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Acts

Describes the early Christian church's formation and spread, from Jerusalem to Rome, focusing on the work of the Holy Spirit.

Chapter 7

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1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so?

*Then the top priest asked, Is this true?

2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

*He said, "Listen, everyone, I have an important message. God appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he lived in Mesopotamia, before he moved to Charran."

3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

*"He told him, Leave your homeland and your family, and go to the land I will show you."

4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

*Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Charran. After his father passed away, he moved here, to the land where you live now.

5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

*He didn't give him any land ownership; he couldn't even step foot on it. But he promised to give the land to him and his children in the future, even though he had no kids at that time.

6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

*And God said that his people would live in a different place where they would be enslaved for 400 years and be treated badly.

7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.

*God says that he will judge the nation that enslaves them, and then they will be free to serve him there.

8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

*God made a special agreement with Abraham through circumcision. Abraham had a son named Isaac, who was circumcised on the eighth day. Isaac later had a son named Jacob, who then had twelve important children.

9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

*The leaders, feeling jealous, sold Joseph to Egypt; but God was by his side.

10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

*God saved him from all his troubles, showed him favor and gave him wisdom, impressing Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. He then put him in charge of everything in Egypt and his entire household.

11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

*A severe famine occurred in Egypt and Canaan, causing much suffering. Our ancestors couldn't find enough food to survive.

12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.

*But when Jacob learned grain was in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there first.

13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.

*At the second time, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and his family was introduced to Pharaoh.

14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

*Then, Joseph sent for his dad, Jacob, and brought all his family members to him; there were seventy-five people in total.

15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,

*So Jacob went to Egypt and passed away, along with our ancestors.

16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

*They went to Sychem and were placed in the tomb Abraham purchased from the descendants of Emmor, the father of Sychem, for a sum of money.

17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

*But as the promised time got closer, which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt.

18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.

*Until a new king came, who didn't know Joseph.

19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

*This verse means that someone treated our ancestors poorly, causing them to abandon their own children so they wouldn't survive.

20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months:

*When Moses was born, he was very good-looking, and lived with his dad for three months.

21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.

*When he was thrown out, Pharaoh's daughter picked him up and raised him as her own son.

22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

*Moses knew all the smart ideas of the Egyptians and was strong with his words and actions.

23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

*At age 40, he decided to visit his family, the Israelites.

24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:

*Seeing one person being treated unfairly, he stood up for them, helped them get justice, and fought against the powerful Egyptian.

25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

*He thought his brothers would know that God would save them through him, but they didn't understand.

26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?

*The next day, he appeared to them while they were fighting and tried to bring them together again. He said, "Sirs, you are like family; why are you hurting each other?"

27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

*But the one who hurt his neighbor pushed him away, asking, "Who made you our leader and judge?"

28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?

*Will you kill me, just like you killed the Egyptian yesterday?

29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

*Then Moses left after hearing this, and lived as an outsider in the land of Midian, where he had two sons.

30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.

*After forty years passed, an angel of the Lord showed up to him in the desert near Mount Sinai, appearing in a fire within a bush.

31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the LORD came unto him,

*When Moses looked at it, he was amazed: and as he got closer to see it better, God's voice spoke to him.

32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

*"I am the God of your ancestors—Abraham's God, Isaac's God, and Jacob's God," said the voice. Moses became terrified and couldn't look directly at it.

33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.

*Then God told him, Remove your shoes from your feet; for the ground you're standing on is sacred.

34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.

*I saw the suffering of my people in Egypt and heard their cries. I'm coming to save them. Now go with me, and I'll send you there.

35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.

*This Moses they rejected, asking who made you a leader and judge? God actually sent him to be a leader and savior, through the angel that showed up in the burning bush.

36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

*He led them away after showing amazing things in Egypt, the Red Sea, and the desert for forty years.

37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

*This is Moses, who told the Israelites that God will raise up a prophet from their people, just like him, and they should listen to this prophet.

38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

*This is the person who was at the church in the desert with the angel talking to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors. They received the living messages to pass down to us.

39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

*They didn't listen to him, but kicked him out and went back to Egypt in their hearts.

40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

*Tell Aaron, "Create gods to lead us: we don't know what happened to Moses, who led us from Egypt."

41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

*In those days, they created a statue and offered sacrifices to it. They were happy about the things they made themselves.

42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?

*Then God let them worship stars in the sky. This was written in a prophet's book: "House of Israel, did you give me dead animals and offerings for 40 years while wandering?"

43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

*Yes, you chose to follow the gods Moloch and Remphan, making images to worship them. I will take you far away from this place, beyond Babylon.

44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.

*In the desert, our ancestors had a special tent, called the "witness tent," which God told Moses to build based on the design He showed him.

45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;

*Our ancestors, who came later, brought us into the land of the non-Jews along with Jesus. God had previously pushed out the non-Jews in front of our ancestors, up until the time of King David.

46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

*Who pleased God and wanted to create a place for the God of Jacob's presence.

47 But Solomon built him an house.

*But Solomon made a home for him.

48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

*However, the very high God does not live in temples made by people; as the prophet says,

49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

*Heaven is where I sit, and Earth is where I put my feet. So, what home do you want me to live in?, asks God.

50 Hath not my hand made all these things?

*Did I not create all these things with my own hands?

51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

*You stubborn and unmoved people, with unyielding hearts and ears, you constantly oppose the Holy Spirit, just like your ancestors did.

52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

*Which prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the arrival of the Righteous One. And you are currently betraying and killing him.

53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

*Those who got the law through angel arrangement but didn't follow it.

54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

*When they heard this, they were deeply hurt and angrily bit back at him.

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

*But he, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily at the sky and saw God's glory and Jesus standing next to God on the right side.

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

*He said, "Look! The sky is opening, and the Son of Man is standing next to God on his right side."

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

*Then they shouted loudly, covered their ears, and rushed at him together.

58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.

*They threw him out of town and stoned him. The witnesses put their clothes by a young man named Saul's feet.

59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

*They threw stones at Stephen while praying to God, saying, "Lord Jesus, take my spirit."

60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

*He knelt and shouted, "Lord, don't blame them for this sin." After saying that, he peacefully passed away.

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