New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

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

2This was Stephen’s reply: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia before he settled 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,

3God told him, ‘Leave your native land and your relatives, and come into the land that 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 lived in Haran until his father died. Then God brought him here to the land where you now live.

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.

5“But God gave him no inheritance here, not even one square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole land would belong to Abraham and his descendants—even though he had no children yet.

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 also told him that his descendants would live in a foreign land, where they would be oppressed as slaves for 400 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 in the end they will come out and worship me here 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.'

8“God also gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision at that time. So when Abraham became the father of Isaac, he circumcised him on the eighth day. And the practice was continued when Isaac became the father of Jacob, and when Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs of the Israelite nation.

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.

9“These patriarchs were jealous of their brother Joseph, and they sold him to be a slave in 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. And God gave him favor before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. God also gave Joseph unusual wisdom, so that Pharaoh appointed him governor over all of Egypt and put him in charge of the palace.

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.

11“But a famine came upon Egypt and Canaan. There was great misery, and our ancestors ran out of food.

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

12Jacob heard that there was still grain in Egypt, so he sent his sons—our ancestors—to buy some.

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

13The second time they went, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and they were introduced 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 to come to Egypt, seventy-five persons 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 to Egypt. He died there, as did our ancestors.

15"And Jacob went down to Egypt and there he and our fathers died.

16Their bodies were taken to Shechem and buried in the tomb Abraham had bought for a certain price from Hamor’s sons in Shechem.

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.

17“As the time drew near when God would fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased.

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

18But then a new king came to the throne of Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph.

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

19This king exploited our people and oppressed them, forcing parents to abandon their newborn babies 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.

20“At that time Moses was born—a beautiful child in God’s eyes. His parents cared for him at home for three months.

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 they had to abandon him, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and raised him 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.

22Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in both 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.

23“One day when Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his relatives, the people of Israel.

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

24He saw an Egyptian mistreating an Israelite. So Moses came to the man’s defense and avenged him, killing the Egyptian.

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.

25Moses assumed his fellow Israelites would realize that God had sent him to rescue them, but they didn’t.

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

26“The next day he visited them again and saw two men of Israel fighting. He tried to be a peacemaker. ‘Men,’ he said, ‘you are brothers. Why are you fighting 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?'

27“But the man in the wrong pushed Moses aside. ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?’ he asked.

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

28‘Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?’

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

29When Moses heard that, he fled the country and lived as a foreigner in the land of Midian. There his two sons were born.

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

30“Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush.

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 was amazed at the sight. As he went to take a closer look, the voice of the LORD called out 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 ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses shook with terror 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.

33“Then the LORD said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for you are standing on 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 certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groans and have come down to rescue them. Now go, for I am sending 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.'

35“So God sent back the same man his people had previously rejected when they demanded, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?’ Through the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush, God sent Moses to be their ruler and savior.

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.

36And by means of many wonders and miraculous signs, he led them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and through the wilderness for forty years.

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.

37“Moses himself told the people of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people.’

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.'

38Moses was with our ancestors, the assembly of God’s people in the wilderness, when the angel spoke to him at Mount Sinai. And there Moses received life-giving 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.

39“But our ancestors refused to listen to Moses. They rejected him and wanted to return to Egypt.

39"Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,

40They told Aaron, ‘Make us some gods who can lead us, for we don’t know what has become of this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.’

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.'

41So they made an idol shaped like a calf, and they sacrificed to it and celebrated over this thing they had made.

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

42Then God turned away from them and abandoned them to serve the stars of heaven as their gods! In the book of the prophets it is written, ‘Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during those forty years in the wilderness, 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?

43No, you carried your pagan gods— the shrine of Molech, the star of your god Rephan, and the images you made to worship them. So I will send you into exile as far away as 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.'

44“Our ancestors carried the Tabernacle with them through the wilderness. It was constructed according to the plan God had shown to Moses.

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.

45Years later, when Joshua led our ancestors in battle against the nations that God drove out of this land, the Tabernacle was taken with them into their new territory. And it stayed there until the time of King 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.

46“David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple 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 actually built it.

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

48However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples 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. Could you build me a temple as good as that?’ asks the LORD. ‘Could you build me such a resting place?

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?

50Didn’t my hands make both heaven and earth?’

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

51“You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you!

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.

52Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered.

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 deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.”

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

54The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.

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, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

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;

56And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”

56and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

57Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him

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

58and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them 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.

59As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

59They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"

60He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

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.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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