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.
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.
