1 A nd the high priest said, Are these things so?

The head religious leader asked Stephen, “Are these things true?”

2 A nd 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,

Stephen said, “My brothers and fathers, listen to me. The great God showed Himself to our early father Abraham while he lived in the country of Mesopotamia. This was before he moved to the country of Haran.

3 a nd said unto him, Get thee out of thy land, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.

God said to him, ‘Leave your family and this land where you were born. Go to a land that I will show you.’

4 T hen 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:

He went from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. After his father died, he came to this country where you now live.

5 a nd 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.

God did not give him any land to own, not even enough to put his feet on. But He promised that the land would be his and his children’s after him. At that time he had no children.

6 A nd 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.

This is what God said, ‘Your children’s children will be living in a strange land. They will live there 400 years. They will be made to work without pay and will suffer many hard things.

7 A nd 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.

I will say to that nation that it is guilty for holding them and making them work without pay. After that they will go free. They will leave that country and worship Me in this place.’

8 A nd 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.

“He made a promise with Abraham. It was kept by a religious act of becoming a Jew. Abraham had a son, Isaac. On the eighth day Abraham took Isaac and had this religious act done to him. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of our twelve early fathers.

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

“The sons of Jacob sold Joseph to people from the country of Egypt because they were jealous of him. But God was with Joseph.

10 a nd 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.

He helped him in all his troubles. He gave him wisdom and favor with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. This king made Joseph leader over Egypt and over all the king’s house.

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

“The time came when there was no food to eat in all the land of Egypt and Canaan. The people suffered much. Our early fathers were not able to get food.

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

Then Jacob heard there was food in Egypt. He sent our early fathers there the first time.

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

“The second time they went to the country of Egypt, Joseph made himself known to his brothers. The family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh.

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

Joseph asked his father Jacob and all his family to come. There were seventy-five people in the family.

15 A nd Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died, himself and our fathers;

Jacob moved down to Egypt and died there. Our early fathers died there also.

16 a nd 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.

They were brought back to the city of Shechem where they were buried. Abraham paid money for the grave from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. Stephen Speaks about the God of Moses

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

“The promise God had given Abraham was about to happen. At this time many more of our people were in the country of Egypt.

18 t ill there arose another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

Then another man became king in Egypt. He was a king who did not know Joseph.

19 T he 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.

He was hard on our people and nation. He worked against our early fathers. He made them put their babies outside so they would die.

20 A t which season Moses was born, and was exceeding fair; and he was nourished three months in his father's house.

“At that time Moses was born. He was beautiful in God’s sight. He was fed in his father’s house for three months.

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

Then he was put outside. Pharaoh’s daughter took him and cared for him as her own son.

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

Moses was taught in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He became a powerful man in words and in the things he did.

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

When he was forty years old, he thought he should visit his brothers, the Jews.

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

He saw one of the Jews being hurt. Moses helped the Jew and killed the man from Egypt.

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

He thought his people would understand. He thought they knew God would let them go free by his help. But the people did not understand.

26 A nd 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?

“The next day Moses came to some Jews who were fighting. He tried to get them to stop. Moses said to the Jews, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you hurt each other?’

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

One was beating his neighbor. He pushed Moses away and said, ‘Who made you a leader over us? Who said you could say who is guilty?

28 W ouldest thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?

Do you want to kill me as you killed the man from Egypt yesterday?’

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

When Moses heard that, he went as fast as he could to the country of Midian where he was a stranger. While he was there, he became the father of two sons.

30 A nd when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.

Forty years passed and Moses was near Mount Sinai where no people live. There he saw an angel in the fire of a burning bush.

31 A nd when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord,

He was surprised and wondered when he saw it. He went up close to see it better. Then he heard the voice of the Lord speak to him.

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.

‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ Moses shook! He was so afraid he did not look at the bush.

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

“Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take your shoes off your feet! The place where you are standing 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.

I have seen My people suffer in the country of Egypt and I have heard their cries. I have come down to let them go free. So come now, I will send you back to Egypt.’

35 T his 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.

“The people had put Moses aside. They said, ‘Who made you a leader over us? Who said you are the one to say what is right or wrong?’ But God made this man a leader. Moses was the one who brought them out of the country of Egypt. This was done by the help of the angel who was in the burning bush.

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

This man led them. He did powerful works in Egypt and at the Red Sea. For forty years he led them in the desert.

37 T his 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.

“Moses said to the Jews, ‘God will give you one who speaks for Him like me from among your brothers.’

38 T his 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:

This is the man who was with the Jewish nation in the desert. The angel talked to him on Mount Sinai. Moses told it to our early fathers. He also received the living Words of God to give to us.

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

“Our early fathers would not listen to him. They did not obey him. In their hearts they wanted to go back to the country of Egypt.

40 s aying 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.

They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods to go before us. We do not know what has happened to this Moses who led us out of Egypt.’

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

“In those days they made a calf of gold. They put gifts down in front of their god in worship. They were happy with what they had made with their hands.

42 B ut 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?

But God turned from them and let them worship the stars of heaven. This is written in the book of the early preachers, ‘Nation of Jews, was it to Me you gave gifts of sheep and cattle on the altar for forty years in the desert?

43 A nd 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.

No, you set up the tent to worship the god of Molock and the star of your god Rompha. You made gods to worship them. I will carry you away to the other side of the country of Babylon.’ The Place of Worship and the House of God

44 O ur 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.

“Our early fathers had the tent to worship in. They used it in the desert. God told Moses to make it like the plan which he had seen.

45 W hich 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;

This was received by our early fathers. They brought it here when they won the wars with the people who were not Jews. It was when Joshua was our leader. God made those people leave as our early fathers took the land. The tent was here until the time of David.

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

David pleased God and wanted to build a house for worship for the God of Jacob.

47 B ut Solomon built him a house.

But Solomon was the one who built the house of God for Him.

48 H owbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands; as saith the prophet,

But the Most High does not live in buildings made by hands. The early preacher said,

49 T he 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?

’Heaven is the place where I sit and the earth is the place where I rest My feet. What house will you build Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Or what is My place of rest?

50 D id not my hand make all these things?

Did not My hands make all these things?’ The Jews Are Hurt

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

“You have hard hearts and ears that will not listen to me! You are always working against the Holy Spirit. Your early fathers did. You do too.

52 W hich 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;

Which of the early preachers was not beaten and hurt by your early fathers? They killed those who told of the coming of the One Right with God. Now you have handed Him over and killed Him.

53 y e who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.

You had the Law given to you by angels. Yet you have not kept it.” Stephen Is Killed

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

The Jews and religious leaders listened to Stephen. Then they became angry and began to grind their teeth at him.

55 B ut 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,

He was filled with the Holy Spirit. As he looked up to heaven, he saw the shining-greatness of God and Jesus standing at the right side of God.

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

He said, “See! I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God!”

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

They cried out with loud voices. They put their hands over their ears and they all pushed on him.

58 a nd 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.

Then they took him out of the city and threw stones at him. The men who were throwing the stones laid their coats down in front of a young man named Saul.

59 A nd they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

While they threw stones at Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

60 A nd 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.

After that he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.