1 T he high priest said, “Are these things so?”

ثُمَّ قالَ رَئيسُ الكَهَنَةِ لإستِفانُوسَ: «هَلْ ما يَتَّهِمُونَكَ بِهِ صَحِيحٌ؟»

2 A nd he said, “Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

فَأجابَ: «أيُّها الإخوَةُ وَالآباءُ، أصغُوا إلَيَّ! لَقَدْ ظَهَرَ إلَهُ المَجدِ لِأبِينا إبراهِيمَ حِينَ كانَ ما يَزالُ فِي أرْضِ ما بَينَ النَّهرَينِ، قَبلَ أنْ يَسكُنَ فِي حارانَ.

3 a nd said to him, ‘ Leave your country and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you.’

وَقالَ لَهُ: ‹اترُكْ بَلَدَكَ وَشَعبَكَ. وَاذْهَبْ إلَى الأرْضِ الَّتِي سَأُرِيها أنا لَكَ،

4 T hen he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living.

فَغادَرَ أرْضَ الكِلدانِيِّيْنَ وَاستَقَرَّ فِي حارانَ. «وَبَعدَ أنْ ماتَ أبُوهُ، أرسَلَهُ اللهُ مِنْ هُناكَ إلَى هَذِهِ الأرْضِ حَيثُ أنتُمْ تَسكُنُونَ الآنَ.

5 B ut He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even when he had no child, He promised that He would give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him.

وَلَمْ يُعطِهِ أيَّ مِيراثٍ هُنا، وَلا حَتَّى شِبراً واحِداً. لَكِنَّهُ وَعَدَ أنْ يُعطِيَها لَهُ وَلِنَسلِهِ مِنْ بَعدِهِ مُلْكاً، رُغمَ أنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَدَيهِ ابنٌ.

6 B ut God spoke to this effect, that his descendants would be aliens in a foreign land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.

«وَهَذا هُوَ ما قالَهُ اللهُ لَهُ: ‹سَيَكُونُ نَسلُكَ غَرِيباً فِي أرْضٍ غَرِيبَةٍ، وَسَيُستَعبَدُونَ لِأهلِها الَّذِيْنَ سَيَقسُونَ عَلَيهِمْ مُدَّةَ أربَعِ مِئَةِ عامٍ.

7 ‘ And whatever nation to which they will be in bondage I Myself will judge,’ said God, ‘ and after that they will come out and serve Me in this place.’

لَكِنِّي سَأُعاقِبُ الأُمَّةَ الَّتِي تَستَعبِدُهُمْ.› وَقالَ اللهُ: ‹وَبَعدَ ذَلِكَ سَيَخرُجُونَ مِنْ تِلكَ الأرْضِ، وَسَيَعبُدُونَنِي فِي هَذا المَكانِ.›

8 A nd He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

«وَأعطَىْ اللهُ إبْراهيمَ عَهداً عَلامَتُهُ الخِتانُ. ثُمَّ أنجَبَ إسْحاقَ وَخَتَنَهُ فِي اليَومِ الثّامِنِ لِمَولِدِهِ. وَأنجَبَ إسْحاقُ يَعقُوبَ، وَأنجَبَ يَعقُوبُ الآباءَ الاثنَيْ عَشَرَ.

9 “ The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him,

«وَغارَ الآباءُ مِنْ يُوسُفَ وَباعُوهُ لِيَكُونَ عَبداً فِي مِصرَ. لَكِنَّ اللهَ كانَ مَعَهُ،

10 a nd rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household.

وَأنقَذَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ ضِيقاتِهِ. وَأعطاهُ الحِكْمَةَ، وَمَكَّنَهُ مِنْ أنْ يَكسِبَ رِضَى فِرعَوْنَ مَلِكِ مِصْرَ. فَجَعَلَهُ والِياً عَلَى مِصرَ وَعَلَى كُلِّ شُؤونِ قَصرِهِ.

11 “ Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food.

ثُمَّ أتَتْ مَجاعَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مِصْرَ وَكَنعانَ. فَكانَ هُناكَ ضِيقٌ شَدِيدٌ، وَلَمْ يَجِدْ آباؤُنا طَعاماً.

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

«فَلَمّا سَمِعَ يَعقُوبُ أنَّهُ يُوجَدُ فِي مِصرَ قَمحٌ، أرسَلَ آباءَنا إلَى هُناكَ. فَكانَتْ هَذِهِ أوَّلَ زِيارَةٍ لَهُمْ لِمِصْرَ.

13 O n the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was disclosed to Pharaoh.

«وَفِي زِيارَتِهِمُ الثّانِيَةِ لِمِصْرَ، عَرَّفَ يُوسُفُ إخْوَتَهُ بِنَفسِهِ. فَأصبَحَتْ عائِلَةُ يُوسُفَ مَعرُوفةً لِفِرعَونَ.

14 T hen Joseph sent word and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five persons in all.

فَأرسَلَ يُوسُفُ رَجُلاً وَدَعا أباهُ يَعقُوبَ وَكُلَّ عائِلَتِهِ، فَكانُوا خَمسَةً وَسَبعِينَ شَخصاً.

15 A nd Jacob went down to Egypt and there he and our fathers died.

ثُمَّ نَزَلَ يَعقُوبُ إلَى مِصرَ، وَهُناكَ ماتَ هُوَ وَآباؤُنا.

16 F rom there they were removed to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

وَحُمِلَتْ أجسادُهُمْ إلَى شَكِيمَ ثانِيَةً، وَوُضِعَتْ فِي القَبرِ الَّذِي كانَ إبراهِيمُ قَدِ اشتَراهُ مِنْ أبناءِ حامُورَ فِي شَكِيمَ بِمَبلَغٍ مِنَ المالِ.

17 “ But as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

«وَمَعَ اقتِرابِ مَوعِدِ تَحَقُّقِ الوَعدِ الَّذِي قَطَعَهُ اللهُ لإبراهِيمَ، ازدادَ شَعبُنا فِي مِصرَ وَتَكاثَرَ،

18 u ntil there arose another king over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph.

إلَى أنْ جاءَ مَلِكٌ آخَرُ لِيَحكُمَ مِصرَ. وَلَمْ يَكُنْ هَذا المَلِكُ قَدْ عَرَفَ يُوسُفَ.

19 I t was he who took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would expose their infants and they would not survive.

فَاسْتَغَلَّ شَعبَنا بِدَهائِهِ، وَقَسَى عَلَى آبائِنا مُجبِراً إيّاهُمْ عَلَى أنْ يَتَخَلَّوا عَنْ أطفالِهِمْ لِكَي يَمُوتُوا.

20 I t was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father’s home.

«فِي ذَلِكَ الوَقتِ، وُلِدَ مُوسَى، وَكانَ طِفلاً جَمِيلاً جِدّاً. نَشَأ فِي بَيتِ أبِيهِ لِمُدَّةِ ثَلاثَةِ أشهُرٍ.

21 A nd after he had been set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son.

وَلَمّا وُضِعَ خارِجاً، أخَذَتْهُ ابنَةُ فِرعَوْنَ وَرَبَّتْهُ كابْنٍ لَها.

22 M oses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.

فَتَثَقَّفَ مُوسَى بِكُلِّ حِكمَةِ المِصرِيِّيْنَ. وَكانَ قَوِيّاً فِي كُلِّ ما قالَهُ وَفَعَلَهُ.

23 B ut when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel.

«وَعِندَما صارَ فِي الأربَعِينَ مِنْ عُمرِهِ، قَرَّرَ أنْ يَزُورَ إخْوَتَهُ بَنِي إسرائِيلَ.

24 A nd when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian.

فَلَمّا رَأى واحِداً مِنهُمْ يَتَعَرَّضُ لِسُوءِ مُعامَلَةٍ، دافَعَ عَنهُ. وَانتَقَمَ لِلمَظلُومِ بِأنْ قَتَلَ الرَّجُلَ المَصرِيَّ.

25 A nd he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.

ظَنَّ أنَّ إخْوَتَهُ سَيَفهَمُونَ بِذَلِكَ أنَّ اللهَ سَيُحَرِّرُهُمْ عَلَى يَدِهِ، لَكِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَفهَمُوا هَذا.

26 O n the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?’

«وَفِي اليَومِ التّالِي، رَأى بَعضاً مِنْ بَنِي جِنسِهِ يَتَقاتَلُونَ. فَحاوَلَ أنْ يُصلِحَ بَينَهُمْ فَقالَ: ‹أيُّها الرِّجالُ، أنتُمْ إخْوَةٌ. فَلِماذا تُسِيئُونَ أحَدُكُمْ إلَى الآخَرِ؟›

27 B ut the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘ Who made you a ruler and judge over us ?

لَكِنَّ الرَّجُلَ الَّذِي كانَ يُسِيئُ إلَى جارِهِ دَفَعَ مُوسَى بَعِيداً وَهُوَ يَقولُ: ‹مَنْ نَصَّبَكَ حاكِماً وَقاضِياً عَلَينا؟

28 Y ou do not mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you ?’

أتُرِيدُ أنْ تَقتُلَنِي كَما قَتَلتَ المِصرِيَّ يَومَ أمسِ؟›

29 A t this remark, Moses fled and became an alien in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

فَلَمّا سَمِعَ مُوسَى هَذا، هَرَبَ وَتَغَرَّبَ فِي أرْضِ مِديانَ، حَيثُ أنجَبَ وَلَدَيْنِ.

30 “ After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn bush.

«وَبَعدَ مُرُورِ أربَعِينَ عاماً، ظَهَرَ لَهُ مَلاكُ الرَّبِّ فِي لَهِيبِ شُجَيرَةٍ مُحتَرِقَةٍ فِي البَرِّيَّةِ، قُربَ جَبَلِ سِيناءَ.

31 W hen Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord:

فَلَمّا رَأى مُوسَى هَذا، ذُهِلَ مِنَ المَنظَرِ. وَعِندَ اقتِرابِهِ مِنها لِيُمعِنَ النَّظَرَ، سَمِعَ صَوتَ الرَّبِّ يَقُولُ:

32 ‘ I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look.

‹أنا إلَهُ آبائِكَ، إلَهُ إبراهِيمَ وَإلَهُ إسْحاَقَ وَإلَهُ يَعقُوبَ.› فَلَمْ يَجرُؤْ مُوسَى أنْ يَنظُرَ مُرتَجِفاً مِنَ الخَوفِ.

33 B ut the Lord said to him, ‘ Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.

ثُمَّ قالَ لَهُ الرَّبُّ: ‹اخلَعْ حِذاءَكَ مِنْ قَدَمَيكَ، فَالمَكانُ الَّذِي تَقِفُ عَلَيهِ أرْضٌ مُقَدَّسَةٌ.

34 I have certainly seen the oppression of My people in Egypt and have heard their groans, and I have come down to rescue them; come now, and I will send you to Egypt.’

لَقَدْ تَطَلَّعتُ وَرَأيتُ سُوءَ مُعامَلَةِ شَعبِي الَّذِينَ فِي مِصرَ، وَسَمِعتُ أنِينَهُمْ، وَنَزَلتُ لِكَي أُحَرِّرَهُمْ. فَالآنَ هَيّا لِأُرسِلَكَ إلَى مِصرَ.›

35 “ This Moses whom they disowned, saying, ‘ Who made you a ruler and a judge ?’ is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush.

«هَذا هُوَ مُوسَى الَّذِي سَبَقَ أنْ رَفَضُوهُ وَقالوا: ‹مَنْ نَصَّبَكَ حاكِماً وَقاضِياً عَلَينا؟› هُوَ الَّذِي أرسَلَهُ اللهُ، مِنْ خِلالِ المَلاكِ الَّذِي ظَهَرَ لَهُ فِي الشُّجَيرَةِ، لِيَكُونَ قائِداً وَمُخَلِّصاً.

36 T his man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.

فَقادَهُمْ خارِجَ مِصْرَ بَعدَ أنْ أجرَى عَجائِبَ وَمُعْجِزاتٍ فِي أرْضِ مِصرَ وَفِي البَحرِ الأحمَرِ وَفِي البَرِّيَّةِ مُدَّةَ أربَعِينَ عاماً.

37 T his is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘ God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren.’

«هَذا هُوَ مُوسَى الَّذِي قالَ لِبَنِي إسْرائِيلَ: ‹سَيُعطِيكُمُ اللهُ نَبِيّاً مِثلِي مِنْ بَينِ شَعبِكُمْ.›

38 T his is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.

وَهُوَ الَّذِي كانَ مَعَ الجَماعَةِ فِي البَرِّيَّةِ، مَعَ آبائِنا وَمَعَ المَلاكِ الَّذِي كَلَّمَهُ عَلَى جَبَلِ سِيناءَ حَيثُ أخَذَ مِنَ اللهِ كَلِماتٍ مُحيِيَةً لِيُعطِيَها لَنا.»

39 O ur fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,

«لَكِنَّ آباءَنا لَمْ يَشاءُوا أنْ يُطِيعُوهُ، بَلْ إنَّهُمْ رَفَضُوهُ، وَحَنَّتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ إلَى العَودَةِ إلَى مِصرَ.

40 s aying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt — we do not know what happened to him.’

وَقالُوا لِهارُونَ: ‹اصنَعْ لَنا آلِهَةً لِتَقُودَنا فِي الطَّرِيقِ. فَنَحنُ لا نَدرِي ما الَّذِي حَلَّ بِمُوسَى هَذا الَّذِي أخرَجَنا مِنْ أرْضِ مِصرَ.›

41 A t that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.

وَكانَ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الوَقتُ الَّذِي صَنَعُوا فِيهِ تِمثالاً لِعِجلٍ. فَقَدَّمُوا الذَّبائِحَ لِلصَّنَمِ، وَاحتَفَلُوا بِما صَنَعُوهُ بِأيدِيهِمْ.

42 B ut God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘ It was not to Me that you offered victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel ?

لَكِنَّ اللهَ تَحَوَّلَ عَنهُمْ، وَتَرَكَهُمْ يَعبُدُونَ نُجُومَ السَّماءِ. كَما هُوَ مَكتُوبٌ فِي كِتابِ الأنبِياءِ: ‹يَقولُ اللهُ: يا بَنِيْ إسرائِيلَ، لَمْ يَكُنْ أنا مَنْ قَدَّمتُمْ لَهُ ذَبائِحَ وَقَرابِينَ مُدَّةَ أربَعِينَ عاماً فِي البَرِّيَّةِ،

43 Y ou also took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of the god Rompha, the images which you made to worship. I also will remove you beyond Babylon.’

بَلْ حَمَلتُمْ خَيمَةَ عِبادَةِ إلَهِكُمْ مُولُوكَ، وَنَجمَ إلَهِكُمْ رَمْفانَ. وَهِيَ الأوثانُ الَّتِي صَنَعتُمُوها لِتَعبُدُوها. لِهَذا سَأنفِيكُمْ إلَى ما وَراءَ بابِلَ.›»

44 “ Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.

«وَكانَتْ خَيمَةُ الشَّهادَةِ مَعَ آبائِنا فِي الصَّحراء، وَقَدْ صُنِعَتْ كَما أمَرَ اللهُ الَّذِي كَلَّمَ مُوسَى إيّاهُ أنْ يَصنَعَها، حَسَبَ النَّمُوذَجِ الَّذِي رَآهُ.

45 A nd having received it in their turn, our fathers brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the nations whom God drove out before our fathers, until the time of David.

وَأدخَلَها آباؤُنا عِندَما دَخَلُوا الأرْضَ مَعَ يَشُوعَ، مُخرِجِينَ الأُمَمَ الَّتِي طَرَدَها اللهُ مِنْ أمامِهِمْ. وَبَقِيَتِ الخَيمَةُ هُناكَ حَتَّى زَمَنِ داوُدَ.

46 D avid found favor in God’s sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

وَحازَ داوُدُ عَلَى رِضَى اللهِ. وَاستَأْذَنَ بِأنْ يَبنِيَ بَيتاً لإلَهِ يَعقُوبَ،

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

لَكِنَّ سُلَيْمانَ هُوَ الَّذِي بَنَى الهَيكَلَ.

48 H owever, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

غَيرَ أنَّ العَلِيَّ لا يَسكُنُ فِي هَياكِلَ تُصْنَعُ بِالأيدِي. فَكَما يَقُولُ النَّبِيُّ:

49 ‘ Heaven is My throne, And earth is the footstool of My feet; What kind of house will you build for Me ?’ says the Lord, ‘ Or what place is there for My repose ?

‹يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ: السَّماءُ عَرشٌ لِي، وَالأرْضُ مَداسٌ لِقَدَمَيَّ. فَأيُّ بَيتٍ تُرِيدُونَ أنْ تَبنُوهُ لِي؟ أوْ هَلْ أحتاجُ إلَى مَكانٍ لِلرّاحَةِ؟

50 ‘ Was it not My hand which made all these things ?’

ألَمْ تَصنَعْ يَدَيَّ هَذِهِ الأشياءَ كُلَّها؟›

51 “ You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

«أيُّها الشَّعبُ العَنِيدُ، وَيا ذَوِي القُلُوبِ وَالآذانِ غَيرِ المَختُونَةِ! أنتُمْ تُقاوِمُونَ الرُّوحَ القُدُسَ دائِماً. تَماماً كَما فَعَلَ آباؤُكُمْ.

52 W hich one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;

فَهَلْ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ لَمْ يَضطَهِدْهُ آباؤُكُمْ؟ فَقَدْ قَتَلُوا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُوا أنْ تَنَبَّأُوا عَنْ مَجِيءِ البارِّ. وَأنتُمُ الآنَ قَدْ غَدَرتُمْ بِهِ وَقَتَلتُمُوهُ.

53 y ou who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.” Stephen Put to Death

فَأنتُمُ الَّذِينَ تَسَلَّمْتُمُ الشَّرِيعَةَ بِواسِطَةِ المَلائِكَةِ، لَكِنَّكُمْ لَمْ تُطِيعُوها.» استِشهادُ إستِفانُوس

54 N ow when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.

فَلَمّا سَمِعَ اليَهُودُ هَذا، اشتَعَلُوا غَيظاً، وَصَرُّوا أسنانَهُمْ عَلَيهِ مِنَ الغَضَبِ.

55 B ut being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;

لَكِنَّهُ نَظَرَ إلَى السَّماءِ مُمتَلِئاً مِنَ الرُّوحِ القُدُسِ. وَرَأى مَجدَ اللهِ وَيَسُوعَ واقِفاً عَلَى يَمِينِ اللهِ.

56 a nd he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

فَقالَ: «ها أنا أرَى السَّماءَ مَفتُوحَةً وَابنَ الإنسانِ واقِفاً عَنْ يَمِينِ اللهِ.»

57 B ut they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.

عِندَ هَذا بَدَأُوا يَصرُخُونَ وَغَطُّوا آذانَهُمْ. ثُمَّ اندَفَعُوا جَمِيعاً نَحوَهُ،

58 W hen they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

وَجَرُّوهُ خارِجَ المَدِينَةِ، وَبَدَأُوا يَرجُمُونَهُ. وَتَرَكَ الشُّهُودُ عَباءاتِهِمْ عِندَ قَدَمَي شابٍّ اسْمُهُ شاوُلُ.

59 T hey went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

وَفِيما هُمْ مُستَمِرُّونَ فِي رَجمِ إستِفانُوسَ، كانَ هُوَ يَدْعُو وَيَقُولُ: «أيُّها الرَّبُّ يَسُوعُ، تَقَبَّلْ رُوحِي.»

60 T hen falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

ثُمَّ رَكَعَ وَصَرَخَ بِصَوتٍ عَظِيمٍ: «يا رَبُّ، لا تَحْسِبْ هَذِهِ الخَطِيَّةَ ضِدَّهُمْ.» وَلَمّا قالَ هَذا ماتَ.