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

EL príncipe de los sacerdotes dijo entonces: ¿Es esto así?

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.

Y él dijo: Varones hermanos y padres, oid: El Dios de la gloria apareció á nuestro padre Abraham, estando en Mesopotamia, antes que morase en Chârán,

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.’

Y le dijo: Sal de tu tierra y de tu parentela, y ven á la tierra que te mostraré.

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.

Entonces salió de la tierra de los Caldeos, y habitó en Chârán: y de allí, muerto su padre, le traspasó á esta tierra, en la cual vosotros habitáis ahora;

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.

Y no le dió herencia en ella, ni aun para asentar un pie: mas le prometió que se la daría en posesión, y á su simiente después de él, no teniendo hijo.

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.

Y hablóle Dios así: Que su simiente sería extranjera en tierra ajena, y que los reducirían á servidumbre y maltratarían, por cuatrocientos años.

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 yo juzgaré, dijo Dios, la nación á la cual serán siervos: y después de esto saldrán y me servirán en este 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.

Y dióle el pacto de la circuncisión: y así Abraham engendró á Isaac, y le circuncidó al octavo día; é Isaac á Jacob, y Jacob á los doce 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.

Y los patriarcas, movidos de envidia, vendieron á José para Egipto; mas Dios era con él,

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.

Y le libró de todas sus tribulaciones, y le dió gracia y sabiduría en la presencia de Faraón, rey de Egipto, el cual le puso por gobernador sobre Egipto, y sobre toda su 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.

Vino entonces hambre en toda la tierra de Egipto y de Canaán, y grande tribulación; y nuestros padres no hallaban alimentos.

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

Y como oyese Jacob que había trigo en Egipto, envió á nuestros padres la primera 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.

Y en la segunda, José fué conocido de sus hermanos, y fué sabido de Faraón el linaje de José.

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

Y enviando José, hizo venir á su padre Jacob, y á toda su parentela, en número de setenta y cinco personas.

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

Así descendió Jacob á Egipto, donde murió él y nuestros padres;

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

Los cuales fueron trasladados á Sichêm, y puestos en el sepulcro que compró Abraham á precio de dinero de los hijos de Hemor de Sichêm.

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.

Mas como se acercaba el tiempo de la promesa, la cual Dios había jurado á Abraham, el pueblo creció y multiplicóse en Egipto,

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

Hasta que se levantó otro rey en Egipto que no conocía á 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.

Este, usando de astucia con nuestro linaje, maltrató á nuestros padres, á fin de que pusiesen á peligro de muerte sus niños, para que cesase la generación.

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.

En aquel mismo tiempo nació Moisés, y fué agradable á Dios: y fué criado tres meses en casa de su padre.

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

Mas siendo puesto al peligro, la hija de Faraón le tomó, y le crió como á hijo suyo.

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.

Y fué enseñado Moisés en toda la sabiduría de los egipcios; y era poderoso en sus dichos y hechos.

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

Y cuando hubo cumplido la edad de cuarenta años, le vino voluntad de visitar á sus hermanos los hijos de Israel.

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

Y como vió á uno que era injuriado, defendióle, é hiriendo al Egipcio, vengó al injuriado.

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.

Pero él pensaba que sus hermanos entendían que Dios les había de dar salud por su mano; mas ellos no lo habían entendido.

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?’

Y al día siguiente, riñendo ellos, se les mostró, y los ponía en paz, diciendo: Varones, hermanos sois, ¿por que os injuriáis los unos á los otros?

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?

Entonces el que injuriaba á su prójimo, le rempujó, diciendo: ¿Quién te ha puesto por príncipe y juez sobre nosotros?

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

¿Quieres tú matarme, como mataste ayer al Egipcio?

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 palabra Moisés huyó, y se hizo extranjero en tierra de Madián, donde engendró dos hijos.

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.

Y cumplidos cuarenta años, un ángel le apareció en el desierto del monte Sina, en fuego de llama de una zarza.

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.

Entonces Moisés mirando, se maravilló de la visión: y llegándose para considerar, fué hecha á él voz del Señor:

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.

Yo soy el Dios de tus padres, y el Dios de Abraham, el Dios de Isaac, y el Dios de Jacob. Mas Moisés, temeroso, no osaba mirar.

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

Y le dijo el Señor: Quita los zapatos de tus pies, porque el lugar en que estás es tierra 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.’

He visto, he visto la aflicción de mi pueblo que está en Egipto, y he oído el gemido de ellos, y he descendido para librarlos. Ahora pues, ven, te enviaré á Egipto.

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, al cual habían rehusado, diciendo: ¿Quién te ha puesto por príncipe y juez? á éste envió Dios por príncipe y redentor con la mano del ángel que le apareció en la zarza.

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.

Este los sacó, habiendo hecho prodigios y milagros en la tierra de Egipto, y en el mar Bermejo, y en el desierto por cuarenta años.

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

Este es el Moisés, el cual dijo á los hijos de Israel: Profeta os levantará el Señor Dios vuestro de vuestros hermanos, como yo; á él oiréis.

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 es aquél que estuvo en la congregación en el desierto con el ángel que le hablaba en el monte Sina, y con nuestros padres; y recibió las palabras de vida para darnos:

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.

Al cual nuestros padres no quisieron obedecer; antes le desecharon, y se apartaron de corazón á Egipto,

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.’

Diciendo á Aarón: Haznos dioses que vayan delante de nosotros; porque á este Moisés, que nos sacó de tierra de Egipto, no sabemos qué le ha acontecido.

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.

Y entonces hicieron un becerro, y ofrecieron sacrificio al ídolo, y en las obras de sus manos se holgaron.

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?

Y Dios se apartó, y los entregó que sirviesen al ejército del cielo; como está escrito en el libro de los profetas: ¿Me ofrecisteis víctimas y sacrificios En el desierto por cuarenta años, 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, trajisteis el tabernáculo de Moloch, Y la estrella de vuestro dios Remphan: Figuras que os hicisteis para adorarlas: Os transportaré pues, más allá de Babilonia.

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.

Tuvieron nuestros padres el tabernáculo del testimonio en el desierto, como había ordenado Dios, hablando á Moisés que lo hiciese según la forma que había 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.

El cual recibido, metieron también nuestros padres con Josué en la posesión de los Gentiles, que Dios echó de la presencia de nuestros padres, hasta los días de David;

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

El cual halló gracia delante de Dios, y pidió hallar tabernáculo para el Dios de Jacob.

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

Mas Salomón le edificó casa.

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

Si bien el Altísimo no habita en templos hechos de mano; como el profeta dice:

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?

El cielo es mi trono, Y la tierra es el estrado de mis pies. ¿Qué casa me edificaréis? dice el Señor; ¿O cuál es el lugar de mi reposo?

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

¿No hizo mi mano todas estas cosas?

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.

Duros de cerviz, é incircuncisos de corazón y de oídos, vosotros resistís siempre al Espíritu Santo: como vuestros padres, así también vosotros.

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 cuál de los profetas no persiguieron vuestros padres? y mataron á los que antes anunciaron la venida del Justo, del cual vosotros ahora habéis sido entregadores y matadores;

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

Que recibisteis la ley por disposición de ángeles, y no la guardasteis.

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

Y oyendo estas cosas, regañaban de sus corazones, y crujían los dientes contra él.

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.

Más él, estando lleno de Espíritu Santo, puestos los ojos en el cielo, vió la gloria de Dios, y á Jesús que estaba á la diestra de Dios,

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

Y dijo: He aquí, veo los cielos abiertos, y al Hijo del hombre que está á la diestra de Dios.

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

Entonces dando grandes voces, se taparon sus oídos, y arremetieron unánimes contra él;

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.

Y echándolo fuera de la ciudad, le apedreaban: y los testigos pusieron sus vestidos á los pies de un mancebo que se llamaba Saulo.

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

Y apedrearon á Esteban, invocando él y diciendo: Señor Jesús, recibe mi espíritu.

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.

Y puesto de rodillas, clamó á gran voz: Señor, no les imputes este pecado. Y habiendo dicho esto, durmió.