Acts of the Apostles 7

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 And the high priest said, "Is this so?"	1 Then the high priest said, “Are these things 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 Stephen said: “Noble brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he stayed 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 God said to him, ‘Depart from your country and from your kindred, and go into the land that I will show to 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 Then he went away from the land of the Chaldeans, and he lived at Haran. And later, after his father was dead, God brought him into this land, in which 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 And he gave him no inheritance in it, not even the space of one step. But he promised to give it to him as a possession, and to his offspring after him, though he did not have a son.
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 Then God told him that his offspring would be a settler in a foreign land, and that they would subjugate them, and treat them badly, 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 ‘And the nation whom they will serve, I will judge,’ said the Lord. ‘And after these things, they shall depart and shall serve 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 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so he conceived Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac conceived 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, being jealous, sold Joseph into 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 he rescued him from all his tribulations. And he gave him grace and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And he appointed him as governor over Egypt and over all his house.
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 occurred in all of Egypt and Canaan, and a great tribulation. And our fathers did not find food.
12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time.	12 But when Jacob had heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers first.
13 And at the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh.	13 And on the second occasion, Joseph was recognized by his brothers, and his ancestry was made manifest 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 and brought his father Jacob, with all his kindred, seventy-five souls.
15 and Jacob went down into Egypt. And he died, himself and our fathers,	15 And Jacob descended into Egypt, and he passed away, and so did our fathers.
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 they crossed over into Shechem, and they were placed in the sepulcher which Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the son of 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 And when the time of the Promise that God had revealed to Abraham drew near, the people increased and were multiplied in Egypt,
18 till there arose over Egypt another king who had not known Joseph.	18 even until another king, who did not know Joseph, rose up 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 This one, encompassing our kindred, afflicted our fathers, so that they would expose their infants, lest they be kept alive.
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 In the same time, Moses was born. And he was in the grace of God, and he was nourished for three months in the house of his father.
21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.	21 Then, having been abandoned, the daughter of Pharaoh took him in, and she raised him 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 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. And he was mighty in his words and in his deeds.
23 "When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel.	23 But when forty years of age were completed in him, it rose up in his heart that he should visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.
24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking the Egyptian.	24 And when he had seen a certain one suffering injury, he defended him. And striking the Egyptian, he wrought a retribution for him who was enduring the injury.
25 He supposed that his brethren understood that God was giving them deliverance by his hand, but they did not understand.	25 Now he supposed that his brothers would understand that God would grant them salvation through his hand. But they did not understand it.
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 So truly, on the following day, he appeared before those who were arguing, and he would have reconciled them in peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. So why would you harm 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 But he who was causing the injury to his neighbor rejected him, saying: ‘Who has appointed you as leader and judge over us?
28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'	28 Could it be that you want to kill me, in the same way that 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 Then, at this word, Moses fled. And he became a foreigner in the land of Midian, where he produced 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 And when forty years were completed, there appeared to him, in the desert of Mount Sinai, an Angel, in a flame of fire in a 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 And upon seeing this, Moses was amazed at the sight. And as he drew near in order to gaze at it, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying:
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, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses, being made to tremble, did not dare to look.
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: ‘Loosen the shoes from your feet. For the place in which 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 Certainly, I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning. And so, I am coming down to free them. And now, go forth and I will send you into 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 rejected by saying, ‘Who has appointed you as leader and judge?’ is the one God sent to be leader and redeemer, by the hand of 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, accomplishing signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and 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 This is Moses, who said to the sons of Israel: ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own brothers. You shall listen to him.’
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 This is he who was in the Church in the wilderness, with the Angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. It is he who received the words of life to give to us.
39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt,	39 It is he whom our fathers were not willing to obey. Instead, they rejected him, and in their hearts they turned away toward 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 gods for us, which may go before us. For this Moses, who led us away from 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 And so they fashioned a calf in those days, and they offered sacrifices to an idol, and they rejoiced in the works of their own 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 he handed them over, to subservience to the armies of heaven, just as it was written in the Book of the Prophets: ‘Did you not offer victims and sacrifices to me 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 And yet you took up for yourselves the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, figures which you yourselves formed in order to adore them. And so I will carry you away, 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 The tabernacle of the testimony was with our fathers in the desert, just as God ordained for them, speaking to Moses, so that he would make it according to the form that 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 But our fathers, receiving it, also brought it, with Joshua, into the land of the Gentiles, whom God expelled before the face of our fathers, even until the days 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 grace before God and who asked that he might obtain a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.	47 But it was Solomon who 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 live in houses built by hands, just as he said through the prophet:
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 ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house would you build for me? says the Lord. And which is my resting place?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?'	50 Has not my hand made 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 Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you ever resist the Holy Spirit. Just as your fathers did, so also do you do.
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 have your fathers not persecuted? And they killed those who foretold the advent of the Just One. And you have now become the betrayers and murderers of him.
53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it."	53 You received the law by the actions of Angels, and yet you have not kept it.”
54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth against him.	54 Then, upon hearing these things, they were deeply wounded in their hearts, and they gnashed 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, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and gazing intently toward heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 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."	56 Then they, crying out with a loud voice, blocked their ears and, with one accord, rushed violently toward him.
57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him.	57 And driving him out, beyond the city, they stoned him. And witnesses placed their garments beside the feet of a youth, who was called Saul.
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 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."	59 Then, having been brought to his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord. And Saul was consenting to his murder.
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.