Stephen’s Address: The Call of Abraham

1Then said the high priest, are these things so?

2Stephen answer'd, my brethren, and you my fathers, lend your attention. The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3and said to him, quit your country, and your kindred, to go to the land which I shall shew thee. 4thereupon he went out of Chaldea, and dwelt in Charran: from thence, after his father's death, he removed him to this very country where you now dwell. 5he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of land: yet he promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his posterity after him, tho' he had then no child. 6God declar'd likewise, "that his posterity should sojourn in a strange land, where they should be enslaved and abused four hundred years. 7and 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." 8at length he gave him the covenant of circumcision: accordingly Abraham circumcised his son Isaac eight days after he was born, Isaac was father of Jacob, who was father of the twelve patriarchs.

Joseph Sold into Egypt

9the patriarchs being jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt: but God was with him, 10he delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him wisdom to become acceptable to Pharaoh king of Egypt; who made him governor of Egypt, and all his houshold.

11in the mean time a famine spread over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, so that our fathers did not know where to get provisions. 12but when Jacob heard there was corn in Egypt, he sent our fathers there. 13at the second voyage Joseph discover'd himself to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred were made known to Pharaoh. 14after this, Joseph sent to invite his father Jacob to come with all his kindred, being threescore and fifteen persons.

Israel Oppressed in Egypt

15so Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he and our fathers, 16and were transported to Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

17now while the time was approaching to accomplish what God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew numerous in Egypt, 18till another king arose who knew not Joseph. 19this prince employ'd all his arts against our nation, and persecuted our fathers, by obliging them to expose their young children, in order to extirpate the race.

The Birth and Adoption of Moses
(Hebrews 11:23–29)

20in which time Moses was born, who was exceeding fair, and nourished in his father's house three months: 21and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter caused him to be taken up, and maintain'd for her adopted son. 22at length Moses was instructed in all the sciences of the Egyptians, and had great influence by his counsels and actions.

The Rejection and Flight of Moses

23when he was full forty years old, he took the resolution to visit his brethren the children of Israel. 24and seeing one of them abus'd, he defended him, and avenged the injury by killing the Egyptian: 25for he supposed his brethren would have perceiv'd by this, that God design'd to make him the instrument of their deliverance; but they did not perceive it. 26the next day seeing some that were fighting, he would have persuaded them to agree, saying, sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye injure one another? 27but he that did his neighbour the injury repelled Moses, saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 28will you kill me as you kill'd the Egyptian yesterday? at these words Moses fled, 29and went to reside in the land of Madian, where he became the father of two sons.

The Call of Moses

30when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina, an angel of the Lord in a flaming bush. 31Moses was astonished at this vision: and as he drew near to observe it, he heard the voice of the Lord, which said to him, 32"I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." and Moses trembled so, he durst not observe any longer. 33then said the Lord to him, "put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground. 34I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt; I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them, come immediately, and I will send you into Egypt."

35this Moses whom they refused, saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge? the very same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hands of the angel that appeared to him in the bush. 36he it was, who delivered them by doing prodigies and miracles in the land of Egypt, in the red sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. 37this is that Moses who said to 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'twas he that was in the assembly with our fathers in the wilderness, and with the angel that spoke to him on mount Sina: and delivered the oracles to him by word of mouth for our use.

The Rebellion of Israel

39him our fathers would not obey, but rejected him, and they return'd to their Egyptian disposition. 40"make us gods, said they to Aaron, to be our guides: for as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him." 41'twas then they made a calf, and offered sacrifice to the idol, triumphing in the works of their own hands. 42then God left them, and abandon'd them to the worship of the celestial army; as it is written in the book of the prophets, "O ye house of Israel, is it to me that ye have offered victims, and sacrifices, for the space of forty years in the wilderness? 43on the contrary, ye carried the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: wherefore I will transport you beyond Babylon."

The Tabernacle of the Testimony
(Hebrews 9:1–10)

44our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, ordering Moses to make it according to the model that he had seen. 45which our fathers and Joshua having receiv'd, they carry'd it into the territory of those nations whom God drove out upon their arrival: where it staid to the time of David, who was favoured by God, 46and desired to have a settled tabernacle for the God of Jacob. 47it was Solomon however that built him a temple. 48altho' the most high does not dwell in temples made with hands; as the prophet said, "heaven is my throne,

49and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

50hath not my hand made all these things?"

51stubborn people, whose hearts and ears like the uncircumcised, are always averse to the holy spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52was there ever any prophet whom your fathers did not persecute? have they not slain those who predicted the coming of that just person whom you have so lately betrayed and murder'd? 53you, I say, who received the law by the administration of angels, but have not however observ'd it.

The Stoning of Stephen

54When they heard these things, they were transported with rage, and gnashed their teeth against him. 55but he, full of the holy spirit, fix'd his eyes towards heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56and he said, there I see the heavens open, and the son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57then they broke out into a loud cry, and stopping their ears, fell upon him all at once. 58then they dragg'd him out of the city, and stoned him: the false witnesses having laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. 59Thus they stoned Stephen, while he was calling upon God, and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60and on his knees he cried with a loud voice, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." and having said this, he expired.