Acts 7
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
7 1 And the high priest said, “Do these things hold so?”
Stephen Defends Himself Before The Sanhedrin:
2 And the one said, “Men, brothers, and fathers, listen—
God Promised Abraham’s Descendants Would Inherit The Land
“The God of [a] glory appeared to our father Abraham while being in Mesopotamia, before he dwelled in Haran, 3 and said to him [in Gen 12:1], ‘Go out from your land and from your relatives, and come to the land which I will show you’. 4 Then having gone out from the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, He removed[b] him to this land in which you are now dwelling. 5 And He did not give him an inheritance in it, not even the step of a foot. And He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him— there not being a child for him! 6 But God spoke as follows [in Gen 15:13-14]: that his seed ‘will be a foreigner in a land belonging-to-another. And they will enslave it[c] and mistreat it for four-hundred years. 7 And I will judge the nation in whichever they will serve-as-slaves’, said God. ‘And after these things, they will come out and worship Me’ in this place. 8 And He gave him the covenant of circumcision.
Abraham’s Children Moved To Egypt During a Famine
“And so he fathered Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac, Jacob; and Jacob, the twelve patriarchs. 9 And the patriarchs, having become-jealous-of Joseph, sold him into Egypt. And God was with him, 10 and rescued him from all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And he appointed him to be ruling over Egypt, and over his whole house. 11 And a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and a great affliction. And our fathers were not finding food. 12 But Jacob, having heard-of grain being in Egypt, sent-forth our fathers first. 13 And during the second visit, Joseph was made-known-again to his brothers, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh. 14 And having sent-forth his brothers, Joseph summoned Jacob his father and all his relatives, amounting-to seventy five[d] souls. 15 And Jacob went down to Egypt. And he came-to-an-end[e], and our fathers. 16 And they were transferred to Shechem, and placed in the tomb which Abraham bought for a price of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
When The Time Came, God Raised Up Moses, Whom The People Rejected
17 “Now as the time of the promise which God declared to Abraham was drawing-near, our people grew and were multiplied in Egypt, 18 until which time another king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. 19 This one, having dealt-shrewdly-with our nation[f], mistreated our fathers, so that he[g] caused their babies to be exposed[h] that they might not be kept-alive; 20 at which time Moses was born— and he was beautiful to God— who was brought-up for three months in the house of his father. 21 And he having been exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself for a son. 22 And Moses was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. And he was powerful in his words and deeds. 23 And as a forty-year period was being fulfilled for him, it came-up[i] on his heart to visit[j] his brothers, the sons of Israel. 24 And having seen someone being wronged[k], he defended him, and executed vengeance for the one being oppressed, having struck the Egyptian. 25 Now he was thinking that his brothers were understanding that God was granting them deliverance by his hand. But the ones did not understand. 26 And on the following day, he appeared to them while they were fighting. And he was reconciling[l] them to peace, having said, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you wronging one another?’ [Ex 2:13]. 27 But the one wronging his neighbor rejected him, having said, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? 28 You do not intend to kill me the way you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ [Ex 2:14]. 29 And Moses fled at this word. And he became a foreigner in the land of Midian, where he fathered two sons. 30 And forty years having been fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of fire of a bush. 31 And having seen it, Moses was marveling-at the sight. And while he was approaching to look-closely, the voice of the Lord came: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob’. And having become trembling, Moses was not daring to look-closely. 33 And the Lord said to him, ‘Untie the sandal from your feet, for the place upon which you stand is holy ground. 34 Having seen, I saw[m] the mistreatment of My people in Egypt, and I heard their groaning, and I came down to rescue them. And now, come, I will[n] send you forth to Egypt’.
This Moses Whom Israel Denied, God Sent To Be Both Ruler And Deliverer
35 “This Moses whom they denied, having said, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge?’ [Ex 2:14]— this one God has sent-forth to be both ruler and deliverer[o], with[p] the hand of the angel having appeared to him in the bush. 36 This one led them out, having done wonders and signs in Egypt land, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.
This Moses Said That God Would Raise Up a Prophet Like Him
37 “This one is the Moses having said to the sons of Israel, ‘God will raise-up a prophet like me for you from your brothers’ [Deut 18:15].
This Moses Brought Israel God’s Word, Which They Rejected
38 “This one is the one having been in the congregation in the wilderness, with the angel speaking to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living oracles[q] to give to us— 39 to whom our fathers were not willing to become obedient, but they rejected him and turned-away in their hearts to Egypt, 40 having said to Aaron, ‘Make gods for us who will go before us. For this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what happened to him’ [Ex 32:1]. 41 And they made-a-calf in those days, and brought-up a sacrifice to the idol. And they were celebrating in the works of their hands.
So God Turned Away From Them And Handed Them Over To Idolatry
42 “And God turned-away, and handed them over to worship the host of heaven, just as it has been written in the book of the prophets [in Amos 5:25-27]: ‘House of Israel, you did not offer victims[r] and sacrifices to Me for forty years in the wilderness, did you? 43 Indeed you took-up the tabernacle of Moloch[s] and the star of your god Rephan[t]— the images which you made to give-worship to them. Indeed I will remove[u] you beyond Babylon!’
The Fathers Had The Tabernacle And The Temple. But God Does Not Dwell In Either
44 “The tabernacle of testimony was with our fathers in the wilderness, just as the One speaking to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen; 45 which our fathers, having received-it-in-succession, also brought in with Joshua during the taking-possession of the nations whom God drove-out from the presence of our fathers— until the days of David, 46 who found favor before God. And he asked that he might find a dwelling-place[v] for the house of Jacob, 47 but Solomon built a house for Him. 48 But the Most-High does not dwell in things made-by-human-hands, just as the prophet says [in Isa 66:1-2]: 49 ‘The heaven is a throne for Me, and the earth is a footstool of My feet. What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord, ‘or what will be the place of My rest? 50 Did not My hand make all these things?’
You Always Resist God! Your Fathers Killed The Prophets, And You The Messiah
51 “Stiff-necked ones, and uncircumcised in your hearts and ears— you are always resisting[w] the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, you also[x] are doing. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed the ones having announced-beforehand about the coming of the righteous One, of Whom you now became[y] betrayers[z] and murderers— 53 you who received the Law by the directions[aa] of [ab] angels and did not keep it!”
Stephen Reports Seeing Jesus At The Right Hand of God. The Jews Stone Him To Death
54 And hearing these things, they were infuriated in their hearts, and were grinding their teeth at him. 55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked-intently into heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right side of God. 56 And he said, “Behold— I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right side of God!” 57 And having cried-out with a loud voice, they held-shut their ears, and rushed against him with-one-accord. 58 And having driven him outside of the city, they were stoning him. And the witnesses laid-aside their garments at the feet of a young-man being called Saul. 59 And they were stoning Stephen while he was calling-upon Jesus and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”. 60 And having put down his knees, he cried-out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not set this sin against them”. And having said this, he fell-asleep.
Footnotes
- Acts 7:2 That is, characterized by. The glorious God.
- Acts 7:4 Or, resettled.
- Acts 7:6 That is, Abraham’s seed (descendants), viewed as a collective whole.
- Acts 7:14 Stephen is quoting from the Septuagint.
- Acts 7:15 That is, died.
- Acts 7:19 Or, people, race.
- Acts 7:19 Or, they.
- Acts 7:19 Or, put-out, abandoned.
- Acts 7:23 Or, arose.
- Acts 7:23 Or, look-after.
- Acts 7:24 Or, harmed, injured.
- Acts 7:26 That is, was trying to reconcile.
- Acts 7:34 Having seen, I saw. This is a Hebrew way of speaking, meaning, I have surely seen.
- Acts 7:34 Lit, Let Me, a command spoken to Himself, an expression of His own resolve. God is not asking permission from Moses.
- Acts 7:35 Or, redeemer.
- Acts 7:35 Or, together-with, accompanied-by.
- Acts 7:38 Or, sayings, declarations.
- Acts 7:42 That is, slaughtered animals.
- Acts 7:43 A Canaanite god.
- Acts 7:43 Some manuscripts spell this Rompha or Remphan.
- Acts 7:43 Or, deport, resettle.
- Acts 7:46 That is, a permanent temple for the people of Israel.
- Acts 7:51 Or, opposing.
- Acts 7:51 Both rejected God’s appointed messenger and put an improper value on a man-made temple.
- Acts 7:52 Or, proved-to-be.
- Acts 7:52 Or, traitors.
- Acts 7:53 Or, decrees, ordinances.
- Acts 7:53 That is, given to; or, given by.
Acts 7
King James Version
7 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 Chaldaeans, 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.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
