Acts 7

Stephen’s Defense

1The highG749 priestG749 saidG3004, “Are theseG3778 thingsG3778 soG3779?”

2And he saidG5346, “HearG191 me, 1brethrenG435G80 and fathersG3962! 2The GodG2316 of gloryG1391 3appearedG3708 to our fatherG3962 AbrahamG11 when he was in MesopotamiaG3318, beforeG4250 he livedG2730 in 4HaranG5488, 3and saidG3004 to him, ‘5LeaveG1831 your countryG1093 and your relativesG4772, and comeG1204 into the landG1093 that I will showG1166 you.’ 46ThenG5119 he leftG1831 the landG1093 of the ChaldeansG5466 and settledG2730 in 7HaranG5488. 8From thereG2547, afterG3326 his fatherG3962 diedG599, God had him moveG3351 to thisG3778 countryG1093 in whichG3739 you are nowG3568 livingG2730. 5But He gaveG1325 him noG3756 inheritanceG2817 in it, not evenG3761 a footG4228 of groundG968, and yet, even when he had noG3756 childG5043, 9He promisedG1861 that He would giveG1325 it to him as a possessionG2697, and to his descendantsG4690 afterG3326 him. 6But 10GodG2316 spokeG2980 to thisG3779 effectG3779, that his descendantsG4690 would be aliensG3941 in a foreignG245 landG1093, and that they would 11be enslavedG1402 and mistreatedG2559 for fourG5071 hundredG5071 yearsG2094. 7‘And whateverG3739G1437 nationG1484 to whichG3739 they will be in bondageG1398 I MyselfG1473 will judgeG2919,’ saidG3004 GodG2316, ‘and 12afterG3326 that they will comeG1831 out and 13serveG3000 Me in thisG3778 placeG5117.’ 8And He 14gaveG1325 him 15the covenantG1242 of circumcisionG4061; and soG3779 16Abraham becameG1080 the fatherG1080 of IsaacG2464, and circumcisedG4059 him on the eighthG3590 dayG2250; and 17IsaacG2464 became the father of JacobG2384, and 18JacobG2384 of the twelveG1427 19patriarchsG3966.

9“The patriarchsG3966 20became jealousG2206 of JosephG2501 and soldG591 him into EgyptG125. Yet GodG2316 was with him, 10and rescuedG1807 him from allG3956 his afflictionsG2347, and 21grantedG1325 him favorG5485 and wisdomG4678 in the sightG1727 of PharaohG5328, kingG935 of EgyptG125, and he madeG2525 him governorG2233 overG1909 EgyptG125 and allG3650 his householdG3624.

11“NowG1161 22a famineG3042 cameG2064 overG1909 allG3650 EgyptG125 and CanaanG5477, and greatG3173 afflictionG2347 with it, and our fathersG3962 23could findG2147 noG3756 foodG5527. 12But 24when JacobG2384 heardG191 that there was grainG4619 in EgyptG125, he sentG1821 our fathersG3962 there the firstG4413 timeG4413. 13On the secondG1208 visit 25JosephG2501 26madeG1107 himself knownG1107 to his brothersG80, and 27Joseph’sG2501 familyG1085 was disclosedG5318 to PharaohG5328. 14ThenG2532 28JosephG2501 sentG649 word and invitedG3333 JacobG2384 his fatherG3962 and allG3956 his relativesG4772 to come to him, 29seventy-fiveG1440G4002 3031personsG5590 in all. 15And 32JacobG2384 wentG2597 downG2597 to EgyptG125 and there he and our fathersG3962 diedG5053. 16From there they were removedG3346 to 3334ShechemG4966 and laidG5087 in the tombG3418 whichG3739 AbrahamG11 had purchasedG5608 for a sumG5092 of moneyG694 from the sonsG5207 of 35HamorG1697 in 36ShechemG4966.

17“But as the 37timeG5550 of the promiseG1860 was approachingG1448 whichG3739 GodG2316 had assuredG3670 to AbrahamG11, 38the peopleG2992 increasedG837 and multipliedG4129 in EgyptG125, 18untilG891 39there aroseG450 anotherG2087 kingG935 overG1909 EgyptG125 whoG3739 knewG3609 nothingG3756 aboutG3609 JosephG2501. 19It was he who tookG2686 40shrewdG2686 advantageG2686 of our raceG1085 and mistreatedG2559 our fathersG3962 so that they would 4142exposeG4160G1570 their infantsG1025 and they would not surviveG2225. 20It was at thisG3739 timeG2540 that 43MosesG3475 was bornG1080; and he was lovelyG791 44in the sightG3588 of GodG2316, and he was nurturedG397 threeG5140 monthsG3376 in his father’sG3962 homeG3624. 21And after he had been setG1620 outsideG1620, 45Pharaoh’sG5328 daughterG2364 46tookG337 him awayG337 and nurturedG397 him as her ownG1438 sonG5207. 22MosesG3475 was educatedG3811 in allG3956 47the learningG4678 of the EgyptiansG124, and he was a manG1415 of powerG1415 in wordsG3056 and deedsG2041. 23But whenG5613 he was approachingG4137 the ageG5550 of fortyG5066, 48it enteredG305 his 49mindG2588 to visitG1980 his brethrenG80, the sonsG5207 of IsraelG2274. 24And when he sawG3708 oneG5100 of them being treatedG91 unjustlyG91, he defendedG292 him and tookG4160 vengeanceG1557 for the oppressedG2669 by strikingG3960 downG3960 the EgyptianG124. 25And he supposedG3543 that his brethrenG80 understoodG4920 that GodG2316 was grantingG1325 them 50deliveranceG4991 51throughG1223 him, but they did not understandG4920. 2652On the followingG1897 dayG2250 he appearedG3708 to them as they were fightingG3164 togetherG3164, and he tried to reconcileG4871 them in peaceG1515, sayingG3004, ‘MenG435, you are brethrenG80, whyG2443G5101 do you injureG91 oneG240 anotherG240?’ 27But the one who was injuringG91 his neighborG4139 pushedG683 him awayG683, sayingG3004, ‘53WhoG5101 madeG2525 you a rulerG758 and judgeG1348 overG1909 us? 2854You do not meanG2309 to killG337 me as you killedG337 the EgyptianG124 yesterdayG2189, do you?’ 29At thisG3778 remarkG3056, 55MosesG3475 fledG5343 and becameG1096 an alienG3941 in the landG1093 of 56MidianG3099, whereG3757 he 57becameG1080 the fatherG1080 of twoG1417 sonsG5207.

30“After fortyG5065 yearsG2094 had passedG4137, 58an angelG32 appearedG3708 to him in the wildernessG2048 of MountG3735 SinaiG4614, in the flameG5395 of a burningG4442 thornG942 bushG942. 31When MosesG3475 sawG3708 it, he marveledG2296 at the sightG3705; and as he approachedG4334 to lookG2657 more closelyG2657, there cameG1096 the voiceG5456 of the LordG2962: 32‘59I am the GodG2316 of your fathersG3962, the GodG2316 of AbrahamG11 and IsaacG2464 and JacobG2384.’ MosesG3475 shookG1790 with fearG1790 and would not ventureG5111 to lookG2657. 3360But the LordG2962 saidG3004 to him, ‘61TakeG3089 offG3089 the sandalsG5266 from your feetG4228, for the placeG5117 on whichG3739 you are standingG2476 is holyG40 groundG1093. 3462I have certainlyG3708 seenG3708 the oppressionG2561 of My peopleG2992 in EgyptG125 and have heardG191 their groansG4726, and I have comeG2597 downG2597 to rescueG1807 them; 6364comeG1204 nowG3568, and I will sendG649 you to EgyptG125.’

35“ThisG3778 MosesG3475 whomG3739 they 65disownedG720, sayingG3004, ‘WhoG5101 madeG2525 you a rulerG758 and a judgeG1348?’ is the oneG3778 whomG3778 GodG2316 66sentG649 to be bothG2532 a rulerG758 and a delivererG3086 with the 67helpG5495 of the angelG32 who appearedG3708 to him in the thornG942 bushG942. 3668ThisG3778 manG3778 ledG1806 them out, performingG4160 69wondersG5059 and 70signsG4592 in the landG1093 of EgyptG125 and in the RedG2063 SeaG2281 and in the 71wildernessG2048 for fortyG5065 yearsG2094. 37ThisG3778 is the MosesG3475 who saidG3004 to the sonsG5207 of IsraelG2274, ‘72GodG2316 will raiseG450 up for you a prophetG4396 73likeG5613 me from your brethrenG80.’ 38ThisG3778 is the one who was in 74the 75congregationG1577 in the wildernessG2048 togetherG3326 with 76the angelG32 who was speakingG2980 to him on MountG3735 SinaiG4614, and who was with our fathersG3962; and he receivedG1209 77livingG2198 78oraclesG3051 to passG1325 on to you. 39Our fathersG3962 were unwillingG3756G2309 to be obedientG5255 to him, but 79repudiatedG683 him and in their heartsG2588 turnedG4762 backG4762 to EgyptG125, 4080sayingG3004 to AaronG2, ‘MakeG4160 for us godsG2316 whoG3739 will goG4313 beforeG4313 us; for thisG3778 MosesG3475 whoG3739 ledG1806 us out of the landG1093 of EgyptG125--we do not knowG3609 whatG5101 happenedG1096 to him.’ 4181At that timeG2250 82they madeG3447 a 83calfG3447 and broughtG321 a sacrificeG2378 to the idolG1497, and were rejoicingG2165 in 84the worksG2041 of their handsG5495. 42But GodG2316 85turnedG4762 awayG4762 and deliveredG3860 them up to 86serveG3000 the 87hostG4756 of heavenG3772; as it is writtenG1125 in the bookG976 of the prophetsG4396, ‘88It was not to Me that you offeredG4374 victimsG4968 and sacrificesG2378 89fortyG5065 yearsG2094 in the wildernessG2048, was it, O houseG3624 of IsraelG2274? 4390You alsoG2532 tookG353 along the tabernacleG4633 of MolochG3434 and the starG798 of the godG2316 91RomphaG4501, the imagesG5179 whichG3739 you madeG4160 to worshipG4352. I alsoG2532 will removeG3351 you beyondG1900 BabylonG897.’

44“Our fathersG3962 hadG1510 92the tabernacleG4633 of testimonyG3142 in the wildernessG2048, justG2531 as He who spokeG2980 to MosesG3475 directedG1299 him to makeG4160 it 93accordingG2596 to the patternG5179 whichG3739 he had seenG3708. 45And having receivedG1237 it in their turnG1237, our fathersG3962 94broughtG1521 it in with 95JoshuaG2424 upon dispossessingG2697 the 96nationsG1484 whomG3739 GodG2316 droveG1856 out beforeG575G4383 our fathersG3962, untilG2193 the timeG2250 of DavidG1160. 4697David foundG2147 favorG5485 in God’sG2316 sightG1799, and 98askedG154 that he might findG2147 a dwellingG4638 placeG4638 for the 99GodG2316 of JacobG2384. 47But it was 100SolomonG4672 who builtG3618 a houseG3624 for Him. 48HoweverG235, 101the MostG5310 HighG5310 does not dwellG2730 in houses madeG5499 by human handsG5499; as the prophetG4396 saysG3004:49‘102HeavenG3772 is My throneG2362, And earthG1093 is the footstoolG5286 of My feetG4228; WhatG4169 kindG4169 of houseG3624 will you buildG3618 for Me?’ saysG3004 the LordG2962, ‘OrG2228 whatG5101 placeG5117 is there for My reposeG2663?50103Was it not My handG5495 which madeG4160 allG3956 theseG3778 thingsG3778?’

51“You men who are 104stiff-neckedG4644 and uncircumcisedG564 in heartG2588 and earsG3775 are alwaysG104 resistingG496 the HolyG40 SpiritG4151; you are doing justG5613 as your fathersG3962 did. 52105WhichG5101 oneG5101 of the prophetsG4396 did your fathersG3962 not persecuteG1377? They killedG615 thoseG3588 who had previouslyG4293 announcedG4293 the comingG1660 of 106the RighteousG1342 OneG1342, whoseG3739 betrayersG4273 and murderersG5406 107you have nowG3568 becomeG1096; 53you whoG3748 receivedG2983 the lawG3551 as 108ordainedG1296 by angelsG32, and yet did not keepG5442 it.”

Stephen Put to Death

54NowG1161 when they heardG191 thisG3778, they were 109cutG1282 to the quickG2588, and they began gnashingG1031 their teethG3599 at him. 55But beingG5225 110fullG4134 of the HolyG40 SpiritG4151, he 111gazedG816 intentlyG816 into heavenG3772 and sawG3708 the gloryG1391 of GodG2316, and JesusG2424 standingG2476 112at the rightG1188 handG1188 of GodG2316; 56and he saidG3004, “BeholdG2400, I seeG2334 the 113heavensG3772 openedG1272 up and 114the SonG5207 of ManG444 standingG2476 at the rightG1188 handG1188 of GodG2316.” 57But they criedG2896 out with a loudG3173 voiceG5456, and coveredG4912 their earsG3775 and rushedG3729 at him with oneG3661 impulseG3661. 58When they had 115drivenG1544 him out of the cityG4172, they began stoningG3036 him; and 116the witnessesG3144 117laidG659 asideG659 their robesG2440 at the feetG4228 of 118a youngG3494 manG3494 namedG2564 SaulG4569. 59They wentG3036 on stoningG3036 StephenG4736 as he 119calledG1941 on the Lord and saidG3004, “LordG2962 JesusG2424, receiveG1209 my spiritG4151!” 60ThenG2532 120fallingG5087 on his kneesG1119, he criedG2896 out with a loudG3173 voiceG5456, “LordG2962, 121do not holdG2476 thisG3778 sinG266 against them!” Having saidG3004 thisG3778, he 122123fellG2837 asleepG2837.