Stephen's Speech
1 The High Priest asked Stephen, “Is this true?”
2 Stephen answered, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! Before our ancestor Abraham had gone to live in Haran, the God of glory appeared to him in Mesopotamia 3 and said to him, ‘Leave your family and country and go to the land that I will show you.’ 4 And so he left his country and went to live in Haran. After Abraham's father died, God made him move to this land where you now live. 5 God did not then give Abraham any part of it as his own, not even a square foot of ground, but God promised to give it to him, and that it would belong to him and to his descendants. At the time God made this promise, Abraham had no children. 6 This is what God said to him: ‘Your descendants will live in a foreign country, where they will be slaves and will be badly treated for four hundred years. 7 But I will pass judgment on the people that they will serve, and afterward your descendants will come out of that country and will worship me in this place.’ 8 Then God gave to Abraham the ceremony of circumcision as a sign of the covenant. So Abraham circumcised Isaac a week after he was born; Isaac circumcised his son Jacob, and Jacob circumcised his twelve sons, the famous ancestors of our race.
9 “Jacob's sons became jealous of their brother Joseph and sold him to be a slave in Egypt. But God was with him 10 and brought him safely through all his troubles. When Joseph appeared before the king of Egypt, God gave him a pleasing manner and wisdom, and the king made Joseph governor over the country and the royal household. 11 Then there was a famine all over Egypt and Canaan, which caused much suffering. Our ancestors could not find any food, 12 and when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent his sons, our ancestors, on their first visit there. 13 On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and the king of Egypt came to know about Joseph's family. 14 So Joseph sent a message to his father Jacob, telling him and the whole family, seventy-five people in all, to come to Egypt. 15 Then Jacob went to Egypt, where he and his sons died. 16 Their bodies were taken to Shechem, where they were buried in the grave which Abraham had bought from the clan of Hamor for a sum of money.
17 “When the time drew near for God to keep the promise he had made to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had grown much larger. 18 At last a king who did not know about Joseph began to rule in Egypt. 19 He tricked our ancestors and was cruel to them, forcing them to put their babies out of their homes, so that they would die. 20 It was at this time that Moses was born, a very beautiful child. He was cared for at home for three months, 21 and when he was put out of his home, the king's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 He was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians and became a great man in words and deeds.
23 “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to find out how his fellow Israelites were being treated. 24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his help and took revenge on the Egyptian by killing him. ( 25 He thought that his own people would understand that God was going to use him to set them free, but they did not understand.) 26 The next day he saw two Israelites fighting, and he tried to make peace between them. ‘Listen, men,’ he said, ‘you are fellow Israelites; why are you fighting like this?’ 27 But the one who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside. ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?’ he asked. 28 ‘Do you want to kill me, just as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 When Moses heard this, he fled from Egypt and went to live in the land of Midian. There he had two sons.
30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31 Moses was amazed by what he saw, and went near the bush to get a better look. But he heard the Lord's voice: 32 ‘I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and dared not look. 33 The Lord said to him, ‘Take your sandals off, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have seen the cruel suffering of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groans, and I have come down to set them free. Come now; I will send you to Egypt.’
35 “Moses is the one who was rejected by the people of Israel. ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?’ they asked. He is the one whom God sent to rule the people and set them free with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush. 36 He led the people out of Egypt, performing miracles and wonders in Egypt and at the Red Sea and for forty years in the desert. 37 Moses is the one who said to the people of Israel, ‘God will send you a prophet, just as he sent me, and he will be one of your own people.’ 38 He is the one who was with the people of Israel assembled in the desert; he was there with our ancestors and with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and he received God's living messages to pass on to us.
39 “But our ancestors refused to obey him; they pushed him aside and wished that they could go back to Egypt. 40 So they said to Aaron, ‘Make us some gods who will lead us. We do not know what has happened to that man Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.’ 41 It was then that they made an idol in the shape of a bull, offered sacrifice to it, and had a feast in honor of what they themselves had made. 42 So God turned away from them and gave them over to worship the stars of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:
‘People of Israel! It was not to me
that you slaughtered and sacrificed animals
for forty years in the desert.
43 It was the tent of the god Molech that you carried,
and the image of Rephan, your star god;
they were idols that you had made to worship.
And so I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
44 “Our ancestors had the Tent of God's presence with them in the desert. It had been made as God had told Moses to make it, according to the pattern that Moses had been shown. 45 Later on, our ancestors who received the tent from their fathers carried it with them when they went with Joshua and took over the land from the nations that God drove out as they advanced. And it stayed there until the time of David. 46 He won God's favor and asked God to allow him to provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built him a house.
48 “But the Most High God does not live in houses built by human hands; as the prophet says,
49 ‘Heaven is my throne, says the Lord,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house would you build for me?
Where is the place for me to live in?
50 Did not I myself make all these things?’
51 “How stubborn you are!” Stephen went on to say. “How heathen your hearts, how deaf you are to God's message! You are just like your ancestors: you too have always resisted the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there any prophet that your ancestors did not persecute? They killed God's messengers, who long ago announced the coming of his righteous Servant. And now you have betrayed and murdered him. 53 You are the ones who received God's law, that was handed down by angels—yet you have not obeyed it!”
The Stoning of Stephen
54 As the members of the Council listened to Stephen, they became furious and ground their teeth at him in anger. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw God's glory and Jesus standing at the right side of God. 56 “Look!” he said. “I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God!”
57 With a loud cry the Council members covered their ears with their hands. Then they all rushed at him at once, 58 threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses left their cloaks in the care of a young man named Saul. 59 They kept on stoning Stephen as he called out to the Lord, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 He knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord! Do not remember this sin against them!” He said this and died.
VII.
1 Vērsgoreidznīks vaicōja: Vai tys tai ir?
2 Jys atbiļdēja: Veiri, brōli un tāvi, klausitēs! Dīvs pasarōdeja myusu tāvam Abraamam Mezopotamijā, koleidz vēļ tys nabeja dzeivōjis Charanā 3 un jam saceja: Atstōj sovu molu un sovus radinīkus, un ej uz tū zemi, kuru Es tev parōdeišu. 4 Tad jys atstōja chaldīšu zemi un apsamete Charanā. Nu turīnes (Dīvs) jam lyka pēc tāva nōves pōrīt uz tū zemi, kur jyus tagad dzeivojat. 5 Bet Jys naīdeve tur jam īpašumu ni pāda lelumā. Jys tikai apsūleja jam un jō pēcnōcējim īpašumā dūt vēļōk, lai gon tam nabeja vēļ ni vīna dāla. 6 Tai tad Dīvs (jam) saceja, ka jō pēcnōcēji dzeivōs svešā zemē, kai svešinīki. Četri simti godu jūs kalpynōs un cīši apspīss. 7 Bet tū tautu, kurai jyus kolpōsīt, Es pats tīsōšu, — Dīvs saceja — pēc tam jī aizīs un tamā vītā maņ kolpōs. 8 Jys nūslēdze ar jim apgraizeišonas dereibu. Un, kad pīdzyma Izaaks, jys ostoitā dīnā tū apgraizeja; Izaaks — Jākubu un Jākubs — divpadsmit ciļtstāvus.
9 Ciļtstāvi Jezupam skaude un pōrdeve jū uz Egipti. Bet ar jū beja Dīvs. 10 Jys izglōbe tū nu visim tō spaidim un īdeve jam žēlesteibu un gudreibu Faraona, Egiptes kēneņa, prīškā. Tys jū īcēle par pōrvaļdnīku Egiptē un vysā sovā mōjā. 11 Vysā Egiptē un Chanaanā īsastōja lels bods. Tryukums beja lels, un myusu tāvim nabeja bareibas. 12 Jākubs, izdzērdis, ka Egiptē asūt labeiba, tur aizsyuteja myusu tāvus; šitei beja pyrmō reize. 13 Ūtrajā reizē Jezups ļōve brōlim sevi pazeit, un tai Faraonam kliva zynoma Jezupa ciļts. 14 Tad Jezups, aizsyutejis, lyka atīt sovam tāvam Jākubam un vysai saimei: septeņdesmit pīcom personom. 15 Tai tad Jākubs aizceļōja uz Egipti un tur nūmyra pats, kai ari myusu tāvi. 16 Jūs atvede uz Sychemu un nūlyka tamā kopā, kuru Abraams Sychemā nu Hemora dālim par zynomu naudas sumu beja nūpērcis.
17 Un, kad atgōja apsūleitais laiks, kuru Dīvs Abraamam beja sūlejis, tauta Egiptē pasavairōja un pīauga skaitā. 18 Bet, kad Egiptes vaļdeišonu pajēme cyts kēneņš, kurs par Jezupu nikō nazynōja, 19 tad myusu ciļti pīvyla un myusu tāvus pīspīde, ka izmastu sovus bārnus, ka tī napalyktu dzeivi. 20 Tamā laikā pīdzyma Moizešs. Jys beja Dīvam pateikams. Trejs mēneši jū audzēja tāva sātā, 21 un ka izmete, jū par jēme pi sevis Faraona meita un izaudzēja jū sev padālu. 22 Moizešu īmōceja vysom egiptīšu gudreibom, un jys beja varons sovūs vōrdūs un dorbūs. 23 Četrudesmit godu vacumā jam īgōja prōtā apraudzeit sovus brōļus — Izraeļa bārnus. 24 Te jys īraudzeja, kai vīnam dareja pōresteibu. Jys tū, kas pōresteibu cīte, aizstōvēja nūnōvādams egiptīti. 25 Jys dūmōja, ka jō brōli nūmaneis, ka Dīvs caur jō rūkom dūs jim breiveibu, bet jī tō nasaprota. 26 Nōkūšā dīnā, kad jī cyts ar cytu streidējōs, jys, pīgōjis klōtu, tūs pamūdynōja uz mīru, saceidams: Veiri, jyus tadei asat brōli. 27 Kōpēc jyus vīns ūtram dorot pōri? Bet tys, kas sovam tyvōkajam pōri dareja, atgryude jū nūst, saceidams: Kas tad tevi ir pastatejis mums par vaļdnīku un tīsnesi? 28 Vai tad ari mani gribi nūnōvēt, kai vakar egiptīti nūnōvēji? 29 Šytō vōrda dēļ Moizešs aizbāga prūjom un dzeivōja Madijanu zemē kai svešinīks. Tur jam pīdzyma divi dāli.
30 Pēc četrudesmit godim jam pasarōdeja Sinai kolna tuksnesī dagūša ēršku kryuma līsmā eņgeļs. 31 Bet Moizešs tū parōdeibu īraudzejis, breinōjōs. Kad jys pīgōja tyvōk tō apskatetitu, uz jū atskanēja Kunga bolss. 32 Es asmu tovu tāvu Dīvs, Abraama, Izaaka un Jākuba Dīvs. Moizešs treisēja un naīsadrūšynōja uz Jō vērtīs. 33 Bet Kungs jam saceja: Auņ zemē sovu kōju apavi, jo tei vīta, uz kuras tu stōvi, ir svāta zeme. 34 Es īraudzeju Egiptē munas tautas apmīgšonu un izdzērdu jōs vaimaņas. Un Es nūkōpu, lai jū atbreivōtu. Tai tad ej, Es tevi grybu syuteit uz Egipti.
35 Tū pošu Moizešu, kuru jī atraideja, saceidami: Kas tad tevi ir īcēlis mums par vaļdnīku un tīsnesi, Dīvs, kas jam ēršku kryumā pasarōdeja, eņgeļa vadeibā syuta kai vodūni un atbreivōtōju. 36 Jys tūs izvede un dareja breinumus un zeimes, kai Egiptes zemē, tai ari Sorkonajā jyurā un tuksnesī četrudesmit godu. 37 Šytys ir tys Moizešs, kurs Izraeļa bārnim saceja: Nu jyusu brōlim izmūdynōs Dīvs pravīti, kai mani, (jō klausit). 38 Šytys ir tys, kurs, draudzei tuksnesī asūt, uz Sinai kolna sarunōja ar eņgeli un beja ar myusu tāvim, kurs sajēme dzeiveibas vōrdus, lai mums jūs nūdūtu. 39 Bet myusu tāvi jō klauseit nagribēja un, jū atmatūt, ar sovu sirdi grīzēs atpakaļ uz Egipti. 40 Jī Aaronam saceja: Pataisi mums dīvaklus, kas ītu mums pa prīšku, jo mes nazynom, kas nūtyka ar Moizešu, kurs myusus nu Egiptes izvede. 41 Tai tad jī tamōs dīnōs pataiseja teļu, dīvaklam salyka upuri un prīcōjōs par sovu rūku dorbim. 42 Bet Dīvs atsagrīze nu jim nūst un nūdeve jūs kolpōt padebešu spākim, kai stōv raksteits pravīša grōmotā:
Vai tad jyus Maņ upurējot kaunamūs un dadzynojamūs upurus
tuksnesī četrudesmit godu laikā, Izraeļa noms?
43 Jyus nosōjot sev leidza Molocha nūmetni
un zvaigžņu biļdi jyusu dīva Rempam,
un gleznas, kuras jyus pagatavōjot, lai jōs pīlyugtu.
Es jyusus aizdzeišu prūjom, pōri par Babilonu.
44 Myusu tāvim tuksnesī beja ari dereibas skreine, kai aizrōdeja Tys, kas Moizešam beja licis jū pagatavōt pēc izskota tōs, kuru beja redzējis. 45 Myusu tāvi jū pajēme un nese leidza ar sevi, kad jī Jezus vadeibā ījēme pogōnu zemi, kurus Dīvs myusu tāvu prīškā padzyna. Tai tys beja leidz Davida dīnom. 46 Tys atroda pi Dīva žēlesteibu un lyudze Jākuba Dīvam uzceļt mitekli. 47 Bet svētneicu Jam uzcēle tikai Salomons. 48 Vysaugstōkais tūmār nadzeivoj nūmetnēs, kas ar cylvāku rūkom ir pagatavōtas. Pravīts tadei soka:
49 Muns gūda krāsls ir dabasūs
un zeme — munu kōju pamēslis.
Kaidu tad mōju jyus lai Maņ ceļat? — Soka Kungs.
50 Un kaidai jōbyun munai atpyutas vītai?
51 Vai tad šytō vysa navā radejuse muna rūka?
Jyus, styurgaļvi, naapgraizeitom sirdim un ausim!
Vysod Svātajam Goram pretojatēs: kai jyusu tāvi, tai ari jyus. 52 Kur tad beja kaids pravīts, kurō jyusu tāvi nabyutu vojōjuši? Jī tūs, kas par Taisneigō atnōkšonu pravītōja, nūnōvēja. 53 Un jyus tū vairōk palykot par Jō nūdevējim un slapkovom; jyus, kas pēc eņgeļu nūrōdejuma sajēmet lykumu, jō napyldot.
54 Šytū dzēržūt, jim īsadyure sirdī, un jī grīze uz jō zūbus. 55 Bet jys, pylns Svātō Gora, pacēle uz dabasim acis un īraudzeja Dīva gūdu un Jezu pa lobajai Dīva rūkai stōvam 56 un īsasauce: Raug, Es radzu atvārtus dabasus un Cylvāka Dālu pa lobajai Dīva rūkai. 57 Tad jī sacēle lelu trūksni un aizlyka sev ausis. Un visi kai vīns kryta jam vērsum, 58 izgryude ōrā nu mīsta un nūmātoja ar akminim. Līcinīki sovas drēbes nūlyka pi vīna jaunēkļa, vōrdā Sauls, kōjom. 59 Tai jī ar akminim nūmātōja Stepōnu, kurs lyudzēs un saceja: Kungs Jezu, pījem munu goru. 60 Tad jys pakryta ceļūs un lelā bolsā sauce: Kungs, naīskaiti jim šytō grākā. Šytū pasacejis jys aizmyga. Sauls jō nūnōvēšonai pīkryta.
