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

And the high priest said, Are these things then 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 to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

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 to him, Go out of thy land and out of thy kindred, and come into the land which I will shew 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 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 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 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 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 spoke thus: His seed shall be a sojourner in a strange land, and they shall enslave them and evil entreat 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 these things they shall 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 to him covenant of circumcision; and thus he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac 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, envying Joseph, sold him away 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 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 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.

But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food.

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

But Jacob, having heard of there being corn in Egypt, sent out our fathers first;

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 the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to 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 down to him his father Jacob and all kindred, seventy-five souls.

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

And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he 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 were carried over to Sychem and placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the of Sychem.

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 promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

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

until another king over Egypt arose who did not know 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.

He dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that 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;

In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly lovely, who was nourished three months in the house of his father.

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, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself for a 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 wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.

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].

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 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 a certain one wronged, he defended, and avenged him that was being 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.

For he thought that his brethren would understand 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 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 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 was wronging his neighbour thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us?

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

Dost thou wish to 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 Madiam, 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 of 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 Moses seeing it wondered at the vision; and as he went up to consider it, there was a voice of 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 consider.

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 to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place on which 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 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 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 ruler and judge? him did God send a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who 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).

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 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 the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up to you out of your brethren like 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 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 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 subject, but thrust from them, and in their hearts turned back to 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 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 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 offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own 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 delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in book of the prophets, Have ye offered me victims 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.

Yea, ye took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of god Remphan, the forms which ye made to do homage to them; and I will transport you 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 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 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, receiving from their predecessors, brought in with Joshua when they entered into possession of the nations, whom God drove out from face of our fathers, until 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 favour before God, and asked to find a tabernacle 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,

But the Most High dwells not in made with hands; as says 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 my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet: what house will ye build me? saith Lord, or where place of my rest?

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

has not my hand made 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!

O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also.

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

who have received the law as ordained by ministry of angels, and have not kept.

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

And hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him.

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 being full of Holy Spirit, having fixed his eyes on heaven, he saw glory of God, and Jesus standing at 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, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at 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.

And they cried out with a loud voice, and held 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 having cast out of the city, they stoned. And the witnesses laid aside their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul.

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

And they stoned Stephen, praying, 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 kneeling down, he cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And having said this, he fell asleep.