Stephen's Speech
1 The high priest asked Stephen, “Are they telling the truth about you?”
2 Stephen answered:
Friends, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he had moved to Haran. 3 God told him, “Leave your country and your relatives and go to a land that I will show you.” 4 Then Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran.
After his father died, Abraham came and settled in this land where you now live. 5 God didn't give him any part of it, not even a square meter. But God did promise to give it to him and his family forever, even though Abraham didn't have any children. 6 God said Abraham's descendants would live for a while in a foreign land. There they would be slaves and would be mistreated 400 years. 7 But he also said, “I will punish the nation that makes them slaves. Then later they will come and worship me in this place.”
8 God said to Abraham, “Every son in each family must be circumcised to show you have kept your agreement with me.” So when Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him. Later, Isaac circumcised his son Jacob, and Jacob circumcised his twelve sons. 9 These men were our ancestors.
Joseph was also one of our famous ancestors. His brothers were jealous of him and sold him as a slave to be taken to Egypt. But God was with him 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. God made him so wise that the Egyptian king Pharaoh thought highly of him. The king even made Joseph governor over Egypt and put him in charge of everything he owned.
11 Everywhere in Egypt and Canaan the grain crops failed. There was terrible suffering, and our ancestors could not find enough to eat. 12 But when Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there for the first time. 13 It was on their second trip that Joseph told his brothers who he was, and the king learned about Joseph's family.
14 Joseph sent for his father and his relatives. In all, there were 75 of them. 15 His father went to Egypt and died there, just as our ancestors did. 16 Later their bodies were taken back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor.
17 Finally, the time came for God to do what he had promised Abraham. By then the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased. 18 Another king was ruling Egypt, and he didn't know anything about Joseph. 19 He tricked our ancestors and was cruel to them. He even made them leave their babies outside, so they would die.
20 During this time Moses was born. He was a very beautiful child, and for three months his parents took care of him in their home. 21 Then when they were forced to leave him outside, the king's daughter found him and raised him as her own son. 22 Moses was given the best education in Egypt. He was a strong man and a powerful speaker.
23 When Moses was 40 years old, he wanted to help the Israelites because they were his own people. 24 One day he saw an Egyptian mistreating one of them. So he rescued the man and killed the Egyptian. 25 Moses thought the rest of his people would realize God was going to use him to set them free. But they didn't understand.
26 The next day Moses saw two of his own people fighting, and he tried to make them stop. He said, “Men, you are both Israelites. Why are you so cruel to each other?”
27 But the man who had started the fight pushed Moses aside and asked, “Who made you our ruler and judge? 28 Are you going to kill me, just as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?” 29 When Moses heard this, he ran away to live in the country of Midian. His two sons were born there.
30 Forty years later, an angel appeared to Moses from a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31 Moses was surprised by what he saw. He went closer to get a better look, and the Lord said, 32 “I am the God who was worshiped by your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Moses started shaking all over and didn't dare to look at the bush.
33 The Lord said to him, “Take off your sandals, because the place where you are standing is holy. 34 With my own eyes I have seen the suffering of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groans and have come down to rescue them. Now I am sending you back to Egypt.”
35 This was the same Moses that the people rejected by saying, “Who made you our leader and judge?” God's angel had spoken to Moses from the bush. And God had even sent the angel to help Moses rescue the people and be their leader.
36 In Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the desert, Moses rescued the people by working miracles and wonders for 40 years. 37 Moses is the one who told the people of Israel, “God will choose one of your people to be a prophet, just as he chose me.” 38 Moses brought our people together in the desert, and the angel spoke to him on Mount Sinai. There he was given these life-giving words to pass on to us. 39 But our ancestors refused to obey Moses. They rejected him and wanted to go back to Egypt.
40 The people said to Aaron, “Make some gods to lead us! Moses led us out of Egypt, but we don't know what's happened to him now.” 41 Then they made an idol in the shape of a calf. They offered sacrifices to the idol and were pleased with what they had done.
42 God turned his back on his people and left them. Then they worshiped the stars in the sky, just as it says in the Book of the Prophets, “People of Israel, you didn't offer sacrifices and offerings to me during those 40 years in the desert. 43 Instead, you carried the tent where the god Molech is worshiped, and you took along the star of your god Rephan. You made those idols and worshiped them. So now I will have you carried off beyond Babylonia.”
44 The tent where our ancestors worshiped God was with them in the desert. This was the same tent that God had commanded Moses to make. And it was made like the model that Moses had seen. 45 Later it was given to our ancestors, and they took it with them when they went with Joshua. They carried the tent along as they took over the land from those people that God had chased out for them. Our ancestors used this tent until the time of King David. 46 He pleased God and asked him if he could build a house of worship for the people of Israel. 47 And it was finally King Solomon who built a house for God.
48 But the Most High God doesn't live in houses made by humans. It is just as the prophet said, when he spoke for the Lord,
49 “Heaven is my throne,
and the earth
is my footstool.
What kind of house
will you build for me?
In what place will I rest?
50 I have made everything.”
51 You stubborn and hardheaded people! You are always fighting against the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors did. 52 Is there one prophet that your ancestors didn't mistreat? They killed the prophets who told about the coming of the One Who Obeys God. And now you have turned against him and killed him. 53 Angels gave you God's Law, but you still don't obey it.
Stephen Is Stoned to Death
54 When the council members heard Stephen's speech, they were angry and furious. 55 But Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked toward heaven, where he saw our glorious God and Jesus standing at his right side. 56 Then Stephen said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God!”
57 The council members shouted and covered their ears. At once they all attacked Stephen 58 and dragged him out of the city. Then they started throwing stones at him. The men who had brought charges against him put their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 As Stephen was being stoned to death, he called out, “Lord Jesus, please welcome me!” 60 He knelt down and shouted, “Lord, don't blame them for what they have done.” Then he died.
Ndebeleko ya Sitifani
1 Ntungamili we bapirisiti kabhuzwa Sitifani kati, “Apa zwithu izwezwi malebeswa kene?”
2 Sitifani kadabila kati, “Zwikamu na botate, mundihwilile! Ndzimu we gudzo wakaboneka kuna bobatategulu bedu Abhurahama batjiku Mesopotamiya, basathu bakanogala ku Harani, 3 ngono Ndzimu ukabadwa ukati, ‘Bhuda mu shango ya kanyi kwenyu ne muna bakanyi kwenyu, ngono uyende ku shango yandinowokulakidza imi.’
4 “Ndizo bakabhuda mu shango ya kanyi kwabo ye ba Kalideya bakanogala ku Harani. Shule kwe lufu gwa tate ba Abhurahama Ndzimu wakabadusa ikoko ukabazhisa mu shango iyeyi yamugele muili. 5 Ndzimu ipapo auzopa Abhurahama pamwe payo se pape ndodwa ne paangabiga gumbopo, koga Ndzimu wakagadzabgwe kumpa iyo ne kuti inowobe iye ne bana babe. Nenguba Abhurahama akabe asina mwana. 6 Ndzimu tjawakaleba kunli etji, ‘Ludzi gugo gowogala mu shango ye bamwe, kwabanowobe balanda, ngono banowobhakhwa zwakabipa makole ali mazana manna. 7 Koga ndowosumikilisa itjaba itjetjo tjabanowoshingila, ngono shule banowobhuda mu shango iyeyo, ngono banowondinamata mu bugalo igogu.’ 8 Ipapo Ndzimu ukapa Abhurahama tjidumano tje kuthumbigwa. Abhurahama kazwala Isaki, ngono kanthumbila nge zhuba le buzhanakadzi shule kwe azwagwa. Isaki kazwala Jakubo, Jakubo kazwala bobatategulu bedu bali gumi lina babili.
9 “Bobatategulu bakathamila fupa nnung'una wabo Josefa ngono bakantengesa kube nlanda mu Egipiti. Koga Ndzimu wakabe unaye. 10 Wakansunungula mu tshiyilo dzidze dzose. Ndzimu wakathama kuti adiwe ndi Faro, ukampa butjenjedu mu mesho awe. Ndizo Faro Mambo we Egipiti kanthama nlauli we Egipiti newe nsha uwe wose. 11 Ipapo kukabe ne bhamba mu Egipiti yose ne mu Kanana lakazhisa kudziyila kukulu. Bobatategulu bedu bakasheta zojiwa. 12 Jakubo kati ehwa kuti kuna mathunde ku Egipiti, katuma bobatategulu bedu kutanga. 13 Ngono gwe bubili Josefa kazwizibisa bakulu babe, ndizo Faro kaziba ngekwe nsha wa kanyi kwa Josefa. 14 Ipapo Josefa kadana tate babe Jakubo, kose ne nsha wose, bathu bali makumi ali kutendeka ana bashanu, kuti bazhe ku Egipiti. 15 Ipapo Jakubo kayenda ku Egipiti, iko kwaakafila na bobatategulu bedu. 16 Mibili yabo yakasengegwa ku Shekemu, kwayakabiganyiwa mu ikumbu tjakatengwa ndi Abhurahama nge themba ye mari e siliva mu bana ba Hamori mu Shekemu.
17 “Kukati tjibaka tjakagadziwabgwe Abhurahama nge Ndzimu tjabe pejo, palo ye bathu bedu ikakula bakawanda mu Egipiti. 18 Ngono kukabepo mambo mu Egipiti usingazibe tjimwe ngekwa Josefa. 19 Katjebela bobatategulu bedu, ngono kabadziyidza, ebakombeledza kuti balashe shabana dzabo, kuti ndizo dzife. 20 Nditjo tjibaka tjakazwagwa Mushe ali mwana wakanaka mbeli kwe Ndzimu. Wakalelegwa mu nzi wa tate babe mimwedzi ili mitatu, 21 ngono kati adusiwa mu nzi uwe, nkololokadzi wa Faro kantola kanlela se mwana uwe. 22 Ngono Mushe kadiyiwa butjenjedu gose gwe Baegipiti, ngono kabe akasima mu ndebeleko ne mu mishingo.
23 “Kati ana makole ali makumi manna, kakumbula kukumba bakanyi kukwe, bakololo Baiziraela. 24 Wakati ebona mmwe wa kanyi kukwe edziyidziwa kamila nlume iwoyo unotshambilidziwa ngono kambuzuludzila nge kubulaya N'egipiti. 25 Wakabe ekumbula kuti bathu ba kanyi kukwe banowohwisisa kuti Ndzimu wakabe uwonshingisa kubasunungula, koga ibo bakasihwisise. 26 Tjimuka kawana Baiziraela babili begwa, ngono kagwisa kubagadzanya. Kati ku bali, ‘Balume mu bana be nthu ini muthamilana bubi?’ 27 Koga nlume iwoyu wakabe edziyidza mmwe katshindikila Mushe ntome. Kabhuzwa eti, ‘Ndiani wakakuthama nlauli ne nsumikilisi mutili kene?’ 28 ‘Unoshaka kundibulaya sekwa wakabulaya N'egipiti madekwe?’ 29 Mushe kati ehwa ikoku, katizha mu Egipiti kayenda kanogala mu shango ye Midiya. Kabe ne bakololo babili ikoko.
30 “Shule kwe makole ali makumi manna, ntumwa we kudzimu kaboneka kuna Mushe mu tjilambanyika tje Dombo le Sinai mu nthuto we moto mu denjana. 31 Mushe katjenamisiwa nge tjaakabona, ngono kasedzela pejo ne denjana kuti abone zubuyanana. Koga kahwa hwi la She liti, 32 ‘Ndimi Ndzimu wa bobatategulu babo, Ndzimu wa Abhurahama, na Isaki na Jakubo.’ Mushe katetema ngotja, ngono kasilinge. 33 She bakati kunli, ‘Ambula khwebana dzidzo, ngobe pathu paumile pathu pakayengemala. 34 Ndabona kudziyidziwa kwe bathu bangu mu Egipiti. Ndahwa kulila kwabo, ndizo ndadeluka kuwobasunungula. Izha ngwenu; ndowokutuma ku Egipiti.’
35 “Mushe iwoyu ndiye zwe wabakalamba beti, ‘Ndiani wakakuthama nlauli ne nsumikilisi mutili kene?’ Ndzimu wakantuma kunolaula bathu ne kubasunungula nge bhatsho ye ntumwa we kudzimu iwoyu wakaboneka kunli mu denjana lakabe lithuta moto. 36 Wakatungamilila bathu kubhuda mu Egipiti athama matjenamiso ne zwilakidzo mu Egipiti ne ku Gungwa Shaba ne mu tjilambanyika makole ali makumi manna. 37 Mushe ndiye wakati ku bathu be Iziraela, ‘Ndzimu wenyu unowomuzhisila nlebesambeli, koga sekwa wakandizhisa, ngono unowodwa mu ludzi gwenyu.’ 38 Ndiye wakabe ana gubungano mu tjilambanyika, ndiye wakabe ali mile pakati kwa bobatategulu bedu ne ntumwa we kudzimu, iwoyu wakalebeleka naye ali pezhugwi kwe Dombo le Sinai ngono Mushe kaamutjila matama e Ndzimu anotjila kutipa iwo.
39 “Koga bobatategulu bedu bakalamba kunhwa, bakansundila ntome, ngono bakayemula kubgwilila ku Egipiti. 40 Ndizo bakati kuna Aroni, ‘Utithamile midzimu inowotitungamila. Atitoziba kuti kwashingikalani kuna Mushe, iye wakatidusa mu Egipiti.’ 41 Nditjo tjibaka tjabakathama ndzimu we ifano tje phulu, bakatjipa zwipo ngono bakabe ne nzano unokudza itjo tjabathama ibo. 42 Ndizo Ndzimu ukabafupatila, ngono ukabayisa mu kunamata nyenyedzi dze kudzimu, sekwa kwakakwagwa mu hwalo dze balebesambeli kuyi,
“ ‘Ng'umba ye Iziraela.
Apa makandipa zwibhayilo zwe phuka dzakabulawa
nenge zwipo makole ali makumi manna mu tjilambanyika kene?
43 Makasenga tente ya Moleki,
ne nyenyedzi ye ndzimu wenyu Refani,
zwifano zwamakathama kuzwinamata.
Ndizo wali ndowomudusa amuyisa mbeli kwe Bhabhiloni.’
44 “Bobatategulu bedu bakabe bana tente ye butendeki mu tjilambanyika. Yakabe yakathamiwa sekwakabe kwalebgwa nge wakabudza Mushe kuti ithamiwe tjini. 45 Bobatategulu bedu bakati bakazha nayo bana Joshuwa pabakatolela tjaba shango, idzo Ndzimu dzawakatata mbeli kwa botate bedu. Ngono kwakagala kwakajalo kuswikila misi ya Dafite, 46 iye wakaamutjigwa nge Ndzimu, ngono kakumbila Ndzimu kun'dumila kubakila Ndzimu wa Jakubo bugalo. 47 Koga Solomoni ndiye wakabakila Ndzimu ng'umba.
48 “Ndzimu upezhugwi zhugwi autogala mu ng'umba dzakabakwa nge bathu, se kunoleba nlebesambeli eti,
49 “ ‘She bakati, kudzimu tjigalo tjangu tje bushe,
shango tjigalo tje makumbo angu.
I ng'umba yakatini yaungandibakila kene?
Ndiapi magalo andinganyaluluka muali kene?
50 Apa andizothama zwithu izwezwi zose nge luboko gwangu kene?’
51 “Bathu ndimwi bana mitshibha yakawomelela, bana mimoyo mikukutu ne zebe dzisingashako hwa lebeswa. Molamba Meya yakayengemala misi yose, tjakathamwa ndi bobatategulu benyu namwibo motjithama. 52 Apa wakatongo bepo nlebesambeli bobatategulu benyu wabasakadziyidza kene? Bakabulaya na ibabo bakalebelambeli nge kuzha kwa iye Wakalulwama, iye wamakati ngwenu mukawonga mukambulaya. 53 Imwi makaamutjila nlayo wakazhisiwa nge batumwa be kudzimu, koga mukasiulondolodze!”
Kukikithidziwa kwa Sitifani
54 Bakati behwa ikoku bakan'gwadzilamoyo kwazo. 55 Koga Sitifani ali zhele Meya yakayengemala, kalinga kudzimu kabona tjedza tje Ndzimu na Jesu ali mile ku luboko gwe luji gwe Ndzimu. 56 Kati, “Bonani! Ndobona kudzimu kwakazhuka ne Nkololo we Nthu ali mile ku luboko luji gwe Ndzimu!” 57 Ngono bakamimila bakazwina zebe dzabo ngono bakalabukila kunli bakan'wila bose. 58 Bakankwebela kuzhe kwe nzi, ngono bakankikithidza nge mabgwe. Batendeki bakabiga zwiambalo zwabo pa makumbo e nzhuzha wakabe eyi Saulo. 59 Bakatibekikithidza Sitifani ngono iye katembezela kati, “She Jesu, amutjilani meya yangu!” 60 Kathigama pasi kamilidza hwi kati “She! Musibabone nlandu we jinyo ileli!” Wakati aleba ikoku kafa.