Acts of the Apostles 7

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 And the high priest said, "Is this so?"	1 Then the high priest asked, "Is this so?"
2 And Stephen said: "Brethren and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,	2 And he replied, "My brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia, before he had settled in Haran,
3 and said to him, 'Depart from your land and from your kindred and go into the land which I will show you.'	3 and said to him, 'Go forth from your land and (from) your kinsfolk to the land that I will show you.'
4 Then he departed 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;	4 So he went forth from the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, he made him migrate to this land where you now dwell.
5 yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him in possession and to his posterity after him, though he had no child.	5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but he did promise to give it to him and his descendants as a possession, even though he was childless.
6 And God spoke to this effect, that his posterity would be aliens in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and ill-treat them four hundred years.	6 And God spoke thus, 'His descendants shall be aliens in a land not their own, where they shall be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years;
7 'But I will judge the nation which they serve,' said God, 'and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.'	7 but I will bring judgment on the nation they serve,' God said, 'and after that they will come out and worship me in this place.'
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.	8 Then he gave him the covenant of circumcision, and so he became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, as Isaac did Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.
9 "And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him,	9 "And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him
10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him governor over Egypt and over all his household.	10 and rescued him from all his afflictions. He granted him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, who put him in charge of Egypt and (of) his entire household.
11 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food.	11 Then a famine and great affliction struck all Egypt and Canaan, and our ancestors could find no food;
12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time.	12 but when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there a first time.
13 And at the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh.	13 The second time, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh.
14 And Joseph sent and called to him Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five souls;	14 Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob, inviting him and his whole clan, seventy-five persons;
15 and Jacob went down into Egypt. And he died, himself and our fathers,	15 and Jacob went down to Egypt. And he and our ancestors died
16 and 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.	16 and were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor at Shechem.
17 "But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt	17 "When the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise that God pledged to Abraham, the people had increased and become very numerous in Egypt,
18 till there arose over Egypt another king who had not known Joseph.	18 until another king who knew nothing of Joseph came to power (in Egypt).
19 He dealt craftily with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, that they might not be kept alive.	19 He dealt shrewdly with our people and oppressed (our) ancestors by forcing them to expose their infants, that they might not survive.
20 At this time Moses was born, and was beautiful before God. And he was brought up for three months in his father's house;	20 At this time Moses was born, and he was extremely beautiful. For three months he was nursed in his father's house;
21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.	21 but when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.
22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.	22 Moses was educated (in) all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his words and deeds.
23 "When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel.	23 "When he was forty years old, he decided to visit his kinsfolk, the Israelites.
24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking the Egyptian.	24 When he saw one of them treated unjustly, he defended and avenged the oppressed man by striking down the Egyptian.
25 He supposed that his brethren understood that God was giving them deliverance by his hand, but they did not understand.	25 He assumed (his) kinsfolk would understand that God was offering them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.
26 And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and would have reconciled them, saying, 'Men, you are brethren, why do you wrong each other?'	26 The next day he appeared to them as they were fighting and tried to reconcile them peacefully, saying, 'Men, you are brothers. Why are you harming one another?'
27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?	27 Then the one who was harming his neighbor pushed him aside, saying, 'Who appointed you ruler and judge over us?
28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'	28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'
29 At this retort Moses fled, and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.	29 Moses fled when he heard this and settled as an alien in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
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.	30 "Forty years later, an angel appeared to him in the desert near Mount Sinai in the flame of a burning bush.
31 When Moses saw it he wondered at the sight; and as he drew near to look, the voice of the Lord came,	31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look at it, the voice of the Lord came,
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.	32 'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.' Then Moses, trembling, did not dare to look at it.
33 And the Lord said to him, 'Take off the shoes from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.	33 But the Lord said to him, 'Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
34 I have surely seen the ill-treatment of my people that are in Egypt and heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.'	34 I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, I will send you to Egypt.'
35 "This Moses whom they refused, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?' God sent as both ruler and deliverer by the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush.	35 This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, 'Who appointed you ruler and judge?' God sent as (both) ruler and deliverer, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 He led them out, having performed wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.	36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the desert for forty years.
37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren as he raised me up.'	37 It was this Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up for you, from among your own kinsfolk, a prophet like me.'
38 This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living oracles to give to us.	38 It was he who, in the assembly in the desert, was with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and with our ancestors, and he received living utterances to hand on to us.
39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt,	39 "Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him; instead, they pushed him aside and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,
40 saying to Aaron, 'Make for us gods to 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.'	40 saying to Aaron, 'Make us gods who will be our leaders. As for that Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.'
41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and rejoiced in the works of their hands.	41 So they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifice to the idol, and reveled in the works of their hands.
42 But God turned and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: 'Did you offer to me slain beasts and sacrifices, forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?	42 Then God turned and handed them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: 'Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings for forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?
43 And you took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of the god Rephan, the figures which you made to worship; and I will remove you beyond Babylon.'	43 No, you took up the tent of Moloch and the star of (your) god Rephan, the images that you made to worship. So I shall take you into exile beyond Babylon.'
44 "Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen.	44 "Our ancestors had the tent of testimony in the desert just as the One who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern he had seen.
45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations which God thrust out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David,	45 Our ancestors who inherited it brought it with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out from before our ancestors, up to the time of David,
46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked leave to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.	46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob.
47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.	47 But Solomon built a house for him.
48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands; as the prophet says,	48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
49 'Heaven is my throne, and earth my footstool. What house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?	49 'The heavens are my throne, the earth is my footstool. What kind of house can you build for me? says the Lord, or what is to be my resting place?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?'	50 Did not my hand make all these things?'
51 "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.	51 "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors.
52 Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,	52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.
53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it."	53 You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it."
54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth against him.	54 When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him.
55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;	55 But he, filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
56 and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God."	56 and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him.	57 But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together.
58 Then 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.	58 They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."	59 As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
60 And he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.	60 Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them"; and when he said this, he fell asleep.