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

Then 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, listen: The God of glory appeared to 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 to him, ‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’

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 he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you 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 God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him.

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.

But God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them 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 whom they will be in bondage I will judge,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out 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.

Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs. The Patriarchs in Egypt

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, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But 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 troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of 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 a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, 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 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 brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh.

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

Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people.

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

So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he 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 they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. God Delivers Israel by Moses

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 when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to 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 another king 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.

This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so 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;

At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months.

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

But when he was set out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as 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 learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in 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].

“Now when he was 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 and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down 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 supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.

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 next day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren; why do you 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 who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

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

Do you want to kill me as you did 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.

Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had 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 had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai.

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,

When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him,

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.

saying, ‘I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look.

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.

‘Then the L ord said to him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand 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 oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you 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 rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by 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 brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years. Israel Rebels Against God

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 to the children of Israel, ‘The L ord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’

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 congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the 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.

whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they 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 to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has 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, offered sacrifices 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?

Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: ‘Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during 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.

You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, And the star of your god Remphan, Images which you made to worship; And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’ God’s True Tabernacle

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 witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern 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 our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the 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 favor before God and asked to find a dwelling 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,

“However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:

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?

‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the L ord, Or what is the place of My rest?

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

Has My hand not made all these things?’ Israel Resists the Holy Spirit

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!

“ You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

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 your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the 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!

who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it. ” Stephen the Martyr

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

When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at 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, gazed into heaven and saw the 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, “Look! I see 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.

Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at 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 clothes 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 as he was calling on God 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.

Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.