Dual Panel1Then <1161> the high priest <749> said <2036>, “Are <1487> these things <5023> true?”
2So <1161> he replied <5346>, “Brothers <435> <80> and <2532> fathers <3962>, listen <191> to me. The God <2316> of glory <1391> appeared <3700> to our <2257> forefather <3962> Abraham <11> when <1510> he was <1510> in <1722> Mesopotamia <3318>, before <4250> he <846> settled <2730> in <1722> Haran <5488>,
3and <2532> said <2036> to <4314> him <846>, ‘Go out <1831> from <1537> your <4675> country <1093> and from your <4675> relatives <4772>, and <2532> come <1204> to <1519> the land <1093> I will show <1166> you <4671>.’
4Then <5119> he went out <1831> from <1537> the country <1093> of <5466> the Chaldeans <5466> and settled <2730> in <1722> Haran <5488>. After <3326> his <846> father <3962> died <599>, God made him <846> move <3351> to <1519> this <3778> country <1093> where <3739> you <5210> now <3568> live <2730>.
5He <2532> did <1325> not <3756> give <1325> any of it to him <846> for an inheritance <2817>, not even <3761> a foot <4228> of ground, yet <2532> God promised <1861> to give <1325> it to him <846> as <1519> his possession <2697>, and <2532> to his <846> descendants <4690> after <3326> him <846>, even though Abraham as yet had <1510> no <3756> child <5043>.
6But <1161> God <2316> spoke <2980> as follows: ‘Your descendants <4690> will be <1510> foreigners <3941> in <1722> a foreign <245> country <1093>, whose citizens will enslave <1402> them <846> and <2532> mistreat <2559> them for four hundred <5071> years <2094>.
7But <2532> I <1473> will punish <2919> the nation <1484> they serve as slaves <1398>,’ said <2036> God <2316>, ‘and <2532> after <3326> these things <5023> they will come out <1831> of there and <2532> worship <3000> me <3427> in <1722> this <5129> place <5117>.’
8Then <2532> God gave <1325> Abraham <846> the covenant <1242> of circumcision <4061>, and <2532> so <3779> he became the father <1080> of Isaac <2464> and <2532> circumcised <4059> him <846> when he was eight <3590> days <2250> old, and <2532> Isaac <2464> became the father of Jacob <2384>, and <2532> Jacob <2384> of the twelve <1427> patriarchs <3966>.
9The patriarchs <3966>, because they were jealous <2206> of Joseph <2501>, sold <591> him into <1519> Egypt <125>. But <2532> God <2316> was <1510> with <3326> him <846>,
10and <2532> rescued <1807> him <846> from <1537> all <3956> his <846> troubles <2347>, and <2532> granted <1325> him <846> favor <5485> and <2532> wisdom <4678> in the presence of <1726> Pharaoh <5328>, king <935> of Egypt <125>, who made <2525> him <846> ruler <2233> over <1909> Egypt <125> and <2532> over all <3650> his <846> household <3624>.
11Then <1161> a famine <3042> occurred <2064> throughout <3650> Egypt <125> and <2532> Canaan <5477>, causing great <3173> suffering <2347>, and <2532> our <2257> ancestors <3962> could <2147> not <3756> find <2147> food <5527>.
12So <1161> when <191> Jacob <2384> heard <191> that there was <1510> grain <4621> in <1519> Egypt <125>, he sent <1821> our <2257> ancestors <3962> there the first <4412> time.
13On <1722> their second <1208> visit Joseph <2501> made <1107> himself known <1107> to his <846> brothers <80> again, and <2532> Joseph’s <2501> family <1085> became <1096> known <5318> to Pharaoh <5328>.
14So <1161> Joseph <2501> sent <649> a message and invited <3333> his <846> father <3962> Jacob <2384> and <2532> all <3956> his relatives <4772> to come, seventy-five <1440> <4002> people <5590> in all.
15So <1161> Jacob <2384> went down <2597> to <1519> Egypt <125> and <2532> died <5053> there, along with our <2257> ancestors <3962>,
16and <2532> their bones were later moved <3346> to <1519> Shechem <4966> and <2532> placed <5087> in <1722> the tomb <3418> that <3739> Abraham <11> had bought <5608> for a certain sum <5092> of money <694> from <3844> the sons <5207> of Hamor <1697> in <1722> Shechem <4966>.
17“But <1161> as <2531> the time <5550> drew near <1448> for God <2316> to fulfill the promise <1860> he had declared <3670> to Abraham <11>, the people <2992> increased greatly in number <4129> in <1722> Egypt <125>,
18until <891> another <2087> king <935> who <3739> did <1492> not <3756> know <1492> about Joseph <2501> ruled <450> over <1909> Egypt <125>.
19This <3778> was the one who exploited <2686> our <2257> people <1085> and was cruel <2559> to our ancestors <3962>, forcing <4160> them to abandon <1570> their <846> infants <1025> so <1519> they would die <2225>. die <3361>.
20At <1722> that time <2540> Moses <3475> was born <1080>, and <2532> he was <1510> beautiful <791> to God <2316>. For three <5140> months <3376> he was brought up <397> in <1722> his father’s <3962> house <3624>,
21and <1161> when <1620> he <846> had been abandoned <1620>, Pharaoh’s <5328> daughter <2364> adopted <337> him <846> and <2532> brought <397> him <846> up <397> as <1519> her own <1438> son <5207>.
22So <2532> Moses <3475> was trained <3811> in all <3956> the wisdom <4678> of the Egyptians <124> and <1161> was <1510> powerful <1415> in <1722> his <846> words <3056> and <2532> deeds <2041>.
23But <1161> when <5613> he was about <4137> forty <5063> years old <5550>, it entered <305> his <846> mind <2588> to visit <1980> his <846> fellow countrymen <80> the Israelites <2474>.
24When <2532> he saw <1492> one of them <5100> being hurt unfairly <91>, Moses came to <292> his defense <292> and <2532> avenged <1557> the person who was mistreated <2669> by striking down <3960> the Egyptian <124>.
25He thought <3543> his own people <80> would understand <4920> that <3754> God <2316> was delivering <1325> <4991> them <846> through <1223> <5495> him <846>, but <1161> they did <4920> not <3756> understand <4920>.
26The next <1966> day <2250> Moses saw <3708> two men <846> fighting <3164>, and <2532> tried <4900> to make peace <1515> between them <846>, saying <3004>, ‘Men <435>, you are <1510> brothers <80>; why <2444> are you hurting <91> one another <240>?’
27But <1161> the man who was unfairly hurting <91> his neighbor <4139> pushed <683> Moses <846> aside <683>, saying <2036>, ‘Who <5101> made <2525> you <4571> a ruler <758> and <2532> judge <1348> over <1909> us <2257>?
28You <4771> don’t <3361> want <2309> to kill <337> me <3165> the way <5158> you killed <337> the Egyptian <124> yesterday <5504>, do you?’
29When <1161> the man said <3056> this <5129>, Moses <3475> fled <5343> and <2532> became <1096> a foreigner <3941> in <1722> the land <1093> of Midian <3099>, where <3757> he became the father <1080> of two <1417> sons <5207>.
30“After forty <5062> years <2094> had passed <4137>, an angel <32> appeared <3700> to him <846> in <1722> the desert <2048> of Mount <3735> Sinai <4614>, in <1722> the flame <5395> of a burning <4442> bush <942>.
31When <1492> Moses <3475> saw <1492> it, he was amazed <2296> at the sight <3705>, and <1161> when he <846> approached <4334> to investigate <2657>, there came <1096> the voice <5456> of <2962> the Lord <2962>,
32‘I <1473> am the God <2316> of your <4675> forefathers <3962>, the God <2316> of Abraham <11>, Isaac <2464>, and <2532> Jacob <2384>.’ Moses <3475> began to tremble <1790> and <1161> did <5111> not <3756> dare <5111> to look more closely <2657>.
33But <1161> the Lord <2962> said <2036> to him <846>, ‘Take <3089> the sandals <5266> off <3089> your <4675> feet <4228>, for <1063> the place <5117> where <3739> you are standing <2476> is <1510> holy <40> ground <1093>.
34I have certainly seen <1492> the suffering <2561> of my <3450> people <2992> who are in <1722> Egypt <125> and <2532> have heard <191> their <846> groaning <4726>, and <2532> I have come down <2597> to rescue <1807> them <846>. Now <3568> come <1204>, I will send <649> you <4571> to <1519> Egypt <125>.’
35This <5126> same Moses <3475> they had rejected <720>, saying <2036>, ‘Who <5101> made <2525> you <4571> a ruler <758> and <2532> judge <1348>?’ God <2316> sent <649> as both <2532> ruler <758> and <2532> deliverer <3086> through the hand <5495> of the angel <32> who appeared <3700> to him <846> in <1722> the bush <942>.
36This man <3778> led <1806> them <846> out <1806>, performing <4160> wonders <5059> and <2532> miraculous signs <4592> in <1722> the land of Egypt <125>, at <1722> the Red <2063> Sea <2281>, and <2532> in <1722> the wilderness <2048> for forty <5062> years <2094>.
37This <3778> is <1510> the Moses <3475> who said <3004> to the Israelites <2474>, ‘God <2316> will raise up <450> for you <5213> a prophet <4396> like <5613> me <1691> from <1537> among your <5216> brothers <80>.’
38This <3778> is <1510> the man who was <1096> in <1722> the congregation <1577> in <1722> the wilderness <2048> with <3326> the angel <32> who spoke <2980> to him <846> at <1722> Mount <3735> Sinai <4614>, and <2532> with our <2257> ancestors <3962>, and he received <1209> living <2198> oracles <3051> to give <1325> to you <5213>.
39Our <2257> ancestors <3962> were unwilling <2309> unwilling <3756> to obey <1096> him, but <235> pushed <683> him aside <683> and <2532> turned back <4762> to <1519> Egypt <125> in <1722> their <846> hearts <2588>,
40saying <2036> to Aaron <2>, ‘Make <4160> us <2254> gods <2316> who will go in front of <4313> us <2257>, for <1063> this <3778> Moses <3475>, who <3739> led <1806> us <2248> out <1806> of the land <1093> of Egypt <125> –we do <1492> not <3756> know <1492> what <5101> has happened <1096> to him <846>!’
41At <1722> that <1565> time <2250> they made an idol in the form of a calf <3447>, brought <321> a sacrifice <2378> to the idol <1497>, and <2532> began rejoicing <2165> in <1722> the works <2041> of their <846> hands <5495>.
42But <1161> God <2316> turned away <4762> from them and <2532> gave <3860> them <846> over <3860> to worship <3000> the host <4756> of heaven <3772>, as <2531> it is written <1125> in <1722> the book <976> of the prophets <4396>: ‘It was not <3361> to me <3427> that you offered <4374> slain animals <4968> and <2532> sacrifices <2378> forty <5062> years <2094> in <1722> the wilderness <2048>, was it, house <3624> of Israel <2474>?
43But <2532> you took along <353> the tabernacle <4633> of Moloch <3434> and <2532> the star <798> of the god <2316> Rephan <4481>, the images <5179> you made <4160> to worship <4352>, but <2532> I will deport <3351> you <5209> beyond <1900> Babylon <897>.’
44Our <2257> ancestors <3962> had <1510> the tabernacle <4633> of testimony <3142> in <1722> the wilderness <2048>, just <2531> as God who spoke <2980> to Moses <3475> ordered <1299> him to make <4160> it <846> according to <2596> the design <5179> he had seen <3708>.
45Our <2257> ancestors <3962> received possession of it and <2532> brought <1521> it in with <3326> Joshua <2424> when they dispossessed <2697> the nations <1484> that <3739> God <2316> drove out <1856> before <575> <4383> our <2257> ancestors <3962>, until <2193> the time <2250> of David <1138>.
46He found <2147> favor <5485> with God <2316> and <2532> asked <154> that he could find <2147> a dwelling place <4638> for the house of Jacob <2384>.
47But <1161> Solomon <4672> built <3618> a house <3624> for him <846>.
48Yet <235> the Most High <5310> does <2730> not <3756> live <2730> in <1722> houses made by human hands <5499>, as <2531> the prophet <4396> says <3004>,
49‘Heaven <3772> is my <3427> throne <2362>, and <2532> earth <1093> is the footstool <5286> for my <3450> feet <4228>. What kind <4169> of house <3624> will you build <3618> for me <3427>, says <3004> the Lord <2962>, or <2228> what <5101> is my <3450> resting <2663> place <5117>?
50Did <4160> my <3450> hand <5495> not <3780> make <4160> all <3956> these things <5023>?’
51“You stubborn <4644> people, with uncircumcised <564> hearts <2588> and <2532> ears <3775>! You <5210> are <496> always <104> resisting <496> the Holy <40> Spirit <4151>, like <5613> your <5216> ancestors <3962> did!
52Which <5101> of the prophets <4396> did <1377> your <5216> ancestors <3962> not <3756> persecute <1377>? They killed <615> those who foretold long ago <4293> the coming <1660> of the Righteous One <1342>, whose <3739> betrayers <4273> and <2532> murderers <5406> you <5210> have <1096> now <3568> become <1096>!
53You <3748> received <2983> the law <3551> by <1519> decrees given by <1296> angels <32>, but <2532> you did <5442> not <3756> obey <5442> it.”
54When they heard <191> these things <5023>, they <846> became furious <1282> <2588> and <2532> ground <1031> their teeth <3599> at <1909> him <846>.
55But <1161> Stephen, full <4134> of the Holy <40> Spirit <4151>, looked intently <816> toward <1519> heaven <3772> and saw <1492> the glory <1391> of God <2316>, and <2532> Jesus <2424> standing <2476> at <1537> the right hand <1188> of God <2316>.
56“Look <2400>!” he said <2036>. “I see <2334> the heavens <3772> opened <1272>, and <2532> the Son <5207> of Man <444> standing <2476> at <1537> the right hand <1188> of God <2316>!”
57But <1161> they covered <4912> their <846> ears <3775>, shouting out <2896> with a <5456> loud <3173> voice <5456>, and <2532> rushed <3729> at <1909> him <846> with one intent <3661>.
58When <1544> they had driven <1544> him out <1854> of the city <4172>, they began to stone <3036> him, and <2532> the witnesses <3144> laid <659> their <846> cloaks <2440> at <3844> the feet <4228> of a young man <3494> named <2564> Saul <4569>.
59They continued to stone <3036> Stephen <4736> while <1941> he prayed <1941>, “Lord <2962> Jesus <2424>, receive <1209> my <3450> spirit <4151>!”
60Then <1161> he fell <5087> to his knees <1119> and cried out <2896> with a <5456> loud <3173> voice <5456>, “Lord <2962>, do <2476> not <3361> hold <2476> this <3778> sin <266> against them <846>!” When <2036> he had said <2036> this <5124>, he died <2837>.