1 A nd the high priest asked, Are these charges true?

And the high priest said, Are these things so?

2 A nd he answered, Brethren and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our forefather Abraham when he was still in Mesopotamia, before he live in Haran,

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 A nd He said to him, Leave your own country and your relatives and come into the land (region) that I will point out to you.

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 S o then he went forth from the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, transferred him to this country in which you are now dwelling.

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 Y et He gave him no inheritable property in it, not even enough ground to set his foot on; but He promised that He would give it to Him for a permanent possession and to his descendants after him, even though he had no child.

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 A nd this is what God told him: That his descendants would be aliens (strangers) in a land belonging to other people, who would bring them into bondage and ill-treat them 400 years.

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 B ut I will judge the nation to whom they will be slaves, said God, and after that they will escape and come forth and worship Me in this place.

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 A nd made with Abraham a covenant (an agreement to be religiously observed) of which circumcision was the seal. And under these circumstances became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac when he became the father of Jacob, and Jacob, the twelve patriarchs.

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 A nd the patriarchs, boiling with envy and hatred and anger, sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him,

And the patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt: and God was with him,

10 A nd delivered him from all his distressing afflictions and won him goodwill and favor and wisdom and understanding in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

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 T hen there came a famine over all of Egypt and Canaan, with great distress, and our forefathers could find no fodder or vegetable sustenance.

Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

12 B ut when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our forefathers first trip.

But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time.

13 A nd on their second visit Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh and his origin and race.

And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's race became manifest unto Pharaoh.

14 A nd Joseph sent an invitation calling to himself Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all.

And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

15 A nd Jacob went down into Egypt, where he himself died, as did our forefathers;

And Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died, himself and our fathers;

16 A nd their bodies were taken back to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

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 B ut as the time for the fulfillment of the promise drew near which God had made to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

But as the time of the promise drew nigh which God vouchsafed unto Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

18 U ntil there arose over Egypt another and a different king who did not know Joseph.

till there arose another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

19 H e dealt treacherously with and defrauded our race; he abused and oppressed our forefathers, forcing them to expose their babies so that they might not be kept alive.

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 A t this juncture Moses was born, and was exceedingly beautiful in God’s sight. For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house;

At which season Moses was born, and was exceeding fair; and he was nourished three months in his father's house.

21 T hen when he was exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh rescued him and took him and reared him as her own son.

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

22 S o Moses was educated in all the wisdom and culture of the Egyptians, and he was mighty (powerful) in his speech and deeds.

And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and works.

23 A nd when he was in his fortieth year, it came into his heart to visit his kinsmen the children of Israel '> to help them and to care for them].

But when he was well-nigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

24 A nd on seeing one of them being unjustly treated, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian and slaying.

And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, smiting the Egyptian:

25 H e expected his brethren to understand that God was granting them deliverance by his hand; but they did not understand.

and he supposed that his brethren understood that God by his hand was giving them deliverance; but they understood not.

26 T hen on the next day he suddenly appeared to some who were quarreling and fighting among themselves, and he urged them to make peace and become reconciled, saying, Men, you are brethren; why do you abuse and wrong one another?

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 W hereupon the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed aside, saying, Who appointed you a ruler (umpire) and a judge over us?

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

28 D o you intend to slay me as you slew the Egyptian yesterday?

Wouldest thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?

29 A t that reply Moses sought safety by flight and he was an exile and an alien in the country of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

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

30 A nd when forty years had gone by, there appeared to him in the wilderness (desert) of Mount Sinai an angel, in the flame of a burning bramblebush.

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 W hen Moses saw it, he was astonished and marveled at the sight; but when he went close to investigate, there came to him the voice of the Lord, saying,

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 your forefathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob. And Moses trembled and was so terrified that he did not venture to look.

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 T hen the Lord said to him, Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground and worthy of veneration.

And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

34 B ecause I have most assuredly seen the abuse and oppression of My people in Egypt and have heard their sighing and groaning, I have come down to rescue them. So, now come! I will send you back to Egypt.

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 I t was this very Moses whom they had denied (disowned and rejected), saying, Who made you our ruler (referee) and judge? whom God sent to be a ruler and deliverer and redeemer, by and with the hand of the Angel that appeared to him in the bramblebush.

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 H e it was who led them forth, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and during the forty years in the wilderness (desert).

This man led them forth, having wrought wonders and signs in Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

37 I t was this Moses who said to the children of Israel, God will raise up for you a Prophet from among your brethren as He raised me up.

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 T his is he who in the assembly in the wilderness (desert) was the go-between for the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and our forefathers, and he received living oracles (words that still live) to be handed down to us.

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 o ur forefathers determined not to be subject to him; but thrusting him aside they rejected him, and in their hearts yearned for and turned back to Egypt.

to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt,

40 A nd they said to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us; as for this Moses who led us forth from the land of Egypt—we have no knowledge of what has happened to him.

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 A nd they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol and made merry and exulted in the work of their hands.

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

42 B ut God turned and delivered them up to worship and serve the host (stars) of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: Did you offer to Me slain beasts and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness (desert), O house of Israel?

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 Y ou took up the tent (the portable temple) of Moloch and carried it, and the star of the god Rephan, the images which you made that you might worship them; and I will remove you beyond Babylon.

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 O ur forefathers had the tent (tabernacle) of witness in the wilderness, even as He Who directed Moses to make it had ordered, according to the pattern and model he had seen.

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 O ur forefathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations which God drove out before the face of our forefathers. until the time of David,

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 W ho found grace (favor and spiritual blessing) in the sight of God and prayed that he might be allowed to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.

47 B ut it was Solomon who built a house for Him.

But Solomon built him a house.

48 H owever, the Most High does not dwell in houses and temples made with hands; as the prophet says,

Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands; as saith the prophet,

49 H eaven My throne, and earth the footstool for My feet. What house can you build for Me, says the Lord, or what is the place in which I can rest?

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 W as it not My hand that made all these things?

Did not my hand make all these things?

51 Y ou stubborn and stiff-necked people, still heathen and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are always actively resisting the Holy Spirit. As your forefathers, so you!

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

52 W hich of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute? And they slew those who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, Whom you now have betrayed and murdered—

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 Y ou who received the Law as it was ordained and set in order and delivered by angels, and you did not obey it!

ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.

54 N ow upon hearing these things, they were cut to the heart and infuriated, and they ground their teeth against.

Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

55 B ut he, full of the Holy Spirit and controlled by Him, gazed into heaven and saw the glory (the splendor and majesty) of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand;

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 A nd he said, Look! I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at God’s right hand!

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

57 B ut they raised a great shout and put their hands over their ears and rushed together upon him.

But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord;

58 T hen they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him, and the witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

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 A nd while they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, Lord Jesus, receive and accept and welcome my spirit!

And they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

60 A nd falling on his knees, he cried out loudly, Lord, fix not this sin upon them! And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

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.