Acts 7

1 Then [at that moment, next] the high priest [chief Jewish leader, spiritual authority] asked Stephen, “Are [is it true that, do you acknowledge] these charges [allegations, accusations] true [accurate, faithful to the facts, really so]?” word study 2 And Stephen declared: “Brothers [fellow Jews, brethren] and fathers [male parents, ancestors], listen to me! The God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of glory [honor, praise, divine splendor] appeared [was seen, became visible] to our father [male parent, ancestor] Abraham [the Hebrew patriarch] while he was still in Mesopotamia [a region in Asia between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers], before [prior to, sooner than] he lived [dwelt, resided] in Haran [a city in Mesopotamia], word study 3 and told him, ‘Leave [depart from, go out of] your country [land, region] and your kindred [relatives, family ties] and go to the land [earth, territory] I will show [reveal, make known] you [to you, unto thee].’ word study 4 So Abraham left [from the land of the Chaldeans, the region of his ancestors] the land of the Chaldeans [a place of pagan idolatry] and settled [to dwell, making it his home] in Haran [a city in Mesopotamia]. After his father [his earthly parent, the one who gave him life] died [passed away, ceased to exist], God [the Almighty, all-powerful One] brought him out [to remove, to migrate] of that place [the land of Haran, his previous home] and into [toward, to enter] this land [the promised land, the land of Canaan] where you [the people of Israel, the audience] are now living [dwelling, residing, making it your home]. word study 5 He gave him no [absolute, complete] inheritance [property, possession] here, not even a [single, small] foot [step, pace] of ground [land, earth]. But God [the Almighty, Creator] promised [vowed, swore] to give [bestow, grant] possession [ownership, control] of the land [earth, territory] to Abraham [the father of faith] and his descendants [offspring, seed], even though he did not yet have a [biological, earthly] child [son, heir]. word study 6 God [the one true deity] told him that his descendants [seed, offspring] would be foreigners [sojourners, aliens] in a strange [another’s, foreign] land, and that they would be enslaved [brought into bondage] and mistreated [treated evil, harmed] four hundred [a period of 400] years. word study 7 ‘But I [God, the Almighty] will punish [judge, condemn] the nation [Gentiles, people] that enslaves [makes servants, holds in bondage] them,’ God [the Lord, Creator] said, ‘and afterward [after these things, following this] they will come forth [go out, exit] and worship [serve, minister to] Me [the Almighty, the One True God] in this place [this location, this holy site].’ word study 8 Then God [the Almighty, Creator of all] gave Abraham the covenant [formal agreement, promise] of circumcision [cutting, removal of flesh], and Abraham became the father [progenitor, ancestor] of Isaac and circumcised [cut around, removed flesh from] him on the eighth [one of eight, a specific sequence] day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve [a dozen, complete number] patriarchs [family founders, ancestors]. word study 9 Because the patriarchs [family founders, ancestors] were jealous [moved with envy, zealous] of Joseph, they sold [gave, handed over] him as a slave [servant, bondservant] into Egypt [a foreign land, a place of bondage]. But God [the Almighty, Creator] was with [accompanied, helped] him word study 10 and rescued him from all [every one of] his troubles [afflictions, pressures]. He granted Joseph [graciousness] favor and wisdom [higher understanding, spiritual insight] in the sight of [before, in the presence of] Pharaoh [the king, ruler] king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler [governor, leader] over Egypt and all [the whole of] his household [house, family]. word study 11 Then [at that time, afterwards] famine [a severe lack of food, hunger] and great [intense, severe] suffering [affliction, tribulation] swept across [came over, occurred throughout] Egypt [the country, a major power] and Canaan [the land of Palestine, the promised land], and our fathers [ancestors, forefathers] could not find [did not discover, were unable to get] food [sustenance, nourishment]. word study 12 When Jacob [the progenitor of the Israelites] heard [and understood, with spiritual perception] that there was grain [corn, food] in Egypt [a foreign land, a place of refuge], he sent [dispatched, commissioned] our fathers [ancestors, patriarchs] on their first visit [journey, mission]. word study 13 On their second [at the second time] visit, Joseph revealed his identity [revealed his true identity, made himself known] to his brothers [kinsmen, relatives], and his family [household, descendants] became known [clearly recognized] to Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, the ruler]. word study 14 Then [at that time, next] Joseph [the son of Jacob, a key figure] sent for [summoned, called to come] his father Jacob [the patriarch, progenitor of the Israelites] and all [every single one, the entire group] his relatives [kindred, family members, those connected by blood or marriage], seventy-five [seventy and five, a total of 75] in all [altogether, as a complete group]. word study 15 So Jacob [the progenitor of the Israelites] went down [came to a lower place, descended] to Egypt [a country in northeast Africa], where he [himself, personally] and our fathers [ancestors, patriarchs] died [came to the end of their lives, decease]. word study 16 Their bones were carried back [transported, transferred] to Shechem [a city in Samaria, also a Canaanite] and placed [laid, set] in the tomb [a memorial, burial place] that Abraham [the Hebrew patriarch, father of faith] had bought [purchased, acquired] from the sons [descendants, children] of Hamor [Emmor, a Canaanite] at Shechem [in the region of Samaria] for a price [a sum of money, silver] he paid [gave, exchanged] in silver [money, precious metal]. word study 17 As [just as, at the same time] the time [a period, a season] drew near [approached, came close] for God [the one true deity] to fulfill [to bring to completion, to realize] His promise [a commitment, an assurance] to Abraham [the father of the Jewish nation], our people [a group of individuals, a nation] in Egypt [a country, a place of refuge] increased [grew, multiplied] greatly [abundantly, exceedingly] in number [a large quantity, a multitude]. word study 18 Then [till, until that time] another [different, other] king [sovereign ruler], who knew [was aware of, perceived] nothing [no knowledge, not aware] of Joseph [the son of Jacob, a key figure in Israel’s history], arose [stood up, came to power] over [in authority, ruling] Egypt [the land of the Nile, a major ancient power]. word study 19 He [dealt craftily] exploited our people [family, descendants, nation] and oppressed [harmfully treated, afflicted] our fathers [ancestors, male parents], forcing [causing, making] them to abandon [expose, leave outside] their infants [babies, young children] so they would die [not remain alive, perish]. word study 20 At that time [in which season, during this period] Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] was born, and he was [exceedingly, very] beautiful [fair, handsome, acceptable] in the sight of God [the one true deity]. For three [a specific number of] months he was nurtured [brought up, cared for] in his father’s [male parent, paternal] house [home, family dwelling]. word study 21 When he was set outside [exposed, abandoned], Pharaoh’s daughter [the king’s female child, a princess] took him and brought him up [nourished, educated, reared] as her own son [a child, a male descendant]. word study 22 So Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] was educated [instructed, trained] in all [every aspect of] the wisdom [higher understanding, spiritual insight] of the Egyptians [people from Egypt] and was powerful [able, mighty] in speech [words, messages] and action [deeds, works]. word study 23 When Moses was forty years [full forty, well-nigh forty] old, he decided [it came into his heart, he chose] to visit [care for, look after] his brothers [relatives, fellow Israelis], the children [sons] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob]. word study 24 And when he saw [perceived, became aware of] one of them being mistreated [suffering wrong, oppressed], Moses went to his defense [protected, stood up for] and avenged [took revenge, punished] him by striking down [smote, knocked down] the Egyptian [from Egypt, an oppressor] who was oppressing [wearing down, harassing] him. word study 25 He assumed [thought, supposed, was convinced] his brothers [fellow Israelites, kinsmen] would understand [comprehend, perceive] that God [the one true deity, Almighty] was using [working through, rescuing by] him to deliver [save, rescue, give salvation] them, but they did not [refused to, failed to, didn’t]. word study 26 The next day [following, after a 24-hour period] he came upon two Israelites [fellow Israelis, brothers in faith] who were fighting [quarreling, striving], and he tried to reconcile [bring together, make peace] them, saying, ‘Men [adult males, brothers], you are brothers [fellow believers, siblings in faith]. Why are you mistreating [hurting, doing wrong to] each other?’ word study 27 But the man [who did his neighbor wrong, injuring him] who was abusing [doing wrong to, harming] his neighbor [the one close by, a fellow] pushed Moses aside [thrust him away, rejected him] and said, ‘Who [which one] made you [appointed you as] ruler [leader] and judge [one who decides] over us [over those of us here]? word study 28 Do you [are you willing to, desire to] want to kill [destroy, take the life of] me as you [in the same way that you] killed [destroyed, took the life of] the [a specific] Egyptian [a man from Egypt, an Egyptian person] yesterday [the day before today, previously]?’ word study 29 At this remark [upon hearing this word, because of this saying], Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] fled [ran away, escaped] to the land [region, territory] of Midian [a region in Arabia], where he lived [became a sojourner, dwelt] as a foreigner [alien, stranger] and had [begat, fathered] two [a pair of] sons. word study 30 After forty [a period of testing or trial] years had passed, an angel [a heavenly messenger of God] appeared to Moses in the flames [a blazing fire] of a burning bush [a thorn bush, a bramble-bush] in the desert [a deserted, uninhabited place] near Mount [a high elevation of land] Sinai [the mountain where God gave the Ten Commandments]. word study 31 When Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] saw it, he marveled [was full of wonder, wondered] at the sight [vision, spectacle]. As he approached [drew near, came up] to look more closely [to behold, observe], the voice [sound, noise] of the Lord [God, Master] came to him [spoke to him, saying]: word study 32 ‘I am the God [the one true deity] of your fathers [ancestors, paternal lineage], the God [the supreme Creator] of Abraham [the father of faith], Isaac [the son of promise], and Jacob [the progenitor of Israel].’ Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] trembled with fear [was terrified] and did not dare [was not bold enough] to look [to observe] [closely, with fixed gaze]. word study 33 Then [at that moment, next] the Lord [God, the supreme authority] said to him, ‘Take off [loose, remove] your sandals [shoes, footwear], for [because, since] the place [location, spot] where you are standing [stand, positioned] is holy [set apart, sacred] ground [earth, soil]. word study 34 I have indeed seen [closely observed, perceived] the oppression [affliction, mistreatment] of My people [nation, those belonging to Me] in Egypt [a land of bondage, a place of suffering]. I have heard [listened to, understood] their groaning [deep sighs, cries of distress] and have come down [descended, intervened] to deliver [rescue, set free] them. Now come [draw near, approach], I will send [dispatch, commission] you back to Egypt [to the place of their suffering, to rescue them].’ word study 35 This Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver], whom they had rejected [refused, denied] with the words, ‘Who made you [appointed you as] ruler [leader, chief] and judge [magistrate, one who decides]?’ is the one whom God [the one true deity] sent [dispatched, commissioned] to be their ruler [leader, governor] and redeemer [one who pays a ransom, sets free] through the angel [messenger, heavenly being] who appeared to him in the bush [thorn bush]. word study 36 He led them out [as their deliverer] and performed [having wrought, doing] wonders [miraculous signs, marvels] and signs [tokens of divine power] in the land [region, territory] of Egypt [a country], at the Red [having a reddish color] Sea, and for forty [a period of testing] years in the wilderness [a deserted, uninhabited place, the desert]. word study 37 This is the same Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] who told the Israelites [the children of Israel], ‘God [the Lord, the one true deity] will raise up [appoint, bring forth] for you a prophet [one who speaks forth God’s will] like me [having a similar role, speaking God’s words] from among your brothers [fellow Israelites, brethren].’ word study 38 He was in the assembly [church, gathering of people] in the wilderness [desert, uninhabited land] with the angel [messenger of God] who spoke to him on Mount Sinai [the mountain where God gave the law], and with our fathers [ancestors, forefathers]. And he received living [vital, life-giving] words [oracles, messages from God] to pass on [give, deliver] to us. word study 39 But our fathers [the patriarchs of our nation] refused [would not be obedient, thrust away] to obey him [Moses, their leader]. Instead [on the contrary, but], they rejected [thrust him from them, put him on one side] him and in their hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] turned back [changed direction completely, returned] to Egypt [the land of their former slavery, a place of spiritual bondage]. word study 40 They said to Aaron [the brother of Moses], ‘Make us gods [idols to worship, statues of deities] who will go before us [lead the way, guide us]! As for this Moses [the leader who delivered us] who led us out of the land [region, territory] of Egypt [a place of bondage], we do not know [are unaware, have no knowledge] what has happened [occurred, become] to him [the one who guided us].’ word study 41 At that time [in those days, during that period] they made [created, fashioned] a calf [an idol, a golden image] and offered [brought, presented] a sacrifice [an offering, a gift] to the idol [the false god, the image], rejoicing [celebrating, taking pleasure] in the works [actions, deeds] of their hands [their own power, their human efforts]. word study 42 But God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] turned away [rejected, abandoned] from them and gave them over [handed them over, surrendered] to the worship [service, ministry] of the host [army, multitude] of heaven [the sky, the celestial realm], as it is written [recorded, inscribed] in the book [scroll, scripture] of the prophets [messengers, spokesmen]: ‘Did you bring [offer, present] Me sacrifices [slain beasts, offerings] and offerings [gifts, oblations] forty [a period of testing, 40 years] years in the wilderness [desert, uninhabited land], O house [family, nation] of Israel [God’s chosen people]? word study 43 You have taken along [carried with you, transported] the tabernacle [tent, dwelling place] of Molech [a false god, idol] and the star [astral body, celestial being] of your god Rephan [an Egyptian idol, false deity], the idols [images, figures] you made [created, fashioned] to worship [bow down to, reverence]. Therefore I will send [deport, exile] you into exile [banishment, forced migration] beyond [on the other side of, farther than] Babylon [a city].’ word study 44 Our fathers [ancestors, forefathers] had the tabernacle [tent, sacred dwelling] of the Testimony [witness, evidence of God’s presence] with them in the wilderness [desert, uninhabited land]. It was constructed exactly as [just as, according to] God had directed [commanded, given orders to] Moses, according to the pattern [model, example] he had seen [perceived, beheld]. word study 45 And our fathers [who came after, in succession] who received it [the tabernacle, as an inheritance] brought it in [into the land] with Joshua [Jesus, the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] when they dispossessed [drove out, expelled] the nations [Gentiles, non-Jewish people] God [the one true deity] drove out [expelled, thrust out] before them [from the presence of our fathers]. It remained [stayed, continued] until the time [the days, the period] of David [King David of Israel], word study 46 who found favor [gracious favor, divine approval] in the sight [presence, before] of God [the one true deity] and asked [requested, petitioned] to provide [build, establish] a dwelling place [holy tent, tabernacle] for the God [the Almighty, Creator] of Jacob [the patriarch, father of Israel]. word study 47 But it was Solomon [the son of King David, a king of Israel] who built [constructed, established] the house [a physical dwelling, a temple] for Him [God, the Almighty]. word study 48 However, the Most High [the supreme God, Highest] does not dwell [reside, make His home] in houses [temples, sacred places] made by human [with hands, by human effort] hands. As [just as, in the same way] the prophet [one who speaks for God, messenger] says: word study 49 ‘Heaven [the sky and God’s home] is My throne [seat of power and authority] and the earth [the land, the material world] is My footstool [a rest for My feet, a symbol of dominance]. What kind of house [physical dwelling or spiritual temple] will you build for Me, says the Lord [the supreme God, Master, and Ruler], or where will My place of repose [rest, abode, and peace] be? word study 50 Has [not at all, by no means] not My hand [the instrument of power] made [created, brought into existence] all [every, everything] these things [this specific creation]?’ word study 51 You stiff-necked [obstinate, stubborn] people with uncircumcised [unresponsive, spiritually insensitive] hearts and ears [unable to hear or understand]! You always [continually, forever] resist [oppose, strive against] the Holy [set apart, sacred] Spirit, just as your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] did [acted, behaved]. word study 52 Which of the prophets [messengers of God] did your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] fail to persecute [pursue, harass]? They even killed [murdered, put to death] those who foretold [prophesied, declared beforehand] the coming [arrival, advent] of the Righteous One [the Just, innocent One]. And now you are His betrayers [traitors, those who betray] and murderers [those who take life, killers]— word study 53 you who [received as a sacred trust] received the law [a set of divine rules and regulations] ordained [given or appointed] by angels [heavenly messengers of God], yet have not kept [obeyed or guarded] it [the law, a covenant with God].” word study 54 On hearing [with understanding and obedience] this, the members [council, Jewish leaders] of the Sanhedrin [the Jewish high court] were enraged [cut to the heart, furious], and they gnashed [grinding, biting] their teeth at him [in anger and hostility]. word study 55 But Stephen [being completely controlled by], full of the Holy Spirit [the divine breath], looked intently [with focused attention, gazing up steadfastly] into heaven [the sky and God’s dwelling place] and saw the glory [honor, praise, and admiration] of God [the one true deity] and Jesus [Joshua, God’s salvation] standing [in an upright position, figuratively present] at the right hand [the place of honor and power] of God [the supreme Creator]. word study 56 “Look,” he said, “I see [behold, perceive] heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling place] open [unveiled, accessible] and the Son [the divine, eternal Son] of Man [a human, the Messiah] standing [positioned, established] at the right [the place of honor, authority] hand of God [the Almighty, Creator].” word study 57 At this [then, in response] they covered [stopped, held] their ears [the ability to hear and understand], cried out [shouted loudly, with a great voice] in a loud [great, intense] voice [sound, noise], and rushed [stampeded, ran violently] together [united, with one accord] at him [against, upon him]. word study 58 They dragged [threw out, expelled] him out of the city [town with walls, Jerusalem] and began to stone [throw stones at, punish with rocks] him. Meanwhile [at the same time, as they stoned] the witnesses [those who saw or testified] laid their garments [clothing, outer robes] at the feet [in the presence, beside] of a young man [youth, under forty] named [called, known as] Saul [the Jewish name of the Apostle Paul]. word study 59 While they were stoning [throwing stones at] him, Stephen [a faithful Christian, full of the Holy Spirit] appealed [calling upon, praying to], “Lord [a title of respect and authority] Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation], receive [to accept, welcome] my spirit [the vital principle, breath of life].” word study 60 Falling [in a posture of humility] on his knees, he cried out [with a loud voice, in a great and intense manner] in a loud voice, “Lord [the supreme Master and God], do not [lest, God forbid] hold this sin [missing the mark or falling short of God’s standards] against them [the ones who have wronged him].” And when he had said [spoken, uttered] this, he fell asleep [to sleep or fall asleep, sometimes used to describe death]. word study