Acts 7

1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so? 2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. 4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. 5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. 6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. 7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs. 9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, 10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh. 14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. 15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, 16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. 17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph. 19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live. 20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months: 21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. 22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. 23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. 26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? 27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? 29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons. 30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, 32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. 33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground. 34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt. 35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. 36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. 38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: 39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, 40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. 42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? 43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. 44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. 45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; 46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built him an house. 48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? 50 Hath not my hand made all these things?

51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

司提反的申辩

1 大祭司说："真有这些事吗？"2 司提反说："各位父老兄弟请听！我们的祖宗亚伯拉罕，在美索不达米亚，还没有住在哈兰的时候，荣耀的　神向他显现，3 对他说：‘你要离开本地本族，到我指示你的地方去。’4 他就离开迦勒底人的地方，住在哈兰。他父亲死后，　神又叫他从那里迁到你们现在所住的地方。5 在这里　神并没有赐他产业，连立足之地也没有。但　神应许把这地赐给他和他的后裔为业，虽然那时他还没有儿子。6 　神就这样说：‘你的后裔必在外地寄居，人要奴役、虐待他们四百年。’7 　神又说：‘奴役他们的那个国家，我要亲自惩罚。以后，他们要出来，在这地方事奉我。’8 　神也赐他割礼为约。这样，亚伯拉罕生了以撒，第八天就给他行了割礼。后来，以撒生雅各，雅各生了十二位祖先。

9 "祖先妒忌约瑟，把他卖到埃及去，然而　神与他同在，10 救他脱离一切苦难，使他在埃及王法老面前，有智慧、得恩宠。法老立他为首相，管理埃及和法老的全家。11 后来埃及和迦南全地遭遇饥荒、大灾难，我们的祖先找不到粮食。12 雅各听见埃及有谷粮，就派我们的祖先去，这是第一次。13 第二次的时候，约瑟就向哥哥们表露自己的身世，法老才知道约瑟的家世。14 约瑟就派人去把他父亲雅各和全家七十五人都接来。15 于是雅各下了埃及。后来他和我们祖先都死了，16 运到示剑，埋葬在亚伯拉罕用银子向哈抹子孙买来的坟地里。

17 "　神给亚伯拉罕的应许快要实现的时候，以色列人在埃及人口繁盛增多；18 但是，到了另一位不认识约瑟的君王兴起统治埃及的时候，19 他就谋害我们的同胞，虐待我们的祖先，逼他们拋弃自己的婴孩，不容婴孩存活。20 就在那时候，摩西出生了，他非常俊美，在父亲的家中抚养了三个月。21 他被拋弃的时候，法老的女儿把他拾起来，当作儿子抚养。22 摩西学尽了埃及人的一切学问，说话行事都有能力。

23 "到了四十岁，他心中起了一个念头，要去看望自己的同胞以色列人。24 当他看见有一个人受欺负，就去护卫，为那受屈的抱不平，打死了那个埃及人。25 他以为同胞们都必知道　神要借着他的手拯救他们，事实上他们却不知道。26 第二天，有人在打架，摩西就出面调解，说：‘你们是弟兄，为甚么彼此欺负呢？’27 那欺负邻舍的把他推开，说：‘谁立了你作我们的领袖和审判官呢？28 难道你想杀我，像昨天杀那个埃及人一样吗？’29 摩西因为这句话，就逃到米甸地寄居，在那里生了两个儿子。

30 "过了四十年，在西奈山的旷野，有一位使者，在荆棘中的火焰里，向摩西显现。31 他见了这个异象，十分惊奇；他正上前察看的时候，就有主的声音说：32 ‘我是你祖宗的　神，就是亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的　神。’摩西战战兢兢，不敢观看。33 主对他说：‘把你脚上的鞋脱掉，因为你所站的地方是圣地。34 我的子民在埃及所受的痛苦，我实在看见了；他们的叹息我也听见了，我下来是要救他们。你来，我要派你到埃及去。’35 他们拒绝了这位摩西，说：‘谁立了你作领袖和审判官呢？’但　神借着在荆棘中向他显现的使者的手，派他作领袖和救赎者。36 这人领他们出来，并且在埃及地、红海和旷野，行奇事神迹四十年。37 以前那位对以色列人说‘　神要从你们弟兄中间，给你们兴起一位先知像我’的，就是这摩西。38 那曾经在旷野的大会中，和那在西奈山上对他说话的使者同在，也与我们的祖先同在的，就是他。他领受了活的圣言，传给我们。39 我们的祖先不肯听从他，反而把他推开，他们的心已经转向了埃及，40 就对亚伦说：‘给我们做一些神像，可以走在我们前头。因为把我们从埃及地领出来的那个摩西，我们不知道他遭遇了甚么事。’41 在那些日子里，他们做了一个牛犊，把祭物献给那偶像，并且因自己手所做的而欢乐。42 于是　神转身离开，任凭他们事奉天象，正如先知书所说：

‘以色列家啊，

你们在旷野四十年，

岂是将祭牲和祭物献给我呢？

43 你们抬着摩洛的帐幕，

和理番神的星，

就是你们做来敬拜的像。

所以我要把你们放逐到巴比伦那一边去。’

44 "我们的祖先在旷野有作证的帐幕，就是跟摩西谈话的那位指示他，依照他看见的样式做的。45 我们的祖先相继承受了这帐幕，　神把外族人从他们面前赶走以后，他们就同约书亚把帐幕带进所得为业的地方，直到大卫的日子。46 大卫在　神面前蒙了恩，就求为雅各的　神找个居所，47 而由所罗门为他建造殿宇。48 其实至高者并不住人手所造的，正如先知说：

49 ‘主说：天是我的宝座，

地是我的脚凳，

你们要为我建造怎样的殿呢？

哪里是我安息的地方呢？

50 这一切不都是我手所造的吗？’

51 "你们颈项刚硬、心和耳都未受割礼的人哪！你们时常抗拒圣灵，你们的祖先怎样，你们也怎样。52 有哪一个先知，你们的祖先不迫害呢？你们杀了那些预先宣告那义者要来的人，现在又把那义者出卖了，杀害了。53 你们领受了由天使传达的律法，却不遵守。"

司提反被石头打死

54 众人听了这些话，心中非常恼怒，就向着司提反咬牙切齿。55 但司提反被圣灵充满，定睛望着天，看见　神的荣耀，并且看见耶稣站在　神的右边，56 就说："看哪！我看见天开了，人子站在　神的右边。"57 众人大声喊叫，掩着耳朵，一齐向他冲过去，58 把他推出城外，用石头打他。那些证人把自己的衣服，放在一个名叫扫罗的青年人脚前。59 他们用石头打司提反的时候，他呼求说："主耶稣啊，求你接收我的灵魂！"60 然后跪下来大声喊着说："主啊，不要把这罪归给他们！"说了这话，就睡了。