Stephen’s Address: The Call of Abraham (Genesis 12:1–9)
1 DBY And the high priest said, Are these things then so? BSB BSB: Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”
2 DBY And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, BSB BSB: And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
3 DBY and said to him, Go out of thy land and out of thy kindred, and come into the land which I will shew thee. BSB BSB: and told him, ‘Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you.’
4 DBY Then going out of the land of the Chaldeans he dwelt in Charran, and thence, after his father died, he removed him into this land in which ye now dwell. BSB BSB: So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God brought him out of that place and into this land where you are now living.
5 DBY And he did not give him an inheritance in it, not even what his foot could stand on; and promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he had no child. BSB BSB: 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, even though he did not yet have a child.
6 DBY And God spoke thus: His seed shall be a sojourner in a strange land, and they shall enslave them and evil entreat them four hundred years; BSB BSB: God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
7 DBY and the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and serve me in this place. BSB BSB: ‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.’
8 DBY And he gave to him the covenant of circumcision; and thus he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. BSB BSB: Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and 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.
Joseph Sold into Egypt (Genesis 37:12–30)
9 DBY And the patriarchs, envying Joseph, sold him away into Egypt. And God was with him, BSB BSB: Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
10 DBY and delivered him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he appointed him chief over Egypt and all his house. BSB BSB: and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
11 DBY But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food. BSB BSB: Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.
12 DBY But Jacob, having heard of there being corn in Egypt, sent out our fathers first; BSB BSB: When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.
13 DBY and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh. BSB BSB: On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
14 DBY And Joseph sent and called down to him his father Jacob and all his kindred, seventy-five souls. BSB BSB: Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all.
Israel Oppressed in Egypt (Exodus 1:8–22)
15 DBY And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers, BSB BSB: So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.
16 DBY and were carried over to Sychem and placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. BSB BSB: Their bones were carried back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a price he paid in silver.
17 DBY But as the time of promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, BSB BSB: As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number.
18 DBY until another king over Egypt arose who did not know Joseph. BSB BSB: Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt.
19 DBY He dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that they might not live. BSB BSB: He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.
The Birth and Adoption of Moses (Exodus 2:1–10; Hebrews 11:23–29)
20 DBY In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly lovely, who was nourished three months in the house of his father. BSB BSB: At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God. For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house.
21 DBY And when he was cast out, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself to be for a son. BSB BSB: When he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.
22 DBY And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. BSB BSB: So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.
The Rejection and Flight of Moses (Exodus 2:11–22)
23 DBY And when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it came into his heart to look upon his brethren, the sons of Israel; BSB BSB: When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
24 DBY and seeing a certain one wronged, he defended him , and avenged him that was being oppressed, smiting the Egyptian. BSB BSB: And when he saw one of them being mistreated, Moses went to his defense and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him.
25 DBY For he thought that his brethren would understand that God by his hand was giving them deliverance. But they understood not. BSB BSB: He assumed his brothers would understand that God was using him to deliver them, but they did not.
26 DBY And on the morrow he shewed himself to them as they were contending, and compelled them to peace, saying, Ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one another? BSB BSB: 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 DBY But he that was wronging his neighbour thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us? BSB BSB: But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?
28 DBY Dost thou wish to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? BSB BSB: Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
29 DBY And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Madiam, where he begat two sons. BSB BSB: At this remark, Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he lived as a foreigner and had two sons.
The Call of Moses (Exodus 3:1–22)
30 DBY And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire of a bush. BSB BSB: After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.
31 DBY And Moses seeing it wondered at the vision; and as he went up to consider it, there was a voice of the Lord, BSB BSB: When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight. As he approached to look more closely, the voice of the Lord came to him:
32 DBY I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not consider it . BSB BSB: ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.
33 DBY And the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place on which thou standest is holy ground. BSB BSB: Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.
34 DBY I have surely seen the ill treatment of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groan, and have come down to take them out of it; and now, come, I will send thee to Egypt. BSB BSB: I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’
35 DBY This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him did God send to be a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. BSB BSB: This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be their ruler and redeemer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 DBY He led them out, having wrought wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. BSB BSB: He led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.
38 DBY This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received living oracles to give to us; BSB BSB: He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received living words to pass on to us.
The Rebellion of Israel (Exodus 32:1–35; Deuteronomy 9:7–29; Amos 5:16–27)
39 DBY to whom our fathers would not be subject, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, BSB BSB: But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
40 DBY saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us; for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has happened to him. BSB BSB: They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’
41 DBY And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. BSB BSB: At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.
42 DBY But God turned and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Have ye offered me victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? BSB BSB: But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 DBY Yea, ye took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the forms which ye made to do homage to them; and I will transport you beyond Babylon. BSB BSB: You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
The Tabernacle of the Testimony (Exodus 40:1–33; Hebrews 9:1–10)
44 DBY Our fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the model which he had seen; BSB BSB: Our fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.
45 DBY which also our fathers, receiving from their predecessors, brought in with Joshua when they entered into possession of the lands of the nations, whom God drove out from the face of our fathers, until the days of David; BSB BSB: And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David,
46 DBY who found favour before God, and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; BSB BSB: who found favor in the sight of God and asked to provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.
47 DBY but Solomon built him a house. BSB BSB: But it was Solomon who built the house for Him.
48 DBY But the Most High dwells not in places made with hands; as says the prophet, BSB BSB: However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
49 DBY The heaven is my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord, or where is the place of my rest? BSB BSB: ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be?
50 DBY has not my hand made all these things? BSB BSB: Has not My hand made all these things?’
51 DBY O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also. BSB BSB: You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
52 DBY Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain those who announced beforehand concerning the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have now become deliverers up and murderers! BSB BSB: Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—
53 DBY who have received the law as ordained by the ministry of angels, and have not kept it . BSB BSB: you who received the law ordained by angels, yet have not kept it.”
The Stoning of Stephen 54 DBY And hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him. BSB BSB: On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
55 DBY But being full of the Holy Spirit, having fixed his eyes on heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, BSB BSB: But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56 DBY and said, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. BSB BSB: “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
57 DBY And they cried out with a loud voice, and held their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; BSB BSB: At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him.
58 DBY and having cast him out of the city, they stoned him . And the witnesses laid aside their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. BSB BSB: They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 DBY And they stoned Stephen, praying, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. BSB BSB: While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
60 DBY And kneeling down, he cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And having said this, he fell asleep. BSB BSB: Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
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