Acts 7:20-60

20It was at this time that 1Moses was born; and he was lovely 2in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father’s home. 21And after he had been set outside, 3Pharaoh’s daughter 4took him away and nurtured him as her own son. 22Moses was educated in all 5the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds. 23But when he was approaching the age of forty, 6it entered his 7mind 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 8deliverance 9through him, but they did not understand. 2610On 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, ‘11Who made you a ruler and judge over us? 2812You do not mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ 29At this remark, 13Moses fled and became an alien in the land of 14Midian, where he 15became the father of two sons.

30“After forty years had passed, 16an 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‘17I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look. 3318But the Lord said to him, ‘19Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 3420I have certainly seen the oppression of My people in Egypt and have heard their groans, and I have come down to rescue them; 2122come now, and I will send you to Egypt.’

35“This Moses whom they 23disowned, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one whom God 24sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the 25help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. 3626This man led them out, performing 27wonders and 28signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the 29wilderness for forty years. 37This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘30God will raise up for you a prophet 31like me from your brethren.’ 38This is the one who was in 32the 33congregation in the wilderness together with 34the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received 35living 36oracles to pass on to you. 39Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but 37repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, 4038saying 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.’ 4139At that time 40they made a 41calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in 42the works of their hands. 42But God 43turned away and delivered them up to 44serve the 45host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘46It was not to Me that you offered victims and sacrifices 47forty years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel? 4348You also took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of the god 49Rompha, the images which you made to worship. I also will remove you beyond Babylon.’

44“Our fathers had 50the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it 51according to the pattern which he had seen. 45And having received it in their turn, our fathers 52brought it in with 53Joshua upon dispossessing the 54nations whom God drove out before our fathers, until the time of David. 4655David found favor in God’s sight, and 56asked that he might find a dwelling place for the 57God of Jacob. 47But it was 58Solomon who built a house for Him. 48However, 59the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:49‘60Heaven 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?5061Was it not My hand which made all these things?’

51“You men who are 62stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 5263Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of 64the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers 65you have now become; 53you who received the law as 66ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”

54Now when they heard this, they were 67cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55But being 68full of the Holy Spirit, he 69gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing 70at the right hand of God; 56and he said, “Behold, I see the 71heavens opened up and 72the 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 73driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and 74the witnesses 75laid aside their robes at the feet of 76a young man named Saul. 59They went on stoning Stephen as he 77called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60Then 78falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, 79do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he 8081fell asleep.