Acts 7 | New International Reader’s Version

New International Reader’s Version

Stephen speaks to the Sanhedrin

1 Then the high priest questioned Stephen. ‘Is what these people are saying true?’ he asked. 2 ‘Brothers and fathers, listen to me!’ Stephen replied. ‘The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham. At that time Abraham was still in Mesopotamia. He had not yet begun living in Harran. 3 “Leave your country and your people,” God said. “Go to the land I will show you.” (Ge 12:1) 4 ‘So Abraham left the land of Babylonia. He settled in Harran. After his father died, God sent Abraham to this land where you are now living. 5 God didn’t give him any property here. He didn’t even give him enough land to set his foot on. But God made a promise to him and to all his family after him. He said they would possess the land. The promise was made even though at that time Abraham had no child. 6 Here is what God said to him. “For 400 years your family after you will be strangers in a country not their own. They will be slaves and will be treated badly. 7 But I will punish the nation that makes them slaves,” God said. “After that, they will leave that country and worship me here.” (Ge 15:13; Ge 15:14) 8 Then God made a covenant with Abraham. God told him that circumcision would show who the members of the covenant were. Abraham became Isaac’s father. He circumcised Isaac eight days after he was born. Later, Isaac became Jacob’s father. Jacob had 12 sons. They became the founders of the 12 tribes of Israel. 9 ‘Jacob’s sons were jealous of their brother Joseph. So they sold him as a slave. He was taken to Egypt. But God was with him. 10 He saved Joseph from all his troubles. God made Joseph wise. He helped him to become the friend of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made Joseph ruler over Egypt and his whole palace. 11 ‘There was not enough food for all Egypt and Canaan. This brought great suffering. Jacob and his sons couldn’t find food. 12 But Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt. So he sent his sons on their first visit. 13 On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was. Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family. 14 After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family. The total number of people was 75. 15 Then Jacob went down to Egypt. There he and his family died. 16 Some of their bodies were brought back to Shechem. They were placed in a tomb Abraham had bought. He had purchased it from Hamor’s sons at Shechem. He had purchased it for a certain amount of money. 17 ‘In Egypt the number of our people grew and grew. It was nearly time for God to make his promise to Abraham come true. 18 Then “a new king came to power in Egypt. Joseph didn’t mean anything to him.” (Ex 1:8) 19 The king was very evil and dishonest with our people. He treated them badly. He forced them to throw out their newborn babies to die. 20 ‘At that time Moses was born. He was not an ordinary child. For three months he was taken care of by his family. 21 Then he was placed outside. But Pharaoh’s daughter took him home. She brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was taught all the knowledge of the people of Egypt. He became a powerful speaker and a man of action. 23 ‘When Moses was 40 years old, he decided to visit the people of Israel. They were his own people. 24 He saw one of them being treated badly by an Egyptian. So he went to help him. He got even by killing the man. 25 Moses thought his own people would realise that God was using him to save them. But they didn’t. 26 The next day Moses saw two Israelites fighting. He tried to make peace between them. “Men, you are both Israelites,” he said. “Why do you want to hurt each other?” 27 ‘But the man who was treating the other one badly pushed Moses to one side. He said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? 28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?” (Ex 2:14) 29 When Moses heard this, he escaped to Midian. He lived there as an outsider. He became the father of two sons there. 30 ‘Forty years passed. Then an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush. This happened in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31 When Moses saw the bush, he was amazed. He went over for a closer look. There he heard the Lord say, 32 “I am the God of your fathers. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Moses shook with fear. He didn’t dare to look. (Ex 3:6) 33 ‘Then the Lord said to him, “Take off your sandals. You must do this because the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have seen my people beaten down in Egypt. I have heard their groans. I have come down to set them free. Now come. I will send you back to Egypt.” (Ex 3:5; Ex 3:7; Ex 3:8; Ex 3:10)

Ex 3:5Ex 3:7Ex 3:8Ex 3:10

35 ‘This is the same Moses the two men of Israel would not accept. They had said, “Who made you ruler and judge?” But God himself sent Moses to rule the people of Israel and set them free. He spoke to Moses through an angel. The angel had appeared to him in the bush. 36 So Moses led them out of Egypt. He did wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for 40 years in the desert. 37 ‘This is the same Moses who spoke to the Israelites. “God will send you a prophet,” he said. “He will be like me. He will come from your own people.” (De 18:15) 38 Moses was with the Israelites in the desert. He was with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai. Moses was with our people of long ago. He received living words to pass on to us. 39 ‘But our people refused to obey Moses. They would not accept him. In their hearts, they wished they were back in Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, “Make us a god who will lead us. This fellow Moses brought us up out of Egypt. But we don’t know what has happened to him!” (Ex 32:1) 41 That was the time they made a statue to be their god. It was shaped like a calf. They brought sacrifices to it. They even enjoyed what they had made with their own hands. 42 But God turned away from them. He let them go on worshipping the sun, moon and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets. There it says, ‘ “People of Israel, did you bring me sacrifices and offerings for 40 years in the desert? 43 You have taken with you the shrine of your false god Molek. You have taken with you the star of your false god Rephan. You made statues of those gods to worship. So I will send you away from your country.” God sent them to Babylon and even further. (Am 5:25) 44 ‘Long ago our people were in the desert. They had with them the holy tent. The tent was where the tablets of the covenant law were kept. Moses had made the holy tent as God had commanded him. Moses made it like the pattern he had seen. 45 Our people received the tent from God. Then they brought it with them when they took the land of Canaan. God drove out the nations that were in their way. At that time Joshua was Israel’s leader. The tent remained in the land until David’s time. 46 David was blessed by God. So David asked if he could build a house for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built the temple for God. 48 ‘But the Most High God does not live in houses made by human hands. As God says through the prophet, 49 ‘ “Heaven is my throne. The earth is under my control. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Where will my resting-place be? 50 Didn’t my hand make all these things?” (Isa 66:1; Isa 66:2) 51 ‘You stubborn people! You won’t obey! You won’t listen! You are just like your people of long ago! You always oppose the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your people didn’t try to hurt? They even killed those who told about the coming of the Blameless One. And now you have handed him over to his enemies. You have murdered him. 53 The law you received was given by angels. But you haven’t obeyed it.’

Stephen is killed

54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they became very angry. They were so angry they ground their teeth at Stephen. 55 But he was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked up to heaven and saw God’s glory. He saw Jesus standing at God’s right hand. 56 ‘Look!’ he said. ‘I see heaven open. The Son of Man is standing at God’s right hand.’ 57 When the Sanhedrin heard this, they covered their ears. They yelled at the top of their voices. They all rushed at him. 58 They dragged him out of the city. They began to throw stones at him to kill him. The people who had brought false charges against Stephen took off their coats. They placed them at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While the members of the Sanhedrin were throwing stones at Stephen, he prayed. ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,’ he said. 60 Then he fell on his knees. He cried out, ‘Lord! Don’t hold this sin against them!’ When he had said this, he died.

Nuova Riveduta 2006

from Società Biblica di Ginevra

Discorso di Stefano

1 Il sommo sacerdote disse: «Le cose stanno proprio così?» 2 Egli rispose: «Fratelli e padri, ascoltate. Il Dio della gloria apparve ad Abraamo, nostro padre, mentre egli era in Mesopotamia, prima che si stabilisse in Caran, 3 e gli disse: “Esci dal tuo paese e dal tuo parentado, e va’ nel paese che io ti mostrerò”^[1]. 4 Allora egli lasciò il paese dei Caldei e andò ad abitare in Caran; e di là, dopo che suo padre morì, Dio lo fece venire in questo paese che ora voi abitate. 5 In esso però non gli diede in proprietà neppure un palmo di terra, ma gli promise di darla in possesso a lui e alla sua discendenza dopo di lui, quando egli non aveva ancora nessun figlio. 6 Dio parlò così: “La sua discendenza soggiornerà in terra straniera, e sarà ridotta in schiavitù e maltrattata per quattrocento anni. 7 Ma io giudicherò la nazione che avranno servita”, disse Dio; “e dopo questo essi partiranno e mi renderanno il loro culto in questo luogo”^[2]. 8 Poi gli diede il patto della circoncisione; così Abraamo, dopo aver generato Isacco, lo circoncise l’ottavo giorno; e Isacco generò Giacobbe, e Giacobbe i dodici patriarchi. 9 I patriarchi, portando invidia a Giuseppe, lo vendettero, perché fosse condotto in Egitto; ma Dio era con lui 10 e lo liberò da ogni sua tribolazione, e gli diede sapienza e grazia davanti al faraone, re d’Egitto, che lo costituì governatore dell’Egitto e di tutta la sua casa. 11 Sopraggiunse poi una carestia in tutto l’Egitto e in Canaan; l’angoscia era grande e i nostri padri non trovavano viveri. 12 Giacobbe, saputo che in Egitto c’era grano, vi mandò una prima volta i nostri padri. 13 La seconda volta Giuseppe si fece riconoscere dai suoi fratelli, e così il faraone venne a sapere di che stirpe fosse Giuseppe. 14 Poi Giuseppe mandò a chiamare suo padre Giacobbe e tutta la sua parentela, composta di settantacinque persone. 15 Giacobbe discese in Egitto, dove morirono lui e i nostri padri; 16 poi furono trasportati a Sichem e deposti nel sepolcro che Abraamo aveva comprato con una somma di denaro dai figli di Emmor in Sichem. 17 Mentre si avvicinava il tempo del compimento della promessa che Dio aveva fatto ad Abraamo, il popolo crebbe e si moltiplicò in Egitto, 18 finché sorse {sull’Egitto} un altro re, che non sapeva nulla di Giuseppe^[3]. 19 Costui, procedendo con astuzia contro il nostro popolo, maltrattò i {nostri} padri fino a costringerli ad abbandonare i loro bambini, perché non fossero lasciati in vita. 20 In quel tempo nacque Mosè, che era bello agli occhi di Dio; egli fu nutrito per tre mesi in casa di suo padre; 21 e, quando fu abbandonato, la figlia del faraone lo raccolse e lo allevò come figlio. 22 Mosè fu istruito in tutta la sapienza degli Egiziani e divenne potente in parole e opere. 23 Ma quando raggiunse l’età di quarant’anni, gli venne in animo di andare a visitare i suoi fratelli, i figli d’Israele. 24 Vedendo che uno di loro era maltrattato, ne prese le difese e vendicò l’oppresso, colpendo a morte l’Egiziano. 25 Ora egli pensava che i {suoi} fratelli avrebbero capito che Dio voleva salvarli per mano di lui; ma essi non compresero. 26 Il giorno seguente si presentò a loro mentre litigavano, e cercava di riconciliarli, dicendo: “Uomini, voi siete fratelli; perché vi fate torto a vicenda?” 27 Ma quello che faceva torto al suo prossimo lo respinse, dicendo: “Chi ti ha costituito capo e giudice su di noi? 28 Vuoi uccidere me come ieri uccidesti l’Egiziano?”^[4] 29 A queste parole Mosè fuggì e andò a vivere come straniero nel paese di Madian, dove ebbe due figli. 30 Trascorsi quarant’anni, un angelo gli apparve nel deserto del monte Sinai, nella fiamma di un pruno ardente^[5]. 31 Mosè guardò e rimase stupito di questa visione; e, come si avvicinava per osservare meglio, si udì la voce del Signore: 32 “Io sono il Dio dei tuoi padri, il Dio di Abraamo, di Isacco e di Giacobbe”. Mosè, tutto tremante, non osava guardare. 33 Il Signore gli disse: “Togliti i calzari dai piedi; perché il luogo dove stai è suolo sacro. 34 Certo, ho visto l’afflizione del mio popolo in Egitto, ho udito i loro gemiti e sono disceso per liberarli; e ora, vieni, ti manderò in Egitto”^[6]. 35 Questo Mosè che avevano rinnegato dicendo: “Chi ti ha costituito capo e giudice?”, proprio lui Dio mandò loro come capo e liberatore con l’aiuto dell’angelo che gli era apparso nel pruno. 36 Egli li fece uscire, compiendo prodigi e segni nel paese d’Egitto, nel mar Rosso e nel deserto per quarant’anni. 37 Questi è il Mosè che disse ai figli d’Israele: “Dio vi susciterà, tra i vostri fratelli, un profeta come me”^[7]. 38 Questi è colui che nell’assemblea del deserto fu con l’angelo che gli parlava sul monte Sinai e con i nostri padri, e che ricevette parole di vita da trasmettere a noi. 39 Ma i nostri padri non vollero dargli ascolto, lo respinsero e si volsero in cuor loro verso l’Egitto, 40 dicendo ad Aaronne: “Facci degli dèi che vadano davanti a noi, perché di questo Mosè, che ci ha condotti fuori dall’Egitto, non sappiamo che cosa sia avvenuto”^[8]. 41 E in quei giorni fabbricarono un vitello, offrirono sacrifici all’idolo e si rallegrarono per l’opera delle loro mani. 42 Ma Dio si ritrasse da loro e li abbandonò al culto dell’esercito del cielo, come sta scritto nel libro dei profeti: “Mi avete forse offerto vittime e sacrifici per quarant’anni nel deserto, o casa d’Israele? 43 Anzi, vi portaste appresso la tenda di Moloc e la stella del {vostro} dio Refàn; immagini che voi faceste per adorarle. Perciò io vi deporterò al di là di Babilonia”^[9]. 44 I nostri padri avevano nel deserto la tenda della testimonianza, come aveva ordinato colui che aveva detto a Mosè di farla secondo il modello da lui veduto. 45 I nostri padri, guidati da Giosuè, dopo averla ricevuta la trasportarono nel paese posseduto dai popoli che Dio scacciò davanti a loro. Là rimase fino ai tempi di Davide, 46 il quale trovò grazia davanti a Dio e chiese di poter preparare lui una dimora al Dio di Giacobbe. 47 Fu invece Salomone che gli costruì una casa. 48 L’Altissimo però non abita in edifici fatti da mano d’uomo, come dice il profeta: 49 “Il cielo è il mio trono, e la terra lo sgabello dei miei piedi. Quale casa mi costruirete”, dice il Signore, “o quale sarà il luogo del mio riposo? 50 Non ha la mia mano creato tutte queste cose?”^[10] 51 Gente di collo duro e incirconcisa di cuore e d’orecchi, voi opponete sempre resistenza allo Spirito Santo; come fecero i vostri padri, così fate anche voi. 52 Quale dei profeti non perseguitarono i vostri padri? Essi uccisero quelli che preannunciavano la venuta del Giusto, del quale voi ora siete divenuti i traditori e gli uccisori; 53 voi, che avete ricevuto la legge promulgata dagli angeli e non l’avete osservata».

Stefano, primo martire della fede

54 Essi, udendo queste cose, fremevano di rabbia in cuor loro e digrignavano i denti contro di lui. 55 Ma Stefano, pieno di Spirito Santo, fissati gli occhi al cielo, vide la gloria di Dio e Gesù che stava alla destra di Dio, 56 e disse: «Ecco, io vedo i cieli aperti e il Figlio dell’uomo in piedi alla destra di Dio». 57 Ma essi, gettando grida altissime, si turarono gli orecchi e si avventarono tutti insieme sopra di lui; 58 e, cacciatolo fuori dalla città, cominciarono a lapidarlo. I testimoni deposero i loro mantelli ai piedi di un giovane, chiamato Saulo. 59 E continuarono a lapidare Stefano mentre pregava e diceva: «Signore Gesù, accogli il mio spirito». 60 Poi, messosi in ginocchio, gridò ad alta voce: «Signore, non imputare loro questo peccato». E detto questo si addormentò.