Berean Study Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

1The high priest said, "Are these things so?"

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,

2And he said, "Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was 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.’

3and said to him, 'LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY AND YOUR RELATIVES, AND COME INTO THE LAND THAT 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.

4"Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which 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.

5"But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even when he had no child, He promised that HE WOULD GIVE IT TO HIM AS A POSSESSION, AND TO HIS DESCENDANTS AFTER HIM.

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

6"But God spoke to this effect, that his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE ALIENS IN A FOREIGN LAND, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ENSLAVED AND MISTREATED FOR 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.’

7"'AND WHATEVER NATION TO WHICH THEY WILL BE IN BONDAGE I MYSELF WILL JUDGE,' said God, 'AND AFTER THAT THEY WILL COME OUT AND SERVE 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.

8"And He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so 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

9"The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet 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.

10and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household.

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

11"Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food.

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

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

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

13"On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family was disclosed to Pharaoh.

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

14"Then Joseph sent word and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five persons in all.

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

15"And Jacob went down to Egypt and there 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.

16"From there they were removed to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

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

17"But as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

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

18until THERE AROSE ANOTHER KING OVER EGYPT WHO KNEW NOTHING ABOUT JOSEPH.

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

19"It was he who took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would expose their infants and they would not survive.

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.

20"It was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father's home.

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

21"And after he had been set outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son.

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

22"Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.

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

23"But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons 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.

24"And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian.

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

25"And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.

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?’

26"On the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, 'Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?'

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

27"But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, 'WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND JUDGE OVER US?

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

28'YOU DO NOT MEAN TO KILL ME AS YOU KILLED THE EGYPTIAN YESTERDAY, DO YOU?'

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

29"At this remark, MOSES FLED AND BECAME AN ALIEN IN THE LAND OF MIDIAN, where he became the father of 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.

30"After forty years had passed, AN ANGEL APPEARED TO HIM IN THE WILDERNESS OF MOUNT Sinai, IN THE FLAME OF A BURNING THORN BUSH.

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

31"When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord:

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.

32'I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB.' Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look.

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

33"BUT THE LORD SAID TO HIM, 'TAKE OFF THE SANDALS FROM YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE ON WHICH 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.’

34'I HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN THE OPPRESSION OF MY PEOPLE IN EGYPT AND HAVE HEARD THEIR GROANS, AND I HAVE COME DOWN TO RESCUE THEM; COME NOW, AND I WILL SEND YOU 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.

35"This Moses whom they disowned, saying, 'WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND A JUDGE?' is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn 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.

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

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

37"This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, 'GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN.'

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.

38"This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.

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

39"Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated 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.’

40SAYING TO AARON, 'MAKE FOR US GODS 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.'

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

41"At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were 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?

42"But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, 'IT WAS NOT TO ME THAT YOU OFFERED VICTIMS AND SACRIFICES FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS, WAS IT, 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.’

43'YOU ALSO TOOK ALONG THE TABERNACLE OF MOLOCH AND THE STAR OF THE GOD ROMPHA, THE IMAGES WHICH YOU MADE TO WORSHIP. I ALSO WILL REMOVE YOU 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.

44"Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which 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,

45"And having received it in their turn, our fathers brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the nations whom God drove out before our fathers, 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.

46"David found favor in God's sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

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

47"But it was Solomon who built a house for Him.

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

48"However, 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?

49'HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND 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 REPOSE?

50Has not My hand made all these things?’

50'WAS IT NOT MY HAND WHICH MADE ALL THESE THINGS?'

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

51"You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing 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—

52"Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;

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

53you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it."

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

54Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing 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.

55But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed 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.”

56and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up 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.

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

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.

58When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

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

59They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "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.

60Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.

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