose ears are shut to me; you are ever working against the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.
52 Which of the prophets was not cruelly attacked by your fathers? and they put to death those who gave them the news of the coming of the Upright One; whom you have now given up and put to death;
53 You, to whom the law was given as it was ordered by angels, and who have not kept it.
54 Hearing these things, they were cut to the heart and moved with wrath against him.
55 But he was full of the Holy Spirit, and looking up to heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus at the right hand of God.
56 And he said, Now I see heaven open, and the Son of man at the right hand of God.
57 But with loud cries, and stopping their ears, they made an attack on him all together,
58 Driving him out of the town and stoning him: and the witnesses put their clothing at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 And Stephen, while he was being stoned, made prayer to God, saying, Lord Jesus, take my spirit.
60 And going down on his knees, he said in a loud voice, Lord, do not make them responsible for this sin. And when he had said this, he went to his rest.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 7
Commentary on Acts 7 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 7
When our Lord Jesus called his apostles out to be employed in services and sufferings for him, he told them that yet the last should be first, and the first last, which was remarkably fulfilled in St. Stephen and St. Paul, who were both of them late converts, in comparison of the apostles, and yet got the start of them both in services and sufferings; for God, in conferring honours and favours, often crosses hands. In this chapter we have the martyrdom of Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian church, who led the van in the noble army. And therefore his sufferings and death are more largely related than those of any other, for direction and encouragement to all those who are called out to resist unto blood, as he did. Here is,
Act 7:1-16
Stephen is now at the bar before the great council of the nation, indicted for blasphemy: what the witnesses swore against him we had an account of in the foregoing chapter, that he spoke blasphemous words against Moses and God; for he spoke against this holy place and the law. Now here,
But let us see how this serves Stephen's purpose.
Let us now see what this is to Stephen's purpose.
Act 7:17-29
Stephen here goes on to relate,
Now let us see how this serves Stephen's purpose.
Act 7:30-41
Stephen here proceeds in his story of Moses; and let any one judge whether these are the words of one that was a blasphemer of Moses or no; nothing could be spoken more honourably of him. Here is,
Act 7:42-50
Two things we have in these verses:-
Act 7:51-53
Stephen was going on in his discourse (as it should seem by the thread of it) to show that, as the temple, so the temple-service must come to an end, and it would be the glory of both to give way to that worship of the Father in spirit and in truth which was to be established in the kingdom of the Messiah, stripped of the pompous ceremonies of the old law, and so he was going to apply all this which he had said more closely to his present purpose; but he perceived they could not bear it. They could patiently hear the history of the Old Testament told (it was a piece of learning which they themselves dealt much in); but if Stephen go about to tell them that their power and tyranny must come down, and that the church must be governed by a spirit of holiness and love, and heavenly-mindedness, they will not so much as give him the hearing. It is probable that he perceived this, and that they were going to silence him; and therefore he breaks off abruptly in the midst of his discourse, and by that spirit of wisdom, courage, and power, wherewith he was filled, he sharply rebuked his persecutors, and exposed their true character; for, if they will not admit the testimony of the gospel to them, it shall become a testimony against them.
We have reason to think Stephen had a great deal more to say, and would have said it if they would have suffered him; but they were wicked and unreasonable men with whom he had to do, that could no more hear reason than they could speak it.
Act 7:54-60
We have here the death of the first martyr of the Christian church, and there is in this story a lively instance of the outrage and fury of the persecutors (such as we may expect to meet with if we are called out to suffer for Christ), and of the courage and comfort of the persecuted, that are thus called out. Here is hell in its fire and darkness, and heaven in its light and brightness; and these serve as foils to set off each other. It is not here said that the votes of the council were taken upon his case, and that by the majority he was found guilty, and then condemned and ordered to be stoned to death, according to the law, as a blasphemer; but, it is likely, so it was, and that it was not by the violence of the people, without order of the council, that he was put to death; for here is the usual ceremony of regular executions-he was cast out of the city, and the hands of the witnesses were first upon him.
Let us observe here the wonderful discomposure of the spirits of his enemies and persecutors, and the wonderful composure of his spirit.