| English Standard Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” | 1"Are these things true?" the high priest asked. |
| 2And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, | 2"Brothers and fathers," he replied, "listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, |
| 3and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ | 3and said to him: Leave your country and relatives, and come to the land that I will show you. |
| 4Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. | 4"Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this land in which you are now living. |
| 5Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. | 5He didn't give him an inheritance in it--not even a foot of ground--but he promised to give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him, even though he was childless. |
| 6And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. | 6God spoke in this way: His descendants would be strangers in a foreign country, and they would enslave and oppress them for four hundred years. |
| 7‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ | 7I will judge the nation that they will serve as slaves, God said. After this, they will come out and worship me in this place. |
| 8And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. | 8And so he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. After this, he fathered Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs. |
| 9“And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him | 9"The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt, but God was with him |
| 10and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. | 10and rescued him out of all his troubles. He gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over his whole household. |
| 11Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. | 11Now a famine and great suffering came over all of Egypt and Canaan, and our ancestors could find no food. |
| 12But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. | 12When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there the first time. |
| 13And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. | 13The second time, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. |
| 14And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. | 14Joseph invited his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five people in all, |
| 15And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, | 15and Jacob went down to Egypt. He and our ancestors died there, |
| 16and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. | 16were carried back to Shechem, and were placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. |
| 17“But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt | 17"As the time was approaching to fulfill the promise that God had made to Abraham, the people flourished and multiplied in Egypt |
| 18until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. | 18until a different king who did not know Joseph ruled over Egypt. |
| 19He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. | 19He dealt deceitfully with our race and oppressed our ancestors by making them abandon their infants outside so that they wouldn't survive. |
| 20At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father’s house, | 20At this time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in God's sight. He was cared for in his father's home for three months. |
| 21and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. | 21When he was put outside, Pharaoh's daughter adopted and raised him as her own son. |
| 22And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. | 22So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his speech and actions. |
| 23“When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. | 23"When he was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. |
| 24And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. | 24When he saw one of them being mistreated, he came to his rescue and avenged the oppressed man by striking down the Egyptian. |
| 25He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. | 25He assumed his people would understand that God would give them deliverance through him, but they did not understand. |
| 26And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ | 26The next day he showed up while they were fighting and tried to reconcile them peacefully, saying, 'Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?' |
| 27But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? | 27"But the one who was mistreating his neighbor pushed Moses aside, saying: Who appointed you a ruler and a judge over us? |
| 28Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ | 28Do you want to kill me, the same way you killed the Egyptian yesterday? |
| 29At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. | 29"When he heard this, Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. |
| 30“Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. | 30After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. |
| 31When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: | 31When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. As he was approaching to look at it, the voice of the Lord came: |
| 32‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. | 32I am the God of your ancestors--the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look. |
| 33Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. | 33"The Lord said to him: Take off the sandals from your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy ground. |
| 34I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’ | 34I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. And now, come, I will send you to Egypt. |
| 35“This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. | 35"This Moses, whom they rejected when they said, Who appointed you a ruler and a judge? --this one God sent as a ruler and a deliverer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. |
| 36This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. | 36This man led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. |
| 37This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ | 37"This is the Moses who said to the Israelites: God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers and sisters. |
| 38This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. | 38He is the one who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors. He received living oracles to give to us. |
| 39Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, | 39Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him. Instead, they pushed him aside, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. |
| 40saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ | 40They told Aaron: Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what's happened to him. |
| 41And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. | 41They even made a calf in those days, offered sacrifice to the idol, and were celebrating what their hands had made. |
| 42But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: “‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices, during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? | 42God turned away and gave them up to worship the stars of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: House of Israel, did you bring me offerings and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness? |
| 43You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’ | 43You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship. So I will send you into exile beyond Babylon. |
| 44“Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. | 44"Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. |
| 45Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, | 45Our ancestors in turn received it and with Joshua brought it in when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before them, until the days of David. |
| 46who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. | 46He found favor in God's sight and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. |
| 47But it was Solomon who built a house for him. | 47It was Solomon, rather, who built him a house, |
| 48Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, | 48but the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, as the prophet says: |
| 49“‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? | 49Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool. What sort of house will you build for me? says the Lord, or what will be my resting place? |
| 50Did not my hand make all these things?’ | 50Did not my hand make all these things? |
| 51“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. | 51"You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit. As your ancestors did, you do also. |
| 52Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, | 52Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. |
| 53you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” | 53You received the law under the direction of angels and yet have not kept it." |
| 54Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. | 54When they heard these things, they were enraged and gnashed their teeth at him. |
| 55But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. | 55Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. |
| 56And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” | 56He said, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" |
| 57But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. | 57They yelled at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. |
| 58Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. | 58They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. |
| 59And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” | 59While they were stoning Stephen, he called out: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" |
| 60And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. | 60He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" And after saying this, he died. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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