1 L e souverain sacrificateur dit: Les choses sont-elles ainsi?

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

2 É tienne répondit: Hommes frères et pères, écoutez! Le Dieu de gloire apparut à notre père Abraham, lorsqu'il était en Mésopotamie, avant qu'il s'établît à Charran; et il lui dit:

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 Q uitte ton pays et ta famille, et va dans le pays que je te montrerai.

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

4 I l sortit alors du pays des Chaldéens, et s'établit à Charran. De là, après la mort de son père, Dieu le fit passer dans ce pays que vous habitez maintenant;

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 i l ne lui donna aucune propriété en ce pays, pas même de quoi poser le pied, mais il promit de lui en donner la possession, et à sa postérité après lui, quoiqu'il n'eût point d'enfant.

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 D ieu parla ainsi: Sa postérité séjournera dans un pays étranger; on la réduira en servitude et on la maltraitera pendant quatre cents ans.

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 M ais la nation à laquelle ils auront été asservis, c'est moi qui la jugerai, dit Dieu. Après cela, ils sortiront, et ils me serviront dans ce lieu-ci.

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 P uis Dieu donna à Abraham l'alliance de la circoncision; et ainsi, Abraham, ayant engendré Isaac, le circoncit le huitième jour; Isaac engendra et circoncit Jacob, et Jacob les douze patriarches.

“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 L es patriarches, jaloux de Joseph, le vendirent pour être emmené en Égypte.

“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 M ais Dieu fut avec lui, et le délivra de toutes ses tribulations; il lui donna de la sagesse et lui fit trouver grâce devant Pharaon, roi d'Égypte, qui l'établit gouverneur d'Égypte et de toute sa maison.

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 I l survint une famine dans tout le pays d'Égypte, et dans celui de Canaan. La détresse était grande, et nos pères ne trouvaient pas de quoi se nourrir.

“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 J acob apprit qu'il y avait du blé en Égypte, et il y envoya nos pères une première fois.

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

13 E t la seconde fois, Joseph fut reconnu par ses frères, et Pharaon sut de quelle famille il était.

“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 P uis Joseph envoya chercher son père Jacob, et toute sa famille, composée de soixante-quinze personnes.

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

15 J acob descendit en Égypte, où il mourut, ainsi que nos pères;

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

16 e t ils furent transportés à Sichem, et déposés dans le sépulcre qu'Abraham avait acheté, à prix d'argent, des fils d'Hémor, père de Sichem.

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 L e temps approchait où devait s'accomplir la promesse que Dieu avait faite à Abraham, et le peuple s'accrut et se multiplia en Égypte,

“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 j usqu'à ce que parut un autre roi, qui n'avait pas connu Joseph.

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

19 C e roi, usant d'artifice contre notre race, maltraita nos pères, au point de leur faire exposer leurs enfants, pour qu'ils ne vécussent pas.

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 cette époque, naquit Moïse, qui était beau aux yeux de Dieu. Il fut nourri trois mois dans la maison de son père;

“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 e t, quand il eut été exposé, la fille de Pharaon le recueillit, et l'éleva comme son fils.

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

22 M oïse fut instruit dans toute la sagesse des Égyptiens, et il était puissant en paroles et en oeuvres.

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

23 I l avait quarante ans, lorsqu'il lui vint dans le coeur de visiter ses frères, les fils d'Israël.

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

24 I l en vit un qu'on outrageait, et, prenant sa défense, il vengea celui qui était maltraité, et frappa l'Égyptien.

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

25 I l pensait que ses frères comprendraient que Dieu leur accordait la délivrance par sa main; mais ils ne comprirent pas.

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 L e jour suivant, il parut au milieu d'eux comme ils se battaient, et il les exhorta à la paix: Hommes, dit-il, vous êtes frères; pourquoi vous maltraitez-vous l'un l'autre?

“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 M ais celui qui maltraitait son prochain le repoussa, en disant: Qui t'a établi chef et juge sur nous?

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 V eux-tu me tuer, comme tu as tué hier l'Égyptien?

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

29 A cette parole, Moïse prit la fuite, et il alla séjourner dans le pays de Madian, où il engendra deux fils.

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 Q uarante ans plus tard, un ange lui apparut, au désert de la montagne de Sinaï, dans la flamme d'un buisson en feu.

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 M oïse, voyant cela, fut étonné de cette apparition; et, comme il s'approchait pour examiner, la voix du Seigneur se fit entendre:

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 J e suis le Dieu de tes pères, le Dieu d'Abraham, d'Isaac et de Jacob. Et Moïse, tout tremblant, n'osait regarder.

‘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 L e Seigneur lui dit: Ote tes souliers de tes pieds, car le lieu sur lequel tu te tiens est une terre sainte.

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

34 J 'ai vu la souffrance de mon peuple qui est en Égypte, j'ai entendu ses gémissements, et je suis descendu pour le délivrer. Maintenant, va, je t'enverrai en Égypte.

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 C e Moïse, qu'ils avaient renié, en disant: Qui t'a établi chef et juge? c'est lui que Dieu envoya comme chef et comme libérateur avec l'aide de l'ange qui lui était apparu dans le buisson.

“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 C 'est lui qui les fit sortir d'Égypte, en opérant des prodiges et des miracles au pays d'Égypte, au sein de la mer Rouge, et au désert, pendant quarante ans.

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 C 'est ce Moïse qui dit aux fils d'Israël: Dieu vous suscitera d'entre vos frères un prophète comme moi.

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

38 C 'est lui qui, lors de l'assemblée au désert, étant avec l'ange qui lui parlait sur la montagne de Sinaï et avec nos pères, reçut des oracles vivants, pour nous les donner.

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 N os pères ne voulurent pas lui obéir, ils le repoussèrent, et ils tournèrent leur coeur vers l'Égypte,

“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 e n disant à Aaron: Fais-nous des dieux qui marchent devant nous; car ce Moïse qui nous a fait sortir du pays d'Égypte, nous ne savons ce qu'il est devenu.

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 E t, en ces jours-là, ils firent un veau, ils offrirent un sacrifice à l'idole, et se réjouirent de l'oeuvre de leurs mains.

“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 A lors Dieu se détourna, et les livra au culte de l'armée du ciel, selon qu'il est écrit dans le livre des prophètes: M'avez-vous offert des victimes et des sacrifices Pendant quarante ans au désert, maison d'Israël?...

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 V ous avez porté la tente de Moloch Et l'étoile du dieu Remphan, Ces images que vous avez faites pour les adorer! Aussi vous transporterai-je au delà de Babylone.

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 N os pères avaient au désert le tabernacle du témoignage, comme l'avait ordonné celui qui dit à Moïse de le faire d'après le modèle qu'il avait vu.

“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 E t nos pères, l'ayant reçu, l'introduisirent, sous la conduite de Josué, dans le pays qui était possédé par les nations que Dieu chassa devant eux, et il y resta jusqu'aux jours de 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 D avid trouva grâce devant Dieu, et demanda d'élever une demeure pour le Dieu de Jacob;

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

47 e t ce fut Salomon qui lui bâtit une maison.

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

48 M ais le Très Haut n'habite pas dans ce qui est fait de main d'homme, comme dit le prophète:

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

49 L e ciel est mon trône, Et la terre mon marchepied. Quelle maison me bâtirez-vous, dit le Seigneur, Ou quel sera le lieu de mon repos?

’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 N 'est-ce pas ma main qui a fait toutes ces choses?...

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

51 H ommes au cou raide, incirconcis de coeur et d'oreilles! vous vous opposez toujours au Saint Esprit. Ce que vos pères ont été, vous l'êtes aussi.

“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 L equel des prophètes vos pères n'ont-ils pas persécuté? Ils ont tué ceux qui annonçaient d'avance la venue du Juste, que vous avez livré maintenant, et dont vous avez été les meurtriers,

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 v ous qui avez reçu la loi d'après des commandements d'anges, et qui ne l'avez point gardée!...

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

54 E n entendant ces paroles, ils étaient furieux dans leur coeur, et ils grinçaient des dents contre lui.

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

55 M ais Étienne, rempli du Saint Esprit, et fixant les regards vers le ciel, vit la gloire de Dieu et Jésus debout à la droite de Dieu.

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 E t il dit: Voici, je vois les cieux ouverts, et le Fils de l'homme debout à la droite de Dieu.

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

57 I ls poussèrent alors de grands cris, en se bouchant les oreilles, et ils se précipitèrent tous ensemble sur lui,

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

58 l e traînèrent hors de la ville, et le lapidèrent. Les témoins déposèrent leurs vêtements aux pieds d'un jeune homme nommé 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 E t ils lapidaient Étienne, qui priait et disait: Seigneur Jésus, reçois mon esprit!

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

60 P uis, s'étant mis à genoux, il s'écria d'une voix forte: Seigneur, ne leur impute pas ce péché! Et, après ces paroles, il s'endormit.

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.