| NET Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1Then the high priest said, "Are these things true?" | 1And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” |
| 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, | 2And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, |
| 3and said to him, 'Go out from your country and from your relatives, and come to the land I will show you.' | 3and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that 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. | 4Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. |
| 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. | 5Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he 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 four hundred years. | 6And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred 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.' | 7‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out 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 twelve patriarchs. | 8And 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. |
| 9The patriarchs, because they were jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt. But God was with him, | 9“And the patriarchs, 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. | 10and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before 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. | 11Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. |
| 12So when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there the first time. | 12But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. |
| 13On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. | 13And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, 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. | 14And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. |
| 15So Jacob went down to Egypt and died there, along with our ancestors, | 15And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, |
| 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. | 16and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver 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, | 17“But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt |
| 18until another king who did not know about Joseph ruled over Egypt. | 18until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. |
| 19This was the one who exploited our people and was cruel to our ancestors, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die. | 19He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. |
| 20At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful to God. For three months he was brought up in his father's house, | 20At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father’s house, |
| 21and when he had been abandoned, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. | 21and when he was exposed, 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. | 22And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. |
| 23But when he was about forty years old, it entered his mind to visit his fellow countrymen the Israelites. | 23“When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. |
| 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. | 24And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. |
| 25He thought his own people would understand that God was delivering them through him, but they did not understand. | 25He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, 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?' | 26And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ |
| 27But the man who was unfairly hurting his neighbor pushed Moses aside, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and judge over us? | 27But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? |
| 28You don't want to kill me the way you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?' | 28Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ |
| 29When the man said this, Moses fled and became a foreigner in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. | 29At this retort Moses fled and became an exile 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. | 30“Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. |
| 31When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and when he approached to investigate, there came the voice of the Lord, | 31When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: |
| 32I 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. | 32‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. |
| 33But the Lord said to him, 'Take the sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. | 33Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from 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.' | 34I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And 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. | 35“This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by 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. | 36This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and 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.' | 37This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from 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. | 38This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. |
| 39Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him, but pushed him aside and turned back to Egypt in their hearts, | 39Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, |
| 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!' | 40saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of 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. | 41And they made a calf in those days, and offered 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 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? | 42But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: “‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices, during the forty years in the wilderness, O 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.' | 43You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; and I will send you into exile 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. | 44“Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that 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. | 45Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, |
| 46He found favor with God and asked that he could find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob. | 46who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. |
| 47But Solomon built a house for him. | 47But it was Solomon who built a house for him. |
| 48Yet the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands, as the prophet says, | 48Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, |
| 49Heaven 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? | 49“‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? |
| 50Did my hand not make all these things?' | 50Did not my hand make all these things?’ |
| 51"You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did! | 51“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. |
| 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! | 52Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, |
| 53You received the law by decrees given by angels, but you did not obey it." | 53you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” |
| 54When they heard these things, they became furious and ground their teeth at him. | 54Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they 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. | 55But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into 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!" | 56And he said, “Behold, 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. | 57But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. |
| 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. | 58Then 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. |
| 59They continued to stone Stephen while he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" | 59And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “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. | 60And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. |
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