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Tej tyole Esteban tuˈn tcoˈpan tiib cywitz aj cawel

Entonces ja tzunj xin pala nintzaj cycawel cyibaj mas pala cyxol xjal judío e xiˈ kanente te Esteban:

―¿Jaxpa ka ma tzˈoc meltzˈaja tiˈ tley Moisés? Jatzen cykanbil xjal jtiˈja, ¿jaxpa?―tz̈i tajwil naˈl Dios.

Bix aj ttzakˈbeˈn Esteban:

―Cybintza, taat, key te ntanem, cybintz chˈina jun rato. Wajtzen txiˈ ntxˈolbaˈn chˈin tiˈj nbint tuˈn Dios tiˈ kloqˈuel bix cyiˈ kxeˈchel ootxa, bix tiˈj ox chi cub tzpet kloqˈuel tuj taj Dios bint.

Tneelxsen cxeˈl nkbaˈn tiˈj jxin kxeˈchel Abraham. Tej iˈtzx Abraham tuj ttxˈotxˈ Mesopotamia, ja tzunj xin nintzaj Kdios el jlet twitz Abraham tisen cyey cytzkiˈntla. Bix e xiˈ tkbaˈn Dios te Abraham: “Abraham, kˈonj ttxˈotxˈa bixsen alkch te tjay, bix ctexsen tzalu, bix lpetztzen wiˈj tuj txˈotxˈ cxeˈl nyeecˈan tey,” tz̈i Dios te Abraham. Bix etz Abraham tuj ttxˈotxˈ Mesopotamia, juntl tbi Caldea. Pero tejtzen tponxin tuj Harán, bix e cyajxin cab kˈij jatzewe. Cwa tcyim tmanxin tuj tnom Harán. Mas yajtl, bixsen iyˈtiiˈ Dios jaxin tuj ttxˈotxˈ Canaán, jaaˈ tcwaˈ Israel jaˈlewe, jaaˈj najla koˈwe. Yaltzen jaˈlewe, ketltzen, pero tej kˈij tej tul Abraham, pero mi nuketpe jun bara oc tetzen Abraham. Mitkx n‑oca tkˈoˈn Dios texin. Pero otk txiˈ tkbaˈn Dios texin tuˈn tcub tcmoˈnxin, bix laˈ altzen cye kˈij tetzen ke tchmanxin tuˈn cyeke tisen cycotz. Bix e tkba te Dios ja lu jatxe tej min‑alte Abraham tcwal. Bix jax e xiˈ tkˈoˈn Dios juntl tumel te Abraham: “Kej tey t‑xeˈchel chi najalcye tuj juntl txˈotxˈ. Cyaja syent jnabkˈi chi najal tey tloqˈuel jatzewe. Chi akˈanalcye, pero mintiiˈ chojbilcye. Chi akˈanal nuk cotz. Tetzen t‑xel twiˈ cycˈuˈj, jatzen cyiikˈel jnimxsen kaˈ cˈoquel cybinchen xjal cyiˈj. Pero cwax oj cyetz jatzewe, bix chi altz meltzˈaj tuj ja txˈotxˈ lu juntl maj, tuˈn cyajben we. Yal tzun kej xjal cˈoquel binchen tej kaˈ cyiˈj tcwala, inayenxsenwe chin cwel kˈonte il cyibaj,” juˈtzen toc tuˈn Dios te Abraham tej tpon Abraham tuj txˈotxˈ otk tzˈoc oyet texin. Bix tuˈntzen tcyaj kej yola tuj chicˈaj, bixsen e cub bint jun tyol Dios tuya Abraham. Jatzen cyyolxin e cub bint, jatzen Abraham cyuya ke t‑xeˈchel, ke xjal te Israel, cyocleltzen te t‑xjal Dios. Yaltzen te Abraham, cyuya ke tcwal, t‑xiˈleltzen tyeecˈanxin techlal tyolxin, teltzen keset ttzˈumel twiˈ cytzˈalbil jxjal xinak. Juˈ tzunj tej titzˈj tcwal Abraham, Isaac, bix el tkesenxin ttzˈumel twiˈ ttzˈalbil Isaac te wajxak kˈij titzˈjlen. Jaxsen juˈx te Isaac tuya tcwal Jacob, bix juˈx e tse Jacob tuyaj cablaaj tcwalxin. Ejeeˈ tzunj cablajajxin tcwal Jacob e cub itzˈjsante jcablajaj cloj xjal te Israel, tisen cyey cytzkiˈntla.

Jatzen jun xin cyxol jcablajajxin itzˈjsalcatej, jxin José. Otkx tzaj texin te coˈpl t‑xjalxin tuj weyaj. Pero yaaˈntzen telniyˈxin ka juˈ xina, sino el xooˈnxin. Yaltzen ke ttzicyxin tzinxsen nkˈakˈen cyanemxin tuya tchiˈlel cycˈuˈj, bix e xiˈ qˈueyet‑xin cye xjal te Egipto tuˈn takˈananxin nuk cotz. E bint cyuˈnxin juˈwa cuma jaxin achen tuˈn cymanxin cywitzxin. Juˈtzele tewa. Pero atte Dios tuya José. 10 Pero cwax tcoˈpjxin tuj il, bix e takˈ Dios nim tuˈn tiyˈ tilbilxin tiˈj, bix e takˈ Dios texin tuˈn tten t‑xtalbil cawel te Egipto tiˈjxin, bix ocxin te tcab cawel tibaj cykil ttxˈotxˈ Egipto tuˈn nin cawel. Bix oc tkˈoˈn cawel tajwalelxin tuˈn tcawenxin tibaj tja cawel.

11 Entonces bixsen e tzaj weyaj tibaj cykil ttxˈotxˈ Egipto. Jaxsen tyemj tul weyaj tibaj Canaán, jaaˈj najla ttzicy José, ke kchman ootxa. Cyiwxsen cychunkˈlalxin tuˈn weyaj. Min e cnet cywaxin. 12 Pero tejtzen tbintte Jacob tumel ka at triwa tuj Egipto, bixsen e xiˈ tchkˈoˈnxin ke tcwalxin te lokˈolte. Juˈtzen tten cyxiˈlen ke ootxa xjal te tneel maj cykenxin te lokˈol waabj tuj Egipto. Jatztzen e pona cnet José cyuˈnxin. Pero min el cyniyˈxin tiˈ José. 13 Eltzen cabtl xjaw, bix e baj cywaxin tuj Canaán. Iltzen tiˈj tuˈn cyxiˈxin Egipto juntl maj. Entonces bix e xiˈkexin te tcab maj. Te tzunj juntl maja, bixsen e tyeecˈa tiib José cye ttzicy. Bix te xsunja maj lu tej tel tniyˈ cawel tiˈ José te jaaˈxin, bixsen el tniyˈxin tiˈj jaaˈ elnina itzˈj José. 14 Bix ajtz meltzˈaj ke ttzicy José Egipto tuˈn cyponxin tuj Canaán. Kˈiˈntzen jun txoquen José cyuˈnxin tuˈn cyxiˈxin cykilke te cyjaxin najal tuj Egipto. Tejtzen cyul meltzˈajxin te toxen maj, bixsen e xiˈkexin cykilcakexin, atle ama nuk oxcˈal tuya olajaj xjal. 15 Juˈtzen tten tpomlen Jacob najal Egipto, bix jatztzen e cymaˈ xina. Bix tujtzen Egipto e cymaˈ José, bixsen ke ttzicyxin, ejeeˈtzen kxeˈchel te ootxa. 16 Tejtzen cybaj cyimxin, bix aj kˈit cyxumlalxin mas yaj tuj ktanem. Tzalutzen mokuˈnakexin tuj cyjayelxin otk tlokˈ Abraham. Otk tzˈel tlokˈoˈnxin te junxin xjal Hamor tbixin, tej tnom te Siquem, tisen cyey cytzkiˈntla.

17 Ke ootxa xjal e najankexin nim tyem tuj Egipto. Bix e tz̈itpajkexin, bix tij e tz̈ˈiy xsunkexin. Pero cwax tpon tyem tuˈn tbintj otk toye Dios te Abraham, tuˈnx cyaj meltzˈaj ke kchman ootxa tujx ke ktxˈotxˈ. 18 Pero tuj xsunj tyem lu attzen junxin cawel tibaj Egipto, junxin cawel min ul José tuj tcˈuˈjxin, bix min oc tbiˈnxin tyol José. 19 Ja tzunj xin cawel lu nimxsen e baj tyajlaˈnxin bix nimxsen tcyajlal iˈya ke kchman tuˈnxin. Bix oc tlomoˈnxin ke xjal tuˈn tcyaj cycyeˈyen ke cycwal xinak, tuˈntzen cycyim ke neeˈ acˈaj xinak txolen cyitzˈj. 20 Tuj tzunj tyem lu tej titzˈj Moisés. Jun neeˈ cwal naˈn twitz Dios, bix neeˈ cyeca xsunxin, bix el ewet‑xin tunwen cyuˈn tmanxin te oxe xjaw. 21 Pero cwa tpon jkˈij tuˈn ya mixben tcub ewetl neeˈ cwal, bix e pon jkˈij tuˈn tcyaj cyeyet. Pero jatltzen tmeel cawel tibaj Egipto iyˈ kˈinte, bix oc tz̈ˈis̈entxin neeˈ tisen jun taltxin. 22 Juˈtzen tten t‑xnakˈtzetlen Moisés tuya tikˈch baˈn tuˈn Egipto. Bix tejtzen tocxin ma xjal, axsen jun yolenxin, bix nimxsen e bint tuˈnxin. 23 Attzen jun kˈij ya nukxix n‑elactlxin twiˈ cyaˈwnak jnabkˈi, bix ul tuj tcˈuˈj Moisés tuˈn t‑xiˈxin kˈolbelcye te ttanemxin, ke te Israel, jatzex najlake Egipto. 24 Pero tejtzen tponxin tuj lugar, bix oc tcyeˈyenxin nimxsen il niˈya cabtl te ttanemxin tuˈn junxin te Egipto. Toctzen tcyeˈyenxin, bix e tzaj kˈojlxin, bix e cub tbyoˈnxin jxin aj Egipto. 25 Jatzen tuj twitz Moisés tel‑leltzen cyniyˈ te ttanemxin tiˈj ka tuˈnxin tel‑leltzen tcoˈpan Dios ke te ttanemxin tuj cykˈab aj Egipto. Pero min el baˈn tuj cywitz aj Israel.

26 Tetzen juntl kˈij bix e xiˈ Moisés kˈolbelcye xjal te Israel juntl maj. Pero te tzunja juntl maj lu, bix oc tcyeˈyenxin caˈba te ttanemxin nchi kˈojl cyil cyiibx cyiib. Taj tzunxin e cub tpaˈnxin ejeeˈ, bix e xiˈ tkbaˈnxin cye cyjulu: “Key taat, mixben cykˈojl cyey cyjulu, cuma te cytanem cyiiba. ¡Miˈn chi kˈojla mas!” tz̈i Moisés t‑xiˈ tkbaˈn cyexin.

27 Pero tzunj juntlxin toc pjulec tej juntlxin, bix ex tlomoˈnxin ja Moisés, bix oc tkbaˈnxin te Moisés: “¿Al tey ma tzˈoc kˈonte te cawel keya kibaja? 28 ¿Tajpey chin cub tbyoˈna tisenj e tsey jxjal aj Egipto ewe?” tz̈ixin te Moisés.

29 Toctzen tbiˈn Moisés juˈwa, bix el tniyˈxin tiˈj ka otk tzˈel niyˈ tiˈjxin ka jaxin otk cub byon tej xin aj Egipto. Bix el okxin. Bix e ponxin tuj ttxˈotxˈ Madián. Jaxsen e temaxin jtisen jun te nakch xjal. Bix e majexin tuya jun xuuj te Madián, bix itzˈj caˈba tcwalxin.

30 Exsen cyaˈwnak jnabkˈi. Attzen jun kˈij ncylen Moisés tuj chkˈajlaj nka taˈj witz Sinaí, tej t‑xiˈ tcyeˈyenxin jun wiˈ chˈiˈx njulen tuya kˈakˈ. Bix e jaw jlet jun tisencˈa jun tsanjel Dios tuj tken kˈakˈ. 31 Tejtzen toc tcyeˈyen Moisés, e jawxsen kleeˈxin, bix e xiˈ lkˈexin te cyeyˈlecte nka tuˈn tocxix tcyeˈyenxin tixix tten. Pero tujtzen tken kˈakˈ etza tyol Dios. Tz̈i tyol cyjulu: 32 “Inayenwe Jcydios ke cychmana, Tdios Abraham, Tdios Isaac, bixsen Tdios Jacob,” tz̈itzen tyol Dios. Tejtzen toc tbiˈn Moisés tuj twiˈ Dios, bix e jaw luˈlenxin tuˈn ttz̈i. Ya min ocxix tcyeˈyentlxin tken kˈakˈ.

33 Pero te Dios, bix akˈx texin yolel: “Kˈimal ke t‑xaaba tuˈn ttzaj tyeecˈana mas tanema we tuj ja lugar lu, cuma ja txˈotxˈ jaaˈ tcwaˈy xjan txˈotxˈ teja. 34 Cxeˈl nkbaˈn tey ma tzˈoc ncyeˈyen tiˈ tkaˈyel eteˈ nxjal te Israel tuj cykˈab xjal te Egipto. O nbi tzinxsen nchi kanen xtalbil, bix matzen chin tzaj te coˈplcye. Pero tuya tonbila chi coˈpjela. Quixtetzen. Matzen txiˈ nsmaˈna Egipto,” tz̈i Dios te Moisés―tz̈i Esteban cye cawel tuj consejo.

35 Bix akˈx Esteban kbalte:

―Key taat, ja xsunj xin Moisés lu el cyxooˈn xjal te Israel tuya cyyol cyjulu: “¿Altzen ma tzˈoc kˈonte tey te cawel keya kibaj?” tz̈i tzunkexin. Bix jaj xsunj Moisés lu e cyaj tkˈoˈn Dios tajwalel te cawel bix te coˈpel cye xjal te Israel tuj tkˈab cawel te Egipto. Ja te Dios e yolen tuˈn tyol tsanjel tuj tken kˈakˈ tuj chˈiˈx. 36 Jatzen Moisésj etz kˈinte cye kchman ootxa tuj ttxˈotxˈ Egipto. Cytzkiˈntltzen cyey ja Moisésj e binchan tej techlal bix nim seyˈpajlenel tuj Egipto, bixsen ttziiˈ Cyak Mar. Bix jaxsen xinj oc cˈojlancye aj Israel te cyaˈwnak jnabkˈi tuj tzkij txˈotxˈ. 37 Bix jaxsen Moisésj e xiˈ kbante cye xjal te Israel: “Laˈ alcye jun kˈij qˈueletz tscyˈoˈn Dios jun nintzaj xjal yecˈl be cyxol aj Israel te kbalte tyol Dios cye xjal, tisenj ma chin etz tscyˈoˈn weya Dios,” tz̈i Moisés. 38 Jaxsen Moisésj el xooˈn cyuˈn xjal, jajxsen xinj ajben te yolel cyxol xjal tuya Dios tej cychmet xjal t‑xeeˈ jwitz te Sinaí. Nuktzen tuˈncˈa Moisés e binne cyyolen kchman tuya Dios, bix nuk tuˈncˈa Moisés e tzaaˈ tkˈoˈn Dios ke tley cye xjal. Kej yol lu ejeeˈtzen yol jte cychunkˈlal xjal tuya Dios. 39 Nuket bix oc cybiˈn ke ootxa xjal ke ja yola, bixitle e tzaj tkˈoˈn Dios cychunkˈlal te junx maj, pero bix el cyxooˈn. Min e cybi, bix el cyxooˈn Moisés. Yaltzen tuj cyanem e cyajbex tuˈn cyaj meltzˈaj tujx cychunkˈlal te ootxa tuj Egipto. 40 Pero min oc cybiˈn ja Moisés, sino oc cykanbil twitz Aarón, ttzicy Moisés: “Taat, min ktzkiˈna ti ma baj te Moisés, jxin etz kˈinte keya tuj Egipto. Jatzen tey, keya kuya kbinchaˈcˈatzen cab kdios tuˈntzen t‑xiˈ kˈinte ke,” tz̈itzen ke ootxa xjal te Aarón. 41 Entonces bixsen e cub cybinchaˈn xjal junjil wacẍ nukxsen oro ttxˈotxˈeljil, bixsen oc ten ke xjal patlcˈa alimaj te cyoybil twitz. Bix axsen ttz̈yal taˈ cycˈuˈj xjal tiˈj otk bint cyuˈn xjal tuya cykˈab. 42 Entonces bix el tpaˈn tiib Dios cyiˈ xjal, bix e cyaj tcyeˈyen Dios ejeeˈ xjal laˈ ti jilel e cyajbe tcub bint cyuˈn. Bixsen e naˈnke xjal ke cheˈw tuj cyaˈj. Ootxa tyol Dios nyolen tuj libro te Amós tiˈj e baj. Tz̈i Dios cyjulu tuj uˈj te Amós: “¡Xjal te Israel! ¿Tepatzen we jkej jil alimaj e tzaj cyoyena we tej cytena tuj tzkij txˈotxˈ cyaˈwnak jnabkˈi? ¡Min! Juˈ tten cyuˈna, pero tuj cyanema, min. 43 Te t‑xelj tuˈn cyoc tena naˈl we, bix oc tenkey naˈl tdios kˈij Moloc tbi, bix e naˈnkey dios twitz jun dios cheˈw, dios te Renfán. Ejeeˈtzen cyey cydios ajben cyey. E naˈnkey dios twitz kej diosa nuk tuˈn cykˈaba. Juˈ tzunj ma chi ex wiiˈna tuj cytxˈotxˈa. Matzen cheˈx nchkˈoˈna tuj jun txˈotxˈ nakch, mas nakch tiˈ txˈotxˈ te Babilonia,” tz̈i Dios cyej xjal te Israel, kej min oc cybiˈn Dios, tz̈i tyolel Dios Amós at‑xe jnabkˈi―tz̈itzen Esteban cye judío tuj Jerusalén.

44 Bix akˈx Esteban yolel:

―Yaltzen jaˈlewe cˈaaltzen ntzakˈbeˈn cabtl yol tiˈj yol wiˈja tiˈj nin tja Dios. Cytzkiˈntltzen cyey ke kchman ootxa e ten jun tja Dios puro xbalen, jaaˈ e tema Dios, jaaˈxja cheˈxaxin tiˈj tuj tzkij txˈotxˈ bix tziyˈ cyiiˈnxin Dios cyuyaxin. Ja xbalen tcublel Dios e bint cyuˈnxin tisenxj otk tkba Dios te Moisés, bix tisencˈaxj otk tzˈoc tcyeˈyen Moisés twiˈ jwitz te Sinaí. 45 Ja xbalen tja Dios, bix e xiˈ cyiiˈn ootxa xjal tuj ttxˈotxˈ Canaán. Tuya cycawelxin Josué bixsen e cub cychmoˈnxin tuj Canaán. Tuyatzen tonbil Dios e xcyebakexin cyibaj xjal kaˈ te Canaán. Cykilxsen tyem, jatxe tuj ttyem Moisés tejxe tpon baj ttyem cawel David, ke ootxa xjal e tenx cyexin tjayel Dios cyxol. Mintiiˈ cyexin nin tja Dios cyuya. 46 Pero nimxsen t‑xtalbil David tuya Dios, bix e xiˈ tkanenxin xtalbil te Dios tuˈntzen tjaw tbinchaˈnxin jun jaaˈ te tja Dios jaaˈ tuˈn kocxa naˈnke Dios ejooˈ t‑xeˈchel Jacob. 47 Bix e xiˈ tcuyan Dios tyol David, pero yaaˈn ja David, sino ja tcwalxin Salomón. 48 Perotzen cyey tuj cywitz, ¿jatztzen najla Dios tuj jun jaaˈ tbinchben xjal? ¡Min! Tej xin jawnexsen, tej xin binchal twitz txˈotxˈ, jxin Dios, yaaˈn tuj jun jaaˈ najla texin. Cybintzney tyol ktzan Isaías, tyolel Kman Dios. Tz̈itzen Dios tuˈn tyolelxin Isaías cyjulu: 49 “Maan tuj cyaˈj nchin tzaaˈ cawen twitz txˈotxˈ. Bix ka ja cyaˈj te we nuk jun nkˈaˈj, yal te twitz txˈotxˈ nuk tuˈn tcub weˈwe nken tibaj. Yaltzen cyey ejeeˈy xjal, ¿titzen tten tuˈn tjaw cybinchaˈna jun jaaˈ te nnajbila bix ma tuˈn wajlana tuj? 50 ¿Yaaˈmpatzen inayena in cub binchan tej cykilj at twitz txˈotxˈa?” tz̈i Dios cye ootxa xjal at‑xe tyem, tz̈i Isaías tcyaj tkbaˈn―tz̈i Esteban.

51 Bix oc ttzˈaktzaˈn Esteban tuya mancˈbil tyol te colbil tiibxin:

―Entonces, key taat, alj toc chilsalec tcˈuˈj Dios ejeeˈ cyey. Tisencˈax kej cyey cychman ootxa e cub cykipan cyiib twitz Espíritu Santo tej tcub cykipan cyiib twitz Moisés, juˈxsen ke cyey cyiw xsun key tuya cyanema, tisencˈax kej min cytzkiˈn twitz Dios. ¡Juˈx ke cyey tisen ke kchman ootxa xjal! 52 ¿Pero alcyej tyolel Dios min oc cyyasen ke ootxa xjal? ¡Mi nuket jun cye! ¡Cykilcake minx e cybi! Bix xsun kej e kbante ka alcye jun kˈij tul‑lel kuya junxin Scyˈoˈn tuˈn Dios, junxin nuk jaj baˈn tcublel tbinchenxin, ja tzun kej kbalte e cub byetke. Bix yaltzen jaˈlewe, otzen tzul jxin e kbaj, pero o txiˈ cyqˈueyen xina, bix o cub cybyoˈn xina. 53 Ejeeˈy xjal o tzˈoc kˈoˈn tley Dios cyey tuˈn tsanjel Dios, pero minx oc cybiˈna, ejeeˈ xsuna o cub byoˈnte jxin xjal Scyˈoˈn tuˈn Dios―tz̈itzen Esteban tcyaj tkˈoˈn tuj chicˈaj cywitz nintzaj consejo.

54 Tejtzen toc cybiˈn pala cyibaj judío kej tyol Esteban, e tzajxsen tij kˈojlkexin. E jawxsen kitxˈitxˈin t‑xeeˈ twitz cyexin tiˈ Esteban yecˈbil cykˈojxin. 55 Pero te Esteban maans texin tnaabl. Tujxsen tnoj tanemxin tuˈn tipemal Espíritu Santo. Bix e xiˈ tcyeˈyenxin tuj cyaˈj. E til tzunxin tilbil Dios tzinxsen ntxililin, bixsen Jesús waˈlcˈaxin tuj tmankˈab Dios. 56 Toctzen tcyeˈyen Esteban, tz̈i tzunxin cyjulu:

―Qˈuelelcˈa cyniˈya tiˈj, lu cyaˈj jakl tuj nwitza, lu Jesús, jxjal Smaˈn tuˈn Dios tuˈn tten cyuya xjal, waˈlcˈa tuj tmankˈab Dios―tz̈i Esteban.

57 Pero cycyˈi nintzaj cawel e cybi ke tyol Esteban ka at Jesús tuya Dios, bix oc cymaksiˈnxin cyẍquinxin, bix akˈkexin s̈‑il, bix e xiˈkexin tibaj Esteban. 58 Bix ex kitet‑xin ttxaˈn tnom te Jerusalén, bix nbajtzen cyxooˈnxin tuya xak. Tuˈntzen at mas cyipen jxin xool xak, bix el cyiˈjxin, tuˈnx tbaj Esteban. Bixsen e cyaj cykˈoˈnxin cyiˈjxin twitz junxin xjal Saulo tbixin. 59 Maatkxsen nbaj xooˈnxin cyuˈn kej xjal cymoj consejo, bix e xiˈ tkbaˈn Esteban te Jesús tuj cyaˈj:

―Nuksama, Taat Jesús, kˈinxsen wanem tuj cyaˈj―tz̈i Esteban.

60 Bix e cub mejtzˈajxin, ns̈‑inxin txiˈ tkbaˈnxin te Dios:

―Nuksama, miˈn tzˈoc tkˈoˈna cybinchben jxjala te tajlal―tz̈i Esteban. T‑xiˈlen bajxitltzen tkbante Esteban, bix e cyimxin tuj ttz̈yal.

Stephen’s Speech to the Sanhedrin

Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”

To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers,(A) listen to me! The God of glory(B) appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran.(C) ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’[a](D)

“So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Harran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living.(E) He gave him no inheritance here,(F) not even enough ground to set his foot on. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land,(G) even though at that time Abraham had no child. God spoke to him in this way: ‘For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated.(H) But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’[b](I) Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision.(J) And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth.(K) Later Isaac became the father of Jacob,(L) and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.(M)

“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph,(N) they sold him as a slave into Egypt.(O) But God was with him(P) 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.(Q)

11 “Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food.(R) 12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our forefathers on their first visit.(S) 13 On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was,(T) and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family.(U) 14 After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family,(V) seventy-five in all.(W) 15 Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our ancestors died.(X) 16 Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.(Y)

17 “As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased.(Z) 18 Then ‘a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.’[c](AA) 19 He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our ancestors by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die.(AB)

20 “At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child.[d] For three months he was cared for by his family.(AC) 21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.(AD) 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians(AE) and was powerful in speech and action.

23 “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. 24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. 26 The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’

27 “But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?(AF) 28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’[e] 29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.(AG)

30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say:(AH) 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers,(AI) the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’[f] Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.(AJ)

33 “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.(AK) 34 I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’[g](AL)

35 “This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’(AM) He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 He led them out of Egypt(AN) and performed wonders and signs(AO) in Egypt, at the Red Sea(AP) and for forty years in the wilderness.(AQ)

37 “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’[h](AR) 38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel(AS) who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors;(AT) and he received living words(AU) to pass on to us.(AV)

39 “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.(AW) 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’[i](AX) 41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made.(AY) 42 But God turned away from them(AZ) and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars.(BA) This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:

“‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
    forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?
43 You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek
    and the star of your god Rephan,
    the idols you made to worship.
Therefore I will send you into exile’[j](BB) beyond Babylon.

44 “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law(BC) with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.(BD) 45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them.(BE) It remained in the land until the time of David,(BF) 46 who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.[k](BG) 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.(BH)

48 “However, the Most High(BI) does not live in houses made by human hands.(BJ) As the prophet says:

49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool.(BK)
What kind of house will you build for me?
says the Lord.
    Or where will my resting place be?
50 Has not my hand made all these things?’[l](BL)

51 “You stiff-necked people!(BM) Your hearts(BN) and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?(BO) They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him(BP) 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels(BQ) but have not obeyed it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious(BR) and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,(BS) looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.(BT) 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open(BU) and the Son of Man(BV) standing at the right hand of God.”

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city(BW) and began to stone him.(BX) Meanwhile, the witnesses(BY) laid their coats(BZ) at the feet of a young man named Saul.(CA)

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”(CB) 60 Then he fell on his knees(CC) and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”(CD) When he had said this, he fell asleep.(CE)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 7:3 Gen. 12:1
  2. Acts 7:7 Gen. 15:13,14
  3. Acts 7:18 Exodus 1:8
  4. Acts 7:20 Or was fair in the sight of God
  5. Acts 7:28 Exodus 2:14
  6. Acts 7:32 Exodus 3:6
  7. Acts 7:34 Exodus 3:5,7,8,10
  8. Acts 7:37 Deut. 18:15
  9. Acts 7:40 Exodus 32:1
  10. Acts 7:43 Amos 5:25-27 (see Septuagint)
  11. Acts 7:46 Some early manuscripts the house of Jacob
  12. Acts 7:50 Isaiah 66:1,2