1 Ülempreester küsis temalt: „Kas need süüdistused vastavad tõele?"

2 Aga Stefanos vastas: „Mehed, vennad ja isad, kuulake mind! Au Jumal ilmus meie isale Aabrahamile, kui ta elas Mesopotaamias, enne Haaranisse siirdumist. 3 „Lahku oma maalt ja oma rahva hulgast," ütles Jumal, „ja mine sinna maale, mida ma sulle näitan!"

4 Nõnda ta lahkus kaldealaste maalt ja seadis end sisse Haaranis. Pärast tema isa surma saatis Jumal tema sealt siia maale, kus teie nüüd elate.

5 Jumal ei andnud Aabrahamile siin jalatäitki maad pärandiks. Aga tõotas selle maa anda omandiks talle ja ta järeltulijatele ajal, mil tal lapsi ei olnud. 6 Jumal rääkis nõnda: „Tema järeltulijad elavad võõrana võõral maal ja nad tehakse orjadeks ja neile tehakse kurja nelisada aastat. 7 Ja rahvast, keda nad orjavad, mina karistan," ütles Jumal, „ja pärast seda nad lähevad välja ja teenivad mind selles paigas." 8 Ja Jumal andis Aabrahamile ümberlõikamislepingu. Ja Aabrahamile sündis Iisak ja ta lõikas tema ümber kaheksandal päeval. Ja Iisakile sündis Jaakob, ja Jaakobile need kaksteist patriarhi.

9 Kuna patriarhid olid Joosepi peale kadedad, müüsid nad ta Egiptusesse orjaks. Ent Jumal oli temaga 10 ja päästis ta kõigist tema hädadest. Ta andis Joosepile armu ja tarkust vaarao, Egiptuse kuninga ees, ning tema tõstis ta kogu Egiptuse ja terve oma koja valitsejaks.

11 Siis tabas Egiptust ja Kaananit nälg, mis tõi kaasa suuri kannatusi, ja meie isad ei leidnud enam toitu. 12 Aga kui Jaakob kuulis, et Egiptuses on vilja, läkitas ta meie isad sinna esimest korda. 13 Ja teisel korral rääkis Joosep vendadele, kes ta on, ja vaarao sai teada Joosepi päritolu. 14 Pärast seda laskis Joosep enda juurde tuua oma isa Jaakobi ja kogu oma suguvõsa, seitsekümmend viis hinge. 15 Ja Jaakob läks Egiptusesse, kus tema ja meie isad surid. 16 Nende põrmud viidi Sekemisse ja pandi hauda, mille Aabraham oli hõbeda eest ostnud Hamori poegadelt Sekemis.

17 Kui lähenes aeg Jumalal täita Aabrahamile antud tõotus, kasvas meie rahvas jõudsasti Egiptuses. 18 Kuni tõusis Egiptuse valitsejaks teine kuningas, kes Joosepist midagi ei teadnud. 19 Tema käitus salakavalalt meie rahvaga ja tegi kurja meie esiisadele, sundides neid vastsündinud lapsi ära heitma, et nad sureksid.

20 Sel ajal sündis Mooses ja ta meeldis Jumalale. Tema eest hoolitseti kolm kuud tema isa majas. 21 Aga kui ta oli ära heidetud, võttis vaarao tütar tema ja kasvatas enesele pojaks. 22 Ja Moosesele õpetati kogu egiptlaste tarkust ja tema oli vägev sõnadelt ja tegudelt.

23 Kui Mooses oli nelikümmend aastat vana, tuli talle südamesse minna vaatama oma vendade, Iisraeli laste olukorda. 24 Ja nähes ühele ülekohut tehtavat, läks ta teda kaitsma ja lõi egiptlase maha. 25 Mooses arvas, et ta inimesed mõistavad, kuidas Jumal teda kasutab nende päästeks, aga nad ei mõistnud. 26 Järgmisel päeval kohtas Mooses kaht riidlevat iisraellast. Ta püüdis neid lepitada, öeldes: „Mehed, te olete vennad, miks te tahate üksteisele haiget teha?"

27 Aga mees, kes teist halvasti kohtles, tõukas ta eemale ja sõnas: „Kes sind on määranud meile valitsejaks ja kohtumõistjaks? 28 Kas sa tahad ka mind tappa, nagu sa eile tapsid egiptlase?" 29 Nende sõnade peale Mooses põgenes ja elas võõrana Midjanimaal, ja talle sündis kaks poega.

30 Ja kui nelikümmend aastat sai täis, ilmus Moosesele ingel Siinai mäe lähedal kõrbes põlevas kibuvitsapõõsas. 31 Mooses oli vaatepildist hämmastunud. Ja kui ta läks seda lähemalt uurima, kuulis ta Issanda häält: 32 „Mina olen sinu isade Jumal, Aabrahami, Iisaki ja Jaakobi Jumal." Mooses värises hirmust ega julgenud vaadata.

33 Siis ütles Issand talle: „Võta sandaalid jalast, sest paik, kus sa seisad, on püha maa! 34 Ma olen küllalt näinud oma rahva rõhumist Egiptuses. Ma olen kuulnud nende oigamist ning olen alla tulnud neid vabastama. Tule nüüd, ma läkitan sind Egiptusesse!"

35 Sellesama Moosese, kelle nad olid hüljanud sõnadega: „Kes sind on määranud meile valitsejaks ja kohtumõistjaks?", sellesama läkitas Jumal neile valitsejaks ja lunastajaks ingli läbi, kes talle oli ilmunud kibuvitsapõõsas. 36 Mooses juhtis nad Egiptusest välja, tehes imesid ja tunnustähti Egiptuses, Punases meres ja kõrbes neljakümne aasta jooksul.

37 Ja nii ütles Mooses Iisraeli poegadele: „Jumal tõstab teile teie rahva seast Prohveti, sellise nagu mina." 38 Tema oli kõrbes koos ingliga, kes kõneles talle Siinai mäel, ja meie isadega, ning ta võttis vastu elavad sõnad meile edasiandmiseks.

39 Aga meie isad keeldusid talle allumast. Nad tõukasid ta eemale ja pöördusid oma südames tagasi Egiptusesse. 40 Nad ütlesid Aaronile: „Tee meile jumalaid, kes käiksid meie ees. Aga mis puutub vend Moosesesse, kes meid Egiptusest välja tõi, siis me ei tea, mis temaga juhtunud on!" 41 See oli aeg, kui nad tegid vasika kuju. Nad viisid ebajumalale ohvreid ja pidutsesid oma käte tegude üle. 42 Kuid Jumal pöördus neist ära ja jättis nad teenima taeva vägesid. Nõnda on ka prohvetite raamatus kirjutatud:

„Kas teie, Iisraeli sugu, tõite mulle ohvreid ja ande

nelikümmend aastat kõrbes olles?

43 Ei, vaid te võtsite Mooloki telgi

ja oma jumala Raifa tähe,

kujud, mis te olite teinud kummardamiseks.

Seepärast pagendan ma teid teisele poole Paabelit."

44 Meie esiisadel oli tunnistustelk kõrbes. Nõnda nagu oli juhatanud Jumal, kes Moosesel käskis selle teha eeskuju järgi, mida ta oli näinud. 45 Selle telgi tõid meie isad Joosua juhtimisel endaga kaasa, kui nad võtsid maa rahvastelt, kelle Jumal nende eest minema ajas. Nii see oli Taaveti päevini, 46 kes elas Jumala soosingus ja palus, et ta leiaks eluaseme Jaakobi soole. 47 See oli aga Saalomon, kes ehitas temale koja.

48 Kuid Kõigekõrgem ei ela kätega tehtud kodades. Nõnda nagu prohvet ütleb:

49 „Taevas on minu troon ja maa minu jalajäri.

Millise koja teie tahate mulle ehitada,

ütleb Issand,

või kus on mu puhkepaik?

50 Eks minu käsi ole selle kõik teinud?"

51 Te kangekaelsed ja ümberlõikamatud südamelt ja kõrvadelt! Teie seisate alati vastu Pühale Vaimule, nii nagu teie isad, nõnda olete ka teie. 52 Kas on olnud prohvetit, keda teie isad ei ole taga kiusanud? Nad on tapnud isegi need, kes kuulutasid ette Õige tulemist. Ja nüüd olete teie ta ära andnud ja tapnud, 53 kes saite Seaduse inglite kaudu, ent ei ole seda pidanud."

54 Aga kui Suurkohtu liikmed seda kuulsid, lõikas see neil südamesse ja nad kiristasid hambaid. 55 Stefanos aga, täis Püha Vaimu, vaatas taevasse ja nägi Jumala kirkust ning Jeesust seismas Jumala paremal käel. 56 „Vaata," ütles ta, „ma näen taevast avatuna ja Inimese Poega seismas Jumala paremal käel!"

57 Selle peale nad karjusid valju häälega ja oma kõrvu kätega kinni kattes tormasid nad tema kallale. 58 Nad tirisid ta linnast välja ja viskasid teda kividega. Samal ajal panid tunnistajad oma rõivad ühe noormehe jalge ette, kelle nimi oli Saulus.

59 Ja nad viskasid kividega Stefanost, kes valjusti palvetas: „Issand Jeesus, võta mu vaim vastu!" 60 Siis ta laskus põlvili ja hüüdis valju häälega: „Issand, ära arva seda pattu neile süüks!" Ja kui ta seda oli öelnud, uinus ta.

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.