Acts — Chapter 7

1Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”

2And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

3and told him, ‘Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you.’

4So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God brought him out of that place and into this land where you are now living.

5He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a child.

6God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

7‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.’

8Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

9Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him

10and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.

11Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.

12When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.

13On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.

14Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all.

15So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.

16Their bones were carried back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a price he paid in silver.

17As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number.

18Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt.

19He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

20At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God. For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house.

21When he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.

22So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

23When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.

24And when he saw one of them being mistreated, Moses went to his defense and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him.

25He assumed his brothers would understand that God was using him to deliver them, but they did not.

26The next day he came upon two Israelites who were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?’

27But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?

28Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’

29At this remark, Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he lived as a foreigner and had two sons.

30After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.

31When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight. As he approached to look more closely, the voice of the Lord came to him:

32‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.

33Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.

34I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’

35This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be their ruler and redeemer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

36He led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.

37This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’

38He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received living words to pass on to us.

39But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

40They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’

41At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.

42But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

43You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

44Our fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.

45And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David,

46who found favor in the sight of God and asked to provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

47But it was Solomon who built the house for Him.

48However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:

49‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be?

50Has not My hand made all these things?’

51You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.

52Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

53you who received the law ordained by angels, yet have not kept it.”

54On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.

55But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

56“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

57At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him.

58They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

60Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

1Then said the high priest, Are these things so?

2And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

3And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

4Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

5And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

6And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

7And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.

8And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

9And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

10And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

11Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

12But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.

13And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.

14Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

15So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,

16And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

17But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

18Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.

19The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

20In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months:

21And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.

22And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

23And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

24And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:

25For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

26And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?

27But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

28Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?

29Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

30And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.

31When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,

32Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

33Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.

34I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.

35This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.

36He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

37This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

38This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

39To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

40Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

41And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

42Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?

43Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

44Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.

45Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;

46Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

47But Solomon built him an house.

48Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

49Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

50Hath not my hand made all these things?

51Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

52Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

53Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

54When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

55But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

57Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

58And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.

59And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

60And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

1And the high priest said, Are these things so?

2And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,

3and said unto him, Get thee out of thy land, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.

4Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Haran: and from thence, when his father was dead, [God] removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell:

5and he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: and he promised that he would give it to him in possession, and to his seed after him, when [as yet] he had no child.

6And God spake on this wise, that his seed should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and treat them ill, four hundred years.

7And the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.

8And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so [Abraham] begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac [begat] Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.

9And the patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt: and God was with him,

10and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

11Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

12But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time.

13And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph`s race became manifest unto Pharaoh.

14And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

15And Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died, himself and our fathers;

16and they were carried over unto Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver of the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

17But as the time of the promise drew nigh which God vouchsafed unto Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

18till there arose another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

19The same dealt craftily with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, that they should cast out their babes to the end they might not live.

20At which season Moses was born, and was exceeding fair; and he was nourished three months in his father`s house.

21and when he was cast out, Pharaoh`s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.

22And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and works.

23But when he was well-nigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

24And seeing one [of them] suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, smiting the Egyptian:

25and he supposed that his brethren understood that God by his hand was giving them deliverance; but they understood not.

26And the day following he appeared unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?

27But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

28Wouldest thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?

29And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons.

30And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.

31And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord,

32I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

33And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

34I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I am come down to deliver them: and now come, I will send thee into Egypt.

35This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? him hath God sent [to be] both a ruler and a deliverer with the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush.

36This man led them forth, having wrought wonders and signs in Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

37This is that Moses, who said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me.

38This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received living oracles to give unto us:

39to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt,

40saying unto Aaron, Make us gods that shall go before us: for as for this Moses, who led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.

41And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.

42But God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Did ye offer unto me slain beasts and sacrifices Forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

43And ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, And the star of the god Rephan, The figures which ye made to worship them: And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

44Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he appointed who spake unto Moses, that he should make it according to the figure that he had seen.

45Which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered on the possession of the nations, that God thrust out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;

46who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.

47But Solomon built him a house.

48Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in [houses] made with hands; as saith the prophet,

49The heaven is my throne, And the earth the footstool of my feet: What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: Or what is the place of my rest?

50Did not my hand make all these things?

51Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye.

52Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers;

53ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.

54Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

55But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.

57But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord;

58and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59And they stoned Stephen, calling upon [the Lord], and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

60And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

1Then the high priest said, “Are these things true?”

2So he replied, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our forefather Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,

3and said to him, ‘Go out from your country and from your relatives, and come to the land I will show you.’

4Then he went out from the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God made him move to this country where you now live.

5He did not give any of it to him for an inheritance, not even a foot of ground, yet God promised to give it to him as his possession, and to his descendants after him, even though Abraham as yet had no child.

6But God spoke as follows: ‘Your descendants will be foreigners in a foreign country, whose citizens will enslave them and mistreat them for 400 years.

7But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ said God, ‘and after these things they will come out of there and worship me in this place.’

8Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and so he became the father of Isaac and circumcised him when he was eight days old, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the 12 patriarchs.

9The patriarchs, because they were jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt. But God was with him,

10and rescued him from all his troubles, and granted him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household.

11Then a famine occurred throughout Egypt and Canaan, causing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food.

12So when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there the first time.

13On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh.

14So Joseph sent a message and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives to come, seventy-five people in all.

15So Jacob went down to Egypt and died there, along with our ancestors,

16and their bones were later moved to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a certain sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

17“But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham, the people increased greatly in number in Egypt,

18until another king who did not know about Joseph ruled over Egypt.

19This was the one who exploited our people and was cruel to our ancestors, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

20At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful to God. For three months he was brought up in his father’s house,

21and when he had been abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.

22So Moses was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his words and deeds.

23But when he was about forty years old, it entered his mind to visit his fellow countrymen the Israelites.

24When he saw one of them being hurt unfairly, Moses came to his defense and avenged the person who was mistreated by striking down the Egyptian.

25He thought his own people would understand that God was delivering them through him, but they did not understand.

26The next day Moses saw two men fighting and tried to make peace between them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why are you hurting one another?’

27But the man who was unfairly hurting his neighbor pushed Moses aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?

28You don’t want to kill me the way you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’

29When the man said this, Moses fled and became a foreigner in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

30“After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the desert of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush.

31When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and when he approached to investigate, there came the voice of the Lord,

32‘I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look more closely.

33But the Lord said to him, ‘Take the sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.

34I have certainly seen the suffering of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Now come, I will send you to Egypt.’

35This same Moses they had rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge?’ God sent as both ruler and deliverer through the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

36This man led them out, performing wonders and miraculous signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.

37This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’

38This is the man who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors, and he received living oracles to give to you.

39Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him, but pushed him aside and turned back to Egypt in their hearts,

40saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go in front of us, for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt —we do not know what has happened to him!’

41At that time they made an idol in the form of a calf, brought a sacrifice to the idol, and began rejoicing in the works of their hands.

42But God turned away from them and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘It was not to me that you offered slain animals and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, was it, house of Israel?

43But you took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of the god Rephan, the images you made to worship, but I will deport you beyond Babylon.’

44Our ancestors had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as God who spoke to Moses ordered him to make it according to the design he had seen.

45Our ancestors received possession of it and brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors, until the time of David.

46He found favor with God and asked that he could find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob.

47But Solomon built a house for him.

48Yet the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands, as the prophet says,

49‘Heaven is my throne,and earth is the footstool for my feet.What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,or what is my resting place?

50Did my hand not make all these things?’

51“You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did!

52Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become!

53You received the law by decrees given by angels, but you did not obey it.”

54When they heard these things, they became furious and ground their teeth at him.

55But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently toward heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

56“Look!” he said. “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

57But they covered their ears, shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent.

58When they had driven him out of the city, they began to stone him, and the witnesses laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59They continued to stone Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

60Then he fell to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he died.

1The high priest said, “Are these things so?”

2He said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

3and said to him, ‘Get out of your land, and from your relatives, and come into a land which I will show you.’

4Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and lived in Haran. From there, when his father was dead, God moved him into this land, where you are now living.

5He gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on. He promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his offspring after him, when he still had no child.

6God spoke in this way: that his offspring would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.

7‘I will judge the nation to which they will be in bondage,’ said God, ‘and after that will they come out, and serve me in this place.’

8He gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.

9“The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him,

10and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

11Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.

12But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time.

13On the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s race was revealed to Pharaoh.

14Joseph sent, and summoned Jacob, his father, and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.

15Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, himself and our fathers,

16and they were brought back to Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver from the children of Hamor of Shechem.

17“But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

18until there arose a different king, who didn’t know Joseph.

19The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.

20At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome. He was nourished three months in his father’s house.

21When he was thrown out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and reared him as her own son.

22Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works.

23But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.

24Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian.

25He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn’t understand.

26“The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’

27But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

28Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’

29Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

30“When forty years were fulfilled, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.

31When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he came close to see, a voice of the Lord came to him,

32‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Moses trembled, and dared not look.

33The Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy ground.

34I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into Egypt.’

35“This Moses, whom they refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—God has sent him as both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

36This man led them out, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.

37This is that Moses, who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me.’

38This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living revelations to give to us,

39to whom our fathers wouldn’t be obedient, but rejected him, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,

40saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’

41They made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.

42But God turned, and gave them up to serve the army of the sky, as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘Did you offer to me slain animals and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

43You took up the tabernacle of Moloch, the star of your god Rephan, the figures which you made to worship. I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’

44“Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern that he had seen;

45which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered into the possession of the nations, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, to the days of David,

46who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.

47But Solomon built him a house.

48However, the Most High doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says,

49‘heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me?’ says the Lord. ‘Or what is the place of my rest?

50Didn’t my hand make all these things?’

51“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.

52Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.

53You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!”

54Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

55But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

57But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord.

58They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

60He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.