Stephen's Speech
1 The high priest asked Stephen, “Are they telling the truth about you?”
2 Stephen answered:
Friends, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he had moved to Haran. 3 God told him, “Leave your country and your relatives and go to a land that I will show you.” 4 Then Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran.
After his father died, Abraham came and settled in this land where you now live. 5 God didn't give him any part of it, not even a square meter. But God did promise to give it to him and his family forever, even though Abraham didn't have any children. 6 God said Abraham's descendants would live for a while in a foreign land. There they would be slaves and would be mistreated 400 years. 7 But he also said, “I will punish the nation that makes them slaves. Then later they will come and worship me in this place.”
8 God said to Abraham, “Every son in each family must be circumcised to show you have kept your agreement with me.” So when Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him. Later, Isaac circumcised his son Jacob, and Jacob circumcised his twelve sons. 9 These men were our ancestors.
Joseph was also one of our famous ancestors. His brothers were jealous of him and sold him as a slave to be taken to Egypt. But God was with him 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. God made him so wise that the Egyptian king Pharaoh thought highly of him. The king even made Joseph governor over Egypt and put him in charge of everything he owned.
11 Everywhere in Egypt and Canaan the grain crops failed. There was terrible suffering, and our ancestors could not find enough to eat. 12 But when Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there for the first time. 13 It was on their second trip that Joseph told his brothers who he was, and the king learned about Joseph's family.
14 Joseph sent for his father and his relatives. In all, there were 75 of them. 15 His father went to Egypt and died there, just as our ancestors did. 16 Later their bodies were taken back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor.
17 Finally, the time came for God to do what he had promised Abraham. By then the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased. 18 Another king was ruling Egypt, and he didn't know anything about Joseph. 19 He tricked our ancestors and was cruel to them. He even made them leave their babies outside, so they would die.
20 During this time Moses was born. He was a very beautiful child, and for three months his parents took care of him in their home. 21 Then when they were forced to leave him outside, the king's daughter found him and raised him as her own son. 22 Moses was given the best education in Egypt. He was a strong man and a powerful speaker.
23 When Moses was 40 years old, he wanted to help the Israelites because they were his own people. 24 One day he saw an Egyptian mistreating one of them. So he rescued the man and killed the Egyptian. 25 Moses thought the rest of his people would realize God was going to use him to set them free. But they didn't understand.
26 The next day Moses saw two of his own people fighting, and he tried to make them stop. He said, “Men, you are both Israelites. Why are you so cruel to each other?”
27 But the man who had started the fight pushed Moses aside and asked, “Who made you our ruler and judge? 28 Are you going to kill me, just as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?” 29 When Moses heard this, he ran away to live in the country of Midian. His two sons were born there.
30 Forty years later, an angel appeared to Moses from a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31 Moses was surprised by what he saw. He went closer to get a better look, and the Lord said, 32 “I am the God who was worshiped by your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Moses started shaking all over and didn't dare to look at the bush.
33 The Lord said to him, “Take off your sandals, because the place where you are standing is holy. 34 With my own eyes I have seen the suffering of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groans and have come down to rescue them. Now I am sending you back to Egypt.”
35 This was the same Moses that the people rejected by saying, “Who made you our leader and judge?” God's angel had spoken to Moses from the bush. And God had even sent the angel to help Moses rescue the people and be their leader.
36 In Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the desert, Moses rescued the people by working miracles and wonders for 40 years. 37 Moses is the one who told the people of Israel, “God will choose one of your people to be a prophet, just as he chose me.” 38 Moses brought our people together in the desert, and the angel spoke to him on Mount Sinai. There he was given these life-giving words to pass on to us. 39 But our ancestors refused to obey Moses. They rejected him and wanted to go back to Egypt.
40 The people said to Aaron, “Make some gods to lead us! Moses led us out of Egypt, but we don't know what's happened to him now.” 41 Then they made an idol in the shape of a calf. They offered sacrifices to the idol and were pleased with what they had done.
42 God turned his back on his people and left them. Then they worshiped the stars in the sky, just as it says in the Book of the Prophets, “People of Israel, you didn't offer sacrifices and offerings to me during those 40 years in the desert. 43 Instead, you carried the tent where the god Molech is worshiped, and you took along the star of your god Rephan. You made those idols and worshiped them. So now I will have you carried off beyond Babylonia.”
44 The tent where our ancestors worshiped God was with them in the desert. This was the same tent that God had commanded Moses to make. And it was made like the model that Moses had seen. 45 Later it was given to our ancestors, and they took it with them when they went with Joshua. They carried the tent along as they took over the land from those people that God had chased out for them. Our ancestors used this tent until the time of King David. 46 He pleased God and asked him if he could build a house of worship for the people of Israel. 47 And it was finally King Solomon who built a house for God.
48 But the Most High God doesn't live in houses made by humans. It is just as the prophet said, when he spoke for the Lord,

49 “Heaven is my throne,
and the earth
is my footstool.
What kind of house
will you build for me?
In what place will I rest?
50 I have made everything.”

51 You stubborn and hardheaded people! You are always fighting against the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors did. 52 Is there one prophet that your ancestors didn't mistreat? They killed the prophets who told about the coming of the One Who Obeys God. And now you have turned against him and killed him. 53 Angels gave you God's Law, but you still don't obey it.
Stephen Is Stoned to Death
54 When the council members heard Stephen's speech, they were angry and furious. 55 But Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked toward heaven, where he saw our glorious God and Jesus standing at his right side. 56 Then Stephen said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God!”
57 The council members shouted and covered their ears. At once they all attacked Stephen 58 and dragged him out of the city. Then they started throwing stones at him. The men who had brought charges against him put their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 As Stephen was being stoned to death, he called out, “Lord Jesus, please welcome me!” 60 He knelt down and shouted, “Lord, don't blame them for what they have done.” Then he died.
Stefana runa
1 Tad augstais priesteris vaicāja: “Vai tas tā ir?” 2 Un viņš atbildēja: “Brāļi un tēvi, klausieties! Godības Dievs parādījās mūsu tēvam Ābrahāmam, kad viņš, pirms apmetās uz dzīvi Hārānā, vēl bija Mezopotāmijā, 3 un sacīja viņam: izej no savas zemes un pamet savus tuviniekus, un dodies uz zemi, kuru es tev rādīšu. 4 Tad viņš izgāja no kaldiešu zemes un apmetās Hārānā, bet, kad nomira viņa tēvs, Dievs no turienes pārcēla viņu uz dzīvi šajā zemē, kur jūs dzīvojat tagad. 5 Dievs nedeva tam mantojumā ne pēdas šīs zemes, bet apsolīja to dot īpašumā viņam un viņa pēcnācējiem, lai gan bērnu viņam nebija. 6 Dievs sacīja tā: tavi pēcnācēji dzīvos svešā zemē, viņus paverdzinās un vārdzinās četri simti gadu. 7 Un tautu, kurai viņi vergos, es tiesāšu, sacīja Dievs; un pēc tam viņi no turienes izies un kalpos man šajā vietā. – 8 Dievs deva viņam apgraizīšanas derību, un viņš dzemdināja Īzaku un apgraizīja viņu astotajā dienā, un Īzaks dzemdināja Jēkabu un Jēkabs – divpadsmit patriarhus. 9 Un patriarhi greizsirdībā pret Jāzepu pārdeva viņu uz Ēģipti. Bet Dievs bija ar viņu 10 un izglāba viņu no visām grūtībām, un deva viņam žēlastību un gudrību faraona, Ēģiptes valdnieka, priekšā. Tas iecēla viņu par pārvaldnieku pār Ēģipti un visu savu namu. 11 Tad pār visu Ēģipti un Kanaānu nāca bads un liels posts, un mūsu tēvi nevarēja atrast pārtiku. 12 Bet Jēkabs, izdzirdējis, ka Ēģiptē ir labība, aizsūtīja turp mūsu tēvus pirmoreiz. 13 Bet otrajā reizē Jāzeps atklāja sevi saviem brāļiem, un faraonam kļuva zināma Jāzepa cilts. 14 Nosūtījis tos atpakaļ, Jāzeps aicināja Jēkabu un visu radu saimi, skaitā septiņdesmit piecas dvēseles. 15 Tad Jēkabs aizgāja uz Ēģipti un nomira, viņš un mūsu tēvi, 16 un viņus pārveda uz Šehemu un guldīja kapenē, ko Ābrahāms par sudrabu bija nopircis no Hamora dēliem Šehemā. 17 Tuvojās laiks, kad Dievam vajadzēja piepildīt Ābrahāmam doto solījumu, un tauta auga un vairojās Ēģiptē, 18 taču Ēģiptē cēlās cits ķēniņš, kas Jāzepu nepazina. 19 Viņš izgudroja viltību pret mūsu tautu, lai darītu ļaunu mūsu tēviem, un spieda viņus izlikt savus jaundzimušos, ka tie nevarētu izdzīvot. 20 Tajā laikā piedzima Mozus, un viņš bija tīkams Dievam. Trīs mēnešus viņu zīdīja tēva mājās. 21 Kad viņš tika izlikts, viņu pieņēma faraona meita un uzaudzināja sev par dēlu. 22 Un Mozu uzaudzināja visā ēģiptiešu gudrībā, un viņš bija varens savos vārdos un darbos. 23 Kad Mozum bija četrdesmit gadu, viņam sirdī radās doma apraudzīt savus brāļus, Israēla dēlus. 24 Un, redzēdams vienu, kam dara netaisnību, viņš to aizstāvēja un atriebās par pārestību, nosizdams ēģiptieti. 25 Viņš domāja, ka viņa brāļi sapratīs, ka Dievs caur viņa roku tos izglābs, bet viņi nesaprata. 26 Un nākamajā dienā viņš parādījās, kad divi no tiem kāvās, un mēģināja tos samierināt, uzrunādams: vīri, jūs taču esat brāļi. Kādēļ jūs viens otram darāt ļaunu? 27 Bet tas, kurš bija darījis pāri savam tuvākajam, atgrūda viņu un sacīja: kas tevi ir iecēlis mums par valdnieku un tiesnesi? 28 Vai arī mani gribi nosist tāpat kā to ēģiptieti vakar? 29 Kad Mozus to dzirdēja, viņš aizbēga un kā svešinieks dzīvoja Midjānas zemē, un tur dzemdināja divus dēlus. 30 Pēc četrdesmit gadiem Sīnaja kalna tuksnesī viņam parādījās eņģelis degoša ērkšķu krūma liesmā. 31 To ieraudzījis, Mozus izbrīnījās par šo parādību, bet, kad viņš tuvojās, lai to tuvāk aplūkotu, atskanēja Kunga balss: 32 es esmu tavu tēvu Dievs, Ābrahāma, Īzaka un Jēkaba Dievs. – Drebēdams bailēs, Mozus neuzdrošinājās to uzlūkot. 33 Bet Kungs viņam sacīja: noauj sandales no savām kājām, jo vieta, kur tu stāvi, ir svēta zeme. 34 Es esmu redzējis savas tautas ciešanas Ēģiptē un esmu dzirdējis viņu vaidus, un esmu atnācis, lai viņus atbrīvotu. Un nu ej, es sūtu tevi uz Ēģipti. 35 Šo Mozu tie noliedza, sacīdami: kas tevi ir iecēlis par valdnieku un tiesnesi? Bet Dievs ar tā eņģeļa roku, kas Mozum bija parādījies ērkšķu krūmā, ir sūtījis viņu par valdnieku un atbrīvotāju. 36 Viņš tos izveda no Ēģiptes un rādīja brīnumus un zīmes Ēģiptes zemē un Sarkanajā jūrā, un tuksnesī četrdesmit gadus. 37 Šis ir tas Mozus, kas Israēla dēliem sacīja: Dievs iecels jums Pravieti, tādu kā es, no jūsu brāļu vidus – tam paklausiet! 38 Šis ir tas Mozus, kas bija tuksnesī draudzes vidū. Viņš bija kopā ar mūsu tēviem un ar eņģeli, kas runāja ar viņu Sīnaja kalnā, un viņš saņēma dzīvu vēsti, lai to tālāk nodotu mums. 39 Viņam mūsu tēvi negribēja paklausīt, tie atgrūda viņu un savās sirdīs atgriezās Ēģiptē, 40 sacīdami Āronam: taisi mums dievus, kas mums ietu pa priekšu, jo par šo Mozu, kas mūs ir izvedis no Ēģiptes zemes, mēs nezinām, kas ar viņu ir noticis. 41 Tajās dienās viņi darināja teļu un pienesa upurus šim elku tēlam, un priecājās par savu roku darbu. 42 Un Dievs novērsās no viņiem un nodeva tos kalpot debesu pulkiem, kā ir rakstīts praviešu grāmatā:
Israēla nams, vai tad jūs man četrdesmit gadus tuksnesī
pienesāt kaujamus un citus upurus?
43 Jūs esat pieņēmuši Moleha telti
un sava dieva Raifana zvaigzni,
elku tēlus, ko jūs esat darinājuši, lai tos pielūgtu,
un tādēļ es jūs izraidīšu viņpus Bābeles. –
44 Mūsu tēviem tuksnesī bija liecības telts, kas darināta, kā Dievs Mozum bija pavēlējis, pēc parauga, ko viņš bija redzējis. 45 Mūsu tēvi kopā ar Jozuu mantoja to un veda sev līdzi uz to tautu zemēm, kuras Dievs bija padzinis, mūsu tēviem tur ieejot, līdz Dāvida dienām; 46 tur viņš atrada žēlastību Dieva acīs un lūdza dot pastāvīgu vietu Jēkaba Dieva namam. 47 Tad Sālamans uzcēla viņam namu. 48 Bet Visuaugstais nemīt rokām darinātos namos. Kā saka pravietis:
49 debesis man tronis,
bet zeme mans kājsols;
kādu namu jūs celsiet man, saka Kungs,
vai kur man ir atdusas vieta?
50 Vai mana roka to visu nav darinājusi?
51 Jūs, stūrgalvīgie, ar pagānu sirdīm un ausīm, jūs vienmēr esat pretojušies Svētajam Garam, kā jūsu tēvi, tā arī jūs. 52 Vai ir kāds pravietis, ko jūsu tēvi nav vajājuši? Viņi nokāva tos, kas jau izsenis vēstīja par Taisnā nākšanu, bet viņa nodevēji un slepkavas esat jūs. 53 Jūs, kas eņģeļu atnesto likumu esat saņēmuši un neesat turējuši.”
Stefanu nomētā akmeņiem
54 Viņi to dzirdēja, un tas tā dzēla sirdī, ka tie grieza zobus uz viņu. 55 Bet viņš, Svētā Gara pilns, pacēla acis uz debesīm un redzēja Dieva godību un Jēzu stāvam pie Dieva labās rokas, 56 un viņš sacīja: “Redzi, es redzu debesis atvērtas un Cilvēka Dēlu stāvam pie Dieva labās rokas.” 57 Bet viņi, ausis aizspieduši un skaļi kliegdami, visi reizē metās viņam virsū. 58 Un, izdzinuši ārpus pilsētas, tie viņu nomētāja akmeņiem. Liecinieki atstāja savas drēbes pie kājām kādam jauneklim, vārdā Sauls. 59 Viņi Stefanu nomētāja akmeņiem, bet viņš, Dievu piesaukdams, lūdza: “Kungs Jēzu, pieņem manu garu.” 60 Un, nokritis ceļos, viņš skaļā balsī iekliedzās: “Kungs, nesodi viņus par šo grēku.” To pateicis, viņš aizmiga.