Acts 7:17-60

17“But as the 1time of the promise which God had assured to Abraham was approaching, 2the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, 18until 3another king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. 19It was he who 4shrewdly took advantage of our nation and mistreated our fathers in order that they would 5abandon their infants in the Nile, so that they would not survive. 20At this time 6Moses was born; and he was beautiful to God. He was nurtured for three months in his father’s home. 21And after he had been put outside, 7Pharaoh’s daughter 8took him away and nurtured him as her own son. 22Moses was educated in all 9the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was proficient in 10speaking and action. 23But when he was approaching the age of forty, 11it entered his 12mind to visit his countrymen, the sons of Israel. 24And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended and took vengeance for the oppressed man by fatally striking the Egyptian. 25And he thought that his brothers understood that God was granting them 13deliverance 14through him; but they did not understand. 2615And on the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting each other, and he tried to reconcile them to peace, by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers, why are you injuring each other?’ 27But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘16Who made you a ruler and judge over us? 2817You do not intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ 29At this remark, 18Moses fled and became a stranger in the land of 19Midian, where he 20fathered two sons.

30“After forty years had passed, 21an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn bush. 31When Moses saw it, he was astonished at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, the voice of the Lord came: 32‘22I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses shook with fear and did not dare to look closely. 3323But the Lord said to him, ‘2425Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 3426I have certainly seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them; and 27now come, I will send you to Egypt.’

35“This Moses whom they 28disowned, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one whom God 29sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the 30help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. 3631This man led them out, performing 32wonders and 33signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea, and in the 34wilderness for forty years. 37This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘35God will raise up for you a prophet 36like me from your countrymen.’ 38This is the one who was in 37the 38assembly in the wilderness together with 39the angel who spoke to him at length on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received 40living 41words to pass on to you. 39Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him; on the contrary they 42rejected him and turned back to Egypt in their hearts, 4043saying to Aaron, ‘Make us 44a god 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.’ 4145At that time 46they made a 47calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in 48the works of their hands. 42But God 49turned away and gave them over to 50serve the heavenly 51lights; as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘52You did not offer Me victims and sacrifices 53for forty years in the wilderness, did you, house of Israel? 4354You also took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god 55Rompha, the images which you made to worship. I also will deport you beyond Babylon.’

44“Our fathers had 56the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it 57according to the pattern which he had seen. 45Our fathers in turn received it, and they also 58brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the 59nations that God drove out from our fathers, until the time of David. 466061David found favor in God’s sight, and 62asked that he might 63find a dwelling place for the 64house of Jacob. 47But it was 65Solomon who built a house for Him. 48However, 66the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:49‘67Heaven is My throne, And the 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 rest?5068Was it not My hand that made all these things?’

51“You men who are 69stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 5270Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of 71the Righteous One, and 72you have now become betrayers and murderers of Him; 53you who received the Law as 73ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”

54Now when they heard this, they were 74infuriated, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55But he, being 75full of the Holy Spirit, 76looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing 77at the right hand of God; 56and he said, “Behold, I see the 78heavens opened and 79the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one 80mind. 58When they had 81driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and 82the witnesses 83laid aside their cloaks at the feet of 84a young man named Saul. 59They went on stoning Stephen as he 85called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60Then he 86fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, 87do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he 8889fell asleep.