Acts 7:1-36 ▼

1 Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?

2 And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers {pateres}, listen to me! The God {Theos} of glory {doxēs} appeared to our father Abraham (father of many) while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran (hill),

3 and told him, ‘Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you .’

4 So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran (hill). After his father {patera} died, God brought him out of that place and into this land where you⁺ are now living.

5 He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants (seed), even though he did not yet have a child.

6 God {Theos} told him that his descendants (seed) would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

7 ‘But I will punish the nation {ethnos} that enslaves them, God {Theos} said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place .’

8 Then God gave Abraham the covenant {diathēkēn} of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac (he will laugh) and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob (he grasps the heel), and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

9 Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph (he will add), they sold him as a slave into Egypt (land of bondage). But God {Theos} was with him

10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt (land of bondage), who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.

11 Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt (land of bondage) and Canaan (low), and our fathers {pateres} could not find food.

12 When Jacob (he grasps the heel) heard that there was grain in Egypt (land of bondage), he sent our fathers {pateras} on their first visit.

13 On their second visit, Joseph (he will add) revealed his identity to (Joseph was made known to) his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.

14 Then Joseph (he will add) sent for his father {patera} Jacob (he grasps the heel) and all his relatives, seventy-five in all.

15 So Jacob (he grasps the heel) went down to Egypt (land of bondage), where he and our fathers {pateres} died.

16 Their bones were carried back \And they were carried back/ to Shechem (shoulder) and placed in the tomb that Abraham (father of many) had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a price he paid in silver.

17 As the time drew near for God {Theos} to fulfill His promise to Abraham (father of many), our people in Egypt (land of bondage) increased greatly in number.

18 Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph (he will add), arose over Egypt (land of bondage).

19 He exploited our people and oppressed (afflicted) our fathers {pateras}, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

20 At that time Moses (drawn out) was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God (he was of great status in God’s eyes). For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house.

21 When he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.

22 So Moses (drawn out) was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians (double straits) and was powerful in speech and action.

23 When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel (He wrestles with God).

24 And when he saw one of them being mistreated, Moses went to his defense and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian (double straits) who was oppressing him.

25 He assumed his brothers would understand that God {Theos} was using him to deliver them, but they did not.

26 The next day he came upon two Israelites who were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you⁺ are brothers. Why are you⁺ mistreating each other?

27 But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?

28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian (double straits) yesterday ?’

29 At this remark, Moses (drawn out) fled to the land of Midian, where he lived as a foreigner and had two sons.

30 After forty years had passed, an angel (messenger) appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.

31 When Moses (drawn out) saw it, he marveled at the sight. As he approached to look more closely, the voice of the Lord {Kyriou} came to him:

32 ‘I am the God {Theos} of your fathers {paterōn}, the God of Abraham (father of many), Isaac (he will laugh), and Jacob .’ Moses (drawn out) trembled with fear and did not dare to look.

33 Then the Lord {Kyrios} said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy (set apart) ground.

34 I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt (land of bondage). I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt .’

35 This Moses (drawn out), whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge ?’ is the one whom God {Theos} sent to be their ruler and redeemer through the angel (Angel) who appeared to him in the bush.

36 He led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt (land of bondage), at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness (solitary place).