Acts 7:15-60

15And 1Jacob went down to Egypt and there he and our fathers died. 16From there they were removed to 23Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of 4Hamor in 5Shechem.

17“But as the 6time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, 7the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, 18until 8there arose another king over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph. 19It was he who took 9shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would 1011expose their infants and they would not survive. 20It was at this time that 12Moses was born; and he was lovely 13in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father’s home. 21And after he had been set outside, 14Pharaoh’s daughter 15took him away and nurtured him as her own son. 22Moses was educated in all 16the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds. 23But when he was approaching the age of forty, 17it entered his 18mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. 24And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. 25And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them 19deliverance 20through him, but they did not understand. 2621On 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?’ 27But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘22Who made you a ruler and judge over us? 2823You do not mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ 29At this remark, 24Moses fled and became an alien in the land of 25Midian, where he 26became the father of two sons.

30“After forty years had passed, 27an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn bush. 31When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord: 32‘28I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look. 3329But the Lord said to him, ‘30Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 3431I have certainly seen the oppression of My people in Egypt and have heard their groans, and I have come down to rescue them; 3233come now, and I will send you to Egypt.’

35“This Moses whom they 34disowned, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one whom God 35sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the 36help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. 3637This man led them out, performing 38wonders and 39signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the 40wilderness for forty years. 37This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘41God will raise up for you a prophet 42like me from your brethren.’ 38This is the one who was in 43the 44congregation in the wilderness together with 45the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received 46living 47oracles to pass on to you. 39Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but 48repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, 4049saying 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.’ 4150At that time 51they made a 52calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in 53the works of their hands. 42But God 54turned away and delivered them up to 55serve the 56host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘57It was not to Me that you offered victims and sacrifices 58forty years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel? 4359You also took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of the god 60Rompha, the images which you made to worship. I also will remove you beyond Babylon.’

44“Our fathers had 61the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it 62according to the pattern which he had seen. 45And having received it in their turn, our fathers 63brought it in with 64Joshua upon dispossessing the 65nations whom God drove out before our fathers, until the time of David. 4666David found favor in God’s sight, and 67asked that he might find a dwelling place for the 68God of Jacob. 47But it was 69Solomon who built a house for Him. 48However, 70the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:49‘71Heaven 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?5072Was it not My hand which made all these things?’

51“You men who are 73stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 5274Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of 75the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers 76you have now become; 53you who received the law as 77ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”

54Now when they heard this, they were 78cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55But being 79full of the Holy Spirit, he 80gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing 81at the right hand of God; 56and he said, “Behold, I see the 82heavens opened up and 83the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. 58When they had 84driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and 85the witnesses 86laid aside their robes at the feet of 87a young man named Saul. 59They went on stoning Stephen as he 88called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60Then 89falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, 90do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he 9192fell asleep.