Acts 7

Stephen’s Defense

1NowG1161 the highG749 priestG749 saidG3004, “Are theseG3778 thingsG3778 soG3779?”

2And 1Stephen saidG5346, “ListenG191 to me, 23brothersG435G80 and fathersG3962! 4The GodG2316 of gloryG1391 5appearedG3708 to our fatherG3962 AbrahamG11 when he was in MesopotamiaG3318, beforeG4250 he livedG2730 in 6HaranG5488, 3and He saidG3004 to him, ‘7GoG1831 fromG1831 your countryG1093 and your relativesG4772, and comeG1204 to the landG1093 whichG3739 I will showG1166 you.’ 48ThenG5119 he leftG1831 the landG1093 of the ChaldeansG5466 and settledG2730 in 9HaranG5488. And 10fromG2547 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, 11He promisedG1861 that He would giveG1325 it to him as a possessionG2697, and to his descendantsG4690 afterG3326 him, even though he had no childG5043. 6But 12GodG2316 spokeG2980 toG3779 thisG3779 effectG3779, that his descendantsG4690 would be strangersG3941 in a landG1093 that was notG245 theirsG245, and 13they would enslaveG1402 and mistreatG2559 them for fourG5071 hundredG5071 yearsG2094. 7‘And whateverG3739G1437 nationG1484 to whichG3739 they are enslavedG1398 I MyselfG1473 will judgeG2919,’ saidG3004 GodG2316, ‘and 14afterG3326 that they will comeG1831 out and 15serveG3000 Me in thisG3778 placeG5117.’ 8And He 16gaveG1325 him 17the covenantG1242 of circumcisionG4061; and soG3779 18Abraham fatheredG1080 IsaacG2464, and circumcisedG4059 him on the eighthG3590 dayG2250; and 19IsaacG2464 fathered JacobG2384, and 20JacobG2384, the twelveG1427 21patriarchsG3966.

9“The patriarchsG3966 22becameG2206 jealousG2206 of JosephG2501 and soldG591 him into EgyptG125. Yet GodG2316 was with him, 10and rescuedG1807 him from allG3956 his afflictionsG2347, and 23grantedG1325 him favorG5485 and wisdomG4678 inG1726 theG1726 sightG1726 of PharaohG5328, kingG935 of EgyptG125, and he madeG2525 him governorG2233 overG1909 EgyptG125 and his entireG3650 householdG3624.

11“NowG1161 24a famineG3042 cameG2064 overG1909 allG3650 EgyptG125 and CanaanG5477, and greatG3173 afflictionG2347 with it, and our fathersG3962 25could findG2147 noG3756 foodG5527. 12But 26when JacobG2384 heardG191 that there was grainG4619 in EgyptG125, he sentG1821 our fathersG3962 there the firstG4413 timeG4413. 13And on the secondG1208 visit, 27JosephG2501 28madeG1107 himself knownG1107 to his brothersG80, and 29Joseph’sG2501 familyG1085 was revealedG5318 to PharaohG5328. 14ThenG2532 30JosephG2501 sentG649 word and invitedG3333 his fatherG3962 JacobG2384 and allG3956 his relativesG4772 to come to him, 31seventy-fiveG1440G4002 3233peopleG5590 in all. 15And 34JacobG2384 wentG2597 downG2597 to EgyptG125, and he and our fathersG3962 diedG5053 there. 16And they were broughtG3346 backG3346 from there to 3536ShechemG4966 and laidG5087 in the tombG3418 whichG3739 AbrahamG11 had purchasedG5608 for a sumG5092 of moneyG694 from the sonsG5207 of 37HamorG1697 in 38ShechemG4966.

17“But as the 39timeG5550 of the promiseG1860 whichG3739 GodG2316 had assuredG3670 to AbrahamG11 was approachingG1448, 40the peopleG2992 increasedG837 and multipliedG4129 in EgyptG125, 18untilG891 41anotherG2087 kingG935 aroseG450 overG1909 EgyptG125 whoG3739 did not knowG3609 JosephG2501. 19It was he who 42shrewdlyG2686 tookG2686 advantageG2686 ofG2686 our nationG1085 and mistreatedG2559 our fathersG3962 in order that they would 43abandonG4160G1570 their infantsG1025 in the Nile, soG1519 thatG1519 they would not surviveG2225. 20At thisG3739 timeG2540 44MosesG3475 was bornG1080; and he was beautifulG791 to GodG2316. He was nurturedG397 for threeG5140 monthsG3376 in his father’sG3962 homeG3624. 21And after he had been putG1620 outsideG1620, 45Pharaoh’sG5328 daughterG2364 46tookG337 him awayG337 and nurturedG397 him as her ownG1438 sonG5207. 22MosesG3475 was educatedG3811 in allG3956 47the wisdomG4678 of the EgyptiansG124, and he was proficientG1415 in 48speakingG3056 and actionG2041. 23But whenG5613 he was approachingG4137 the ageG5550 of fortyG5066, 49it enteredG305 his 50mindG2588 to visitG1980 his countrymenG80, the sonsG5207 of IsraelG2474. 24And when he sawG3708 oneG5100 of them being treatedG91 unjustlyG91, he defendedG292 and tookG4160 vengeanceG1557 for the oppressedG2669 manG2669 by fatally strikingG3960 the EgyptianG124. 25And he thoughtG3543 that his brothersG80 understoodG4920 that GodG2316 was grantingG1325 them 51deliveranceG4991 52throughG1223 him; but they did not understandG4920. 2653And on the followingG1897 dayG2250 he appearedG3708 to them as they were fightingG3164 eachG3164 otherG3164, and he tried to reconcileG4871 them to peaceG1515, by sayingG3004, ‘MenG435, you are brothersG80, whyG2443G5101 are you injuringG91 eachG240 otherG240?’ 27But the one who was injuringG91 his neighborG4139 pushedG683 him awayG683, sayingG3004, ‘54WhoG5101 madeG2525 you a rulerG758 and judgeG1348 overG1909 us? 2855You do not intendG2309 to killG337 me as you killedG337 the EgyptianG124 yesterdayG2189, do you?’ 29At thisG3778 remarkG3056, 56MosesG3475 fledG5343 and becameG1096 a strangerG3941 in the landG1093 of 57MidianG3099, whereG3757 he 58fatheredG1080 twoG1417 sonsG5207.

30“After fortyG5065 yearsG2094 had passedG4137, 59an angelG32 appearedG3708 to him in the wildernessG2048 of MountG3735 SinaiG4614, in the flameG5395 of a burningG4442 thornG942 bushG942. 31When MosesG3475 sawG3708 it, he wasG2296 astonishedG2296 at the sightG3705; and as he approachedG4334 to lookG2657 more closelyG2657, the voiceG5456 of the LordG2962 cameG1096: 32‘60I am the GodG2316 of your fathersG3962, the GodG2316 of AbrahamG11, and IsaacG2464, and JacobG2384.’ MosesG3475 shookG1790 withG1790 fearG1790 and did not dareG5111 to lookG2657 closelyG2657. 3361But the LordG2962 saidG3004 to him, ‘6263RemoveG3089 your sandalsG5266 from your feetG4228, for the placeG5117 on whichG3739 you are standingG2476 is holyG40 groundG1093. 3464I have certainlyG3708 seenG3708 the oppressionG2561 of My peopleG2992 who are in EgyptG125, and have heardG191 their groaningG4726, and I have comeG2597 downG2597 to rescueG1807 them; and 65nowG3568 comeG1204, I will sendG649 you to EgyptG125.’

35“ThisG3778 MosesG3475 whomG3739 they 66disownedG720, sayingG3004, ‘WhoG5101 madeG2525 you a rulerG758 and a judgeG1348?’ is the oneG3778 whomG3778 GodG2316 67sentG649 to be bothG2532 a rulerG758 and a delivererG3086 with the 68helpG5495 of the angelG32 who appearedG3708 to him in the thornG942 bushG942. 3669ThisG3778 manG3778 ledG1806 them outG1806, performingG4160 70wondersG5059 and 71signsG4592 in the landG1093 of EgyptG125 and in the RedG2063 SeaG2281, and in the 72wildernessG2048 for fortyG5065 yearsG2094. 37ThisG3778 is the MosesG3475 who saidG3004 to the sonsG5207 of IsraelG2474, ‘73GodG2316 will raiseG450 up for you a prophetG4396 74likeG5613 me from your countrymenG80.’ 38ThisG3778 is the one who was in 75the 76assemblyG1577 in the wildernessG2048 togetherG3326 with 77the angelG32 who spokeG2980 to him at length on MountG3735 SinaiG4614, and who was with our fathersG3962; and he receivedG1209 78livingG2198 79wordsG3051 to passG1325 on to you. 39Our fathersG3962 were unwillingG3756G2309 to be obedientG5255 to him; onG235 theG235 contraryG235 they 80rejectedG683 him and turnedG4762 backG4762 to EgyptG125 in their heartsG2588, 4081sayingG3004 to AaronG2, ‘MakeG4160 us 82a godG2316 whoG3739 will goG4313 beforeG4313 us; for thisG3778 MosesG3475 whoG3739 ledG1806 us outG1806 of the landG1093 of EgyptG125--we do not knowG3609 whatG5101 happenedG1096 to him.’ 4183At that timeG2250 84they madeG3447 aG3447 85calfG3447 and broughtG321 a sacrificeG2378 to the idolG1497, and were rejoicingG2165 in 86the worksG2041 of their handsG5495. 42But GodG2316 87turnedG4762 awayG4762 and gaveG3860 them overG3860 to 88serveG3000 the heavenlyG3772 89lightsG4756; as it is writtenG1125 in the bookG976 of the prophetsG4396: ‘90You did not offerG4374 Me victimsG4968 and sacrificesG2378 91for fortyG5065 yearsG2094 in the wildernessG2048, did you, houseG3624 of IsraelG2474? 4392You alsoG2532 tookG353 alongG353 the tabernacleG4633 of MolochG3434 and the starG798 of your godG2316 93RomphaG4501, the imagesG5179 whichG3739 you madeG4160 to worshipG4352. I alsoG2532 will deportG3351 you beyondG1900 BabylonG897.’

44“Our fathersG3962 hadG1510 94the tabernacleG4633 of testimonyG3142 in the wildernessG2048, justG2531 asG2531 He who spokeG2980 to MosesG3475 directedG1299 him to makeG4160 it 95accordingG2596 to the patternG5179 whichG3739 he had seenG3708. 45Our fathersG3962 in turnG1237 receivedG1237 it, and they alsoG2532 96broughtG1521 it inG1521 with JoshuaG2424 upon dispossessingG2697 the 97nationsG1484 that GodG2316 droveG1856 outG1856 fromG575G4383 our fathersG3962, untilG2193 the timeG2250 of DavidG1160. 469899David foundG2147 favorG5485 inG1799 God’sG2316 sightG1799, and 100askedG154 that he might 101findG2147 a dwellingG4638 placeG4638 for the 102houseG3624 of JacobG2384. 47But it was 103SolomonG4672 who builtG3618 a houseG3624 for Him. 48HoweverG235, 104the MostG5310 HighG5310 does not dwellG2730 in houses madeG5499 byG5499 human handsG5499; as the prophetG4396 saysG3004:49‘105HeavenG3772 is My throneG2362, And the 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 restG2663?50106Was it not My handG5495 that madeG4160 allG3956 theseG3778 thingsG3778?’

51“You men who are 107stiff-neckedG4644 and uncircumcisedG564 in heartG2588 and earsG3775 are alwaysG104 resistingG496 the HolyG40 SpiritG4151; you are doing justG5613 asG5613 your fathersG3962 did. 52108WhichG5101 oneG5101 of the prophetsG4396 did your fathersG3962 not persecuteG1377? They killedG615 thoseG3588 who had previouslyG4293 announcedG4293 the comingG1660 of 109the RighteousG1342 OneG1342, and 110you have nowG3568 becomeG1096 betrayersG4273 and murderersG5406 of Him; 53you whoG3748 receivedG2983 the LawG3551 as 111ordainedG1296 by angelsG32, and yet did not keepG5442 it.”

Stephen Put to Death

54NowG1161 when they heardG191 thisG3778, they were 112infuriatedG1282G2588, and they began gnashingG1031 their teethG3599 at him. 55But he, beingG5225 113fullG4134 of the HolyG40 SpiritG4151, 114lookedG816 intentlyG816 into heavenG3772 and sawG3708 the gloryG1391 of GodG2316, and JesusG2424 standingG2476 115at the rightG1188 handG1188 of GodG2316; 56and he saidG3004, “BeholdG2400, I seeG2334 the 116heavensG3772 openedG1272 and 117the SonG5207 of ManG444 standingG2476 at the rightG1188 handG1188 of GodG2316.” 57But they shoutedG2896 with loudG3173 voicesG5456, and coveredG4912 their earsG3775 and rushedG3729 at him with oneG3661 118mindG3661. 58When they had 119drivenG1544 him outG1544 of the cityG4172, they began stoningG3036 him; and 120the witnessesG3144 121laidG659 asideG659 their cloaksG2440 at the feetG4228 of 122a youngG3494 manG3494 namedG2564 SaulG4569. 59They went on stoningG3036 StephenG4736 as he 123calledG1941 onG1941 the Lord and saidG3004, “LordG2962 JesusG2424, receiveG1209 my spiritG4151!” 60ThenG2532 he 124fellG5087 on his kneesG1119 and criedG2896 outG2896 with a loudG3173 voiceG5456, “LordG2962, 125do not holdG2476 thisG3778 sinG266 against them!” Having saidG3004 thisG3778, he 126127fellG2837 asleepG2837.