New American Standard Bible ACTS 7

Stephen’s Defense

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

2 And he said, “Hear me, Abrethren and fathers! BThe God of glory Cappeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in 1Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘ALᴇᴀvᴇ ʏoᴜʀ coᴜɴᴛʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ʏoᴜʀ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪvᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ coᴍᴇ ɪɴᴛo ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ I wɪʟʟ sʜow ʏoᴜ.’ 4 “AThen he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in 1Haran. BFrom there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living. 5 “But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even when he had no child, AHe promised that Hᴇ woᴜʟᴅ ɢɪvᴇ ɪᴛ ᴛo ʜɪᴍ ᴀs ᴀ ᴘossᴇssɪoɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛo ʜɪs ᴅᴇscᴇɴᴅᴀɴᴛs ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ʜɪᴍ. 6 “But AGod spoke to this effect, that his ᴅᴇscᴇɴᴅᴀɴᴛs woᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴀʟɪᴇɴs ɪɴ ᴀ ꜰoʀᴇɪɢɴ ʟᴀɴᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ woᴜʟᴅ 1ʙᴇ ᴇɴsʟᴀvᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍɪsᴛʀᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ ꜰoʀ ꜰoᴜʀ ʜᴜɴᴅʀᴇᴅ ʏᴇᴀʀs. 7 “ ‘Aɴᴅ wʜᴀᴛᴇvᴇʀ ɴᴀᴛɪoɴ ᴛo wʜɪcʜ ᴛʜᴇʏ wɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ɪɴ ʙoɴᴅᴀɢᴇ I Mʏsᴇʟꜰ wɪʟʟ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇ,’ said God, ‘ᴀɴᴅ Aᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ wɪʟʟ coᴍᴇ oᴜᴛ ᴀɴᴅ 1sᴇʀvᴇ Mᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ᴘʟᴀcᴇ.’ 8 “And He Agave him 1the covenant of circumcision; and so BAbraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and CIsaac became the father of Jacob, and DJacob of the twelve Epatriarchs.

9 “The patriarchs Abecame jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him, 10 and rescued him from all his afflictions, and Agranted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household.

11 “Now Aa famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers 1could find no food. 12 “But Awhen Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time. 13 “On the second visit AJoseph 1made himself known to his brothers, and BJoseph’s family was disclosed to Pharaoh. 14 “Then AJoseph sent word and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to him, Bseventy-five 1 Cpersons in all. 15 “And AJacob went down to Egypt and there he and our fathers died. 16 “From there they were removed to 1 AShechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of 2Hamor in 1Shechem.

17 “But as the Atime of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, Bthe people increased and multiplied in Egypt, 18 until Aᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀosᴇ ᴀɴoᴛʜᴇʀ ᴋɪɴɢ ovᴇʀ Eɢʏᴘᴛ wʜo ᴋɴᴇw ɴoᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀʙoᴜᴛ Josᴇᴘʜ. 19 “It was he who took Ashrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would 1 Bexpose their infants and they would not survive. 20 “It was at this time that AMoses was born; and he was lovely 1in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father’s home. 21 “And after he had been set outside, APharaoh’s daughter 1took him away and nurtured him as her own son. 22 “Moses was educated in all Athe learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds. 23 “But when he was approaching the age of forty, Ait entered his 1mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. 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. 25 “And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them 1deliverance 2through him, but they did not understand. 26 “AOn 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 one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘AWʜo ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ʏoᴜ ᴀ ʀᴜʟᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇ ovᴇʀ ᴜs? 28 ‘AYoᴜ ᴅo ɴoᴛ ᴍᴇᴀɴ ᴛo ᴋɪʟʟ ᴍᴇ ᴀs ʏoᴜ ᴋɪʟʟᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ Eɢʏᴘᴛɪᴀɴ ʏᴇsᴛᴇʀᴅᴀʏ, ᴅo ʏoᴜ?’ 29 “At this remark, AMosᴇs ꜰʟᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴇcᴀᴍᴇ ᴀɴ ᴀʟɪᴇɴ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀɴᴅ oꜰ 1Mɪᴅɪᴀɴ, where he Bbecame the father of two sons.

30 “After forty years had passed, Aᴀɴ ᴀɴɢᴇʟ ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴛo ʜɪᴍ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ wɪʟᴅᴇʀɴᴇss oꜰ Moᴜɴᴛ Sinai, ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʟᴀᴍᴇ oꜰ ᴀ ʙᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴛʜoʀɴ ʙᴜsʜ. 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 ‘AI ᴀᴍ ᴛʜᴇ Goᴅ oꜰ ʏoᴜʀ ꜰᴀᴛʜᴇʀs, ᴛʜᴇ Goᴅ oꜰ Aʙʀᴀʜᴀᴍ ᴀɴᴅ Isᴀᴀc ᴀɴᴅ Jᴀcoʙ.’ Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look. 33 “ABᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ Loʀᴅ sᴀɪᴅ ᴛo ʜɪᴍ, ‘BTᴀᴋᴇ oꜰꜰ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀɴᴅᴀʟs ꜰʀoᴍ ʏoᴜʀ ꜰᴇᴇᴛ, ꜰoʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀcᴇ oɴ wʜɪcʜ ʏoᴜ ᴀʀᴇ sᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ɪs ʜoʟʏ ɢʀoᴜɴᴅ. 34 ‘AI ʜᴀvᴇ cᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴʟʏ sᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ oᴘᴘʀᴇssɪoɴ oꜰ Mʏ ᴘᴇoᴘʟᴇ ɪɴ Eɢʏᴘᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀvᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ɢʀoᴀɴs, ᴀɴᴅ I ʜᴀvᴇ coᴍᴇ ᴅowɴ ᴛo ʀᴇscᴜᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ; 1 Bcoᴍᴇ ɴow, ᴀɴᴅ I wɪʟʟ sᴇɴᴅ ʏoᴜ ᴛo Eɢʏᴘᴛ.’

35 “This Moses whom they Adisowned, saying, ‘Wʜo ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ʏoᴜ ᴀ ʀᴜʟᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇ?’ is the one whom God 1sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the 2help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. 36 “AThis man led them out, performing Bwonders and 1signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the Cwilderness for forty years. 37 “This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘AGoᴅ wɪʟʟ ʀᴀɪsᴇ ᴜᴘ ꜰoʀ ʏoᴜ ᴀ ᴘʀoᴘʜᴇᴛ 1ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴍᴇ ꜰʀoᴍ ʏoᴜʀ ʙʀᴇᴛʜʀᴇɴ.’ 38 “This is the one who was in Athe 1congregation in the wilderness together with Bthe angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received Cliving Doracles to pass on to you. 39 “Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but Arepudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, 40 Asᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴛo Aᴀʀoɴ, ‘Mᴀᴋᴇ ꜰoʀ ᴜs ɢoᴅs wʜo wɪʟʟ ɢo ʙᴇꜰoʀᴇ ᴜs; ꜰoʀ ᴛʜɪs Mosᴇs wʜo ʟᴇᴅ ᴜs oᴜᴛ oꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀɴᴅ oꜰ Eɢʏᴘᴛ—wᴇ ᴅo ɴoᴛ ᴋɴow wʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴛo ʜɪᴍ.’ 41 “1At that time Athey made a 2calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in Bthe works of their hands. 42 “But God Aturned away and delivered them up to 1serve the 2host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘BIᴛ wᴀs ɴoᴛ ᴛo Mᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏoᴜ oꜰꜰᴇʀᴇᴅ vɪcᴛɪᴍs ᴀɴᴅ sᴀcʀɪꜰɪcᴇs Cꜰoʀᴛʏ ʏᴇᴀʀs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ wɪʟᴅᴇʀɴᴇss, wᴀs ɪᴛ, O ʜoᴜsᴇ oꜰ Isʀᴀᴇʟ? 43 ‘AYoᴜ ᴀʟso ᴛooᴋ ᴀʟoɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʙᴇʀɴᴀcʟᴇ oꜰ Moʟocʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀʀ oꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ɢoᴅ 1Roᴍᴘʜᴀ, ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇs wʜɪcʜ ʏoᴜ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴛo woʀsʜɪᴘ. I ᴀʟso wɪʟʟ ʀᴇᴍovᴇ ʏoᴜ ʙᴇʏoɴᴅ Bᴀʙʏʟoɴ.’

44 “Our fathers had Athe tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it Baccording to the pattern which he had seen. 45 “And having received it in their turn, our fathers Abrought it in with 1Joshua upon dispossessing the 2nations whom God drove out before our fathers, until the time of David. 46 “ADavid found favor in God’s sight, and Basked that he might find a dwelling place for the 1God of Jacob. 47 “But it was ASolomon who built a house for Him. 48 “However, Athe Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

49 ‘AHᴇᴀvᴇɴ ɪs Mʏ ᴛʜʀoɴᴇ,

Aɴᴅ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ꜰooᴛsᴛooʟ oꜰ Mʏ ꜰᴇᴇᴛ;

Wʜᴀᴛ ᴋɪɴᴅ oꜰ ʜoᴜsᴇ wɪʟʟ ʏoᴜ ʙᴜɪʟᴅ ꜰoʀ Mᴇ?’ says the Lord,

‘Oʀ wʜᴀᴛ ᴘʟᴀcᴇ ɪs ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ꜰoʀ Mʏ ʀᴇᴘosᴇ?

50 ‘AWᴀs ɪᴛ ɴoᴛ Mʏ ʜᴀɴᴅ wʜɪcʜ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢs?’

51 “You men who are Astiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 52 “AWhich one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of Bthe Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers Cyou have now become; 53 you who received the law as Aordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”

Stephen Put to Death

54 Now when they heard this, they were Acut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55 But being Afull of the Holy Spirit, he Bgazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing Cat the right hand of God; 56 and he said, “Behold, I see the Aheavens opened up and Bthe Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. 58 When they had Adriven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and Bthe witnesses Claid aside their robes at the feet of Da young man named Saul. 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he Acalled on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then Afalling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, Bdo not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he 1 Cfell asleep.