1 T he head religious leader asked Stephen, “Are these things true?”

E disse o sumo sacerdote: Porventura são assim estas coisas?

2 S tephen 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.

Estêvão respondeu: Irmãos e pais, ouvi. O Deus da glória apareceu a nosso pai Abraão, estando ele na Mesopotâmia, antes de habitar em Harã,

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

e disse-lhe: Sai da tua terra e dentre a tua parentela, e dirige-te ã terra que eu te mostrar.

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

Então saiu da terra dos caldeus e habitou em Harã. Dali, depois que seu pai faleceu, Deus o trouxe para esta terra em que vós agora habitais.

5 G od 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.

E não lhe deu nela herança, nem sequer o espaço de um pé; mas prometeu que lha daria em possessão, e depois dele ã sua descendência, não tendo ele ainda filho.

6 T his 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.

Pois Deus disse que a sua descendência seria peregrina em terra estranha e que a escravizariam e maltratariam por quatrocentos anos.

7 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.’

Mas eu julgarei a nação que os tiver escravizado, disse Deus; e depois disto sairão, e me servirão neste lugar.

8 “ 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.

E deu-lhe o pacto da circuncisão; assim então gerou Abraão a Isaque, e o circuncidou ao oitavo dia; e Isaque gerou a Jacó, e Jacó aos doze patriarcas.

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

Os patriarcas, movidos de inveja, venderam José para o Egito; mas Deus era com ele,

10 H e 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.

e o livrou de todas as suas tribulações, e lhe deu graça e sabedoria perante Faraó, rei do Egito, que o constituiu governador sobre o Egito e toda a sua casa.

11 “ 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.

Sobreveio então uma fome a todo o Egito e Canaã, e grande tribulação; e nossos pais não achavam alimentos.

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

Mas tendo ouvido Jacó que no Egito havia trigo, enviou ali nossos pais pela primeira vez.

13 “ 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.

E na segunda vez deu-se José a conhecer a seus irmãos, e a sua linhagem tornou-se manifesta a Faraó.

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

Então José mandou chamar a seu pai Jacó, e a toda a sua parentela - setenta e cinco almas.

15 J acob moved down to Egypt and died there. Our early fathers died there also.

Jacó, pois, desceu ao Egito, onde morreu, ele e nossos pais;

16 T hey 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

e foram transportados para Siquém e depositados na sepultura que Abraão comprara por certo preço em prata aos filhos de Emor, em Siquém.

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

Enquanto se aproximava o tempo da promessa que Deus tinha feito a Abraão, o povo crescia e se multiplicava no Egito;

18 T hen another man became king in Egypt. He was a king who did not know Joseph.

até que se levantou ali outro rei, que não tinha conhecido José.

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

Usando esse de astúcia contra a nossa raça, maltratou a nossos pais, ao ponto de fazê-los enjeitar seus filhos, para que não vivessem.

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

Nesse tempo nasceu Moisés, e era mui formoso, e foi criado três meses em casa de seu pai.

21 T hen he was put outside. Pharaoh’s daughter took him and cared for him as her own son.

Sendo ele enjeitado, a filha de Faraó o recolheu e o criou como seu próprio filho.

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

Assim Moisés foi instruído em toda a sabedoria dos egípcios, e era poderoso em palavras e obras.

23 W hen he was forty years old, he thought he should visit his brothers, the Jews.

Ora, quando ele completou quarenta anos, veio-lhe ao coração visitar seus irmãos, os filhos de Israel.

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

E vendo um deles sofrer injustamente, defendeu-o, e vingou o oprimido, matando o egípcio.

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

Cuidava que seus irmãos entenderiam que por mão dele Deus lhes havia de dar a liberdade; mas eles não entenderam.

26 “ 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?’

No dia seguinte apareceu-lhes quando brigavam, e quis levá- los ã paz, dizendo: Homens, sois irmãos; por que vos maltratais um ao outro?

27 O ne 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?

Mas o que fazia injustiça ao seu próximo o repeliu, dizendo: Quem te constituiu senhor e juiz sobre nós?

28 D o you want to kill me as you killed the man from Egypt yesterday?’

Acaso queres tu matar-me como ontem mataste o egípcio?

29 W hen 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.

A esta palavra fugiu Moisés, e tornou-se peregrino na terra de Madiã, onde gerou dois filhos.

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

E passados mais quarenta anos, apareceu-lhe um anjo no deserto do monte Sinai, numa chama de fogo no meio de uma sarça.

31 H e 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.

Moisés, vendo isto, admirou-se da visão; e, aproximando-se ele para observar, soou a voz do Senhor;

32 ‘ 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.

Eu sou o deus de teus pais, o Deus de Abraão, de Isaque e de Jacó. E Moisés ficou trêmulo e não ousava olhar.

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

Disse-lhe então o Senhor: Tira as alparcas dos teus pés, porque o lugar em que estás é terra santa.

34 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.’

Vi, com efeito, a aflição do meu povo no Egito, ouvi os seus gemidos, e desci para livrá-lo. Agora pois vem, e enviar-te-ei ao Egito.

35 “ 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.

A este Moisés que eles haviam repelido, dizendo: Quem te constituiu senhor e juiz? a este enviou Deus como senhor e libertador, pela mão do anjo que lhe aparecera na sarça.

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

Foi este que os conduziu para fora, fazendo prodígios e sinais na terra do Egito, e no Mar Vermelho, e no deserto por quarenta anos.

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

Este é o Moisés que disse aos filhos de Israel: Deus vos suscitará dentre vossos irmãos um profeta como eu.

38 T his 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.

Este é o que esteve na congregação no deserto, com o anjo que lhe falava no monte Sinai, e com nossos pais, o qual recebeu palavras de vida para vo-las dar;

39 “ 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.

ao qual os nossos pais não quiseram obedecer, antes o rejeitaram, e em seus corações voltaram ao Egito,

40 T hey 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.’

dizendo a arão: Faze-nos deuses que vão adiante de nós; porque a esse Moisés que nos tirou da terra do Egito, não sabemos o que lhe aconteceu.

41 “ 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.

Fizeram, pois, naqueles dias o bezerro, e ofereceram sacrifício ao ídolo, e se alegravam nas obras das suas mãos.

42 B ut 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?

Mas Deus se afastou, e os abandonou ao culto das hostes do céu, como está escrito no livro dos profetas: Porventura me oferecestes vítimas e sacrifícios por quarenta anos no deserto, ó casa de Israel?

43 N o, 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

Antes carregastes o tabernáculo de Moloque e a estrela do deus Renfã, figuras que vós fizestes para adorá-las. Desterrar-vos-ei pois, para além da Babilônia.

44 “ 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.

Entre os nossos pais no deserto estava o tabernáculo do testemunho, como ordenara aquele que disse a Moisés que o fizesse segundo o modelo que tinha visto;

45 T his 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.

o qual nossos pais, tendo-o por sua vez recebido, o levaram sob a direção de Josué, quando entraram na posse da terra das nações que Deus expulsou da presença dos nossos pais, até os dias de Davi,

46 D avid pleased God and wanted to build a house for worship for the God of Jacob.

que achou graça diante de Deus, e pediu que lhe fosse dado achar habitação para o Deus de Jacó.

47 B ut Solomon was the one who built the house of God for Him.

Entretanto foi Salomão quem lhe edificou uma casa;

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

mas o Altíssimo não habita em templos feitos por mãos de homens, como diz o profeta:

49 ’ 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?

O céu é meu trono, e a terra o escabelo dos meus pés. Que casa me edificareis, diz o Senhor, ou qual o lugar do meu repouso?

50 D id not My hands make all these things?’ The Jews Are Hurt

Não fez, porventura, a minha mão todas estas coisas?

51 “ 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.

Homens de dura cerviz, e incircuncisos de coração e ouvido, vós sempre resistis ao Espírito Santo; como o fizeram os vossos pais, assim também vós.

52 W hich 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.

A qual dos profetas não perseguiram vossos pais? Até mataram os que dantes anunciaram a vinda do Justo, do qual vós agora vos tornastes traidores e homicidas,

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

vós, que recebestes a lei por ordenação dos anjos, e não a guardastes.

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

Ouvindo eles isto, enfureciam-se em seus corações, e rangiam os dentes contra Estêvão.

55 H e 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.

Mas ele, cheio do Espírito Santo, fitando os olhos no céu, viu a glória de Deus, e Jesus em pé ã direita de Deus,

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

e disse: Eis que vejo os céus abertos, e o Filho do homem em pé ã direita de Deus.

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

Então eles gritaram com grande voz, taparam os ouvidos, e arremeteram unânimes contra ele

58 T hen 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.

e, lançando-o fora da cidade o apedrejavam. E as testemunhas depuseram as suas vestes aos pés de um mancebo chamado Saulo.

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

Apedrejavam, pois, a Estêvão que orando, dizia: Senhor Jesus, recebe o meu espírito.

60 A fter 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.

E pondo-se de joelhos, clamou com grande voz: Senhor, não lhes imputes este pecado. Tendo dito isto, adormeceu. E Saulo consentia na sua morte.