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.
Oundobwedi waStefanus moipafi yovakulunhu
1 Opo nee omupristeli omukulunhu okwa tya: “Odo tuu odo?” 2 Stefanus okwa tya: “Ovalumenhu nye ovamwatate nootate, pwilikineni! Kalunga koshinge okwe lihololela tate yetu Abraham, eshi a li muMesopotamia, fimbo ina tula muHaran, 3 ndele ta ti kuye: ‘Dja mo medu leni nomepata loye, ove u ye kedu olo handi ke ku ulikila.’ 4 Opo nee ye okwa dja mo medu lOvakaldea nokwa tula muHaran, ndele xe eshi a fya, Kalunga okwe mu eta medu eli, mu li mo nonena eli. 5 Ndele Ye ine mu pa mo efyuululo, nande oli fike ponhele yomhadi: Abraham fimbo kwa li ehe nokaana, okwe mu udanekela edu li ninge laye nololudalo laye konima yaye. 6 ‘Ndele Kalunga okwa tile ngaha, oludalo laye tali ka ninga ovanailongo medu lihe fi lavo, ndele tave va ningi ovapika ndele tave va hepeke omido omafele ane: 7 ndele oshiwana eshi tashi va ningi ovapika vasho, Ame handi ke shi tokola’, Kalunga osho ta ti; ‘opo nee tava ka dja mo ndele tava longele nge monhele ei.’ 8 Ndele Ye okwe mu pa ehangano lepitotanda, ndele Abraham eshi a dala Isak, ye e mu pitifa etanda mefiku etihetatu. Isak okwa dala Jakob, naJakob ootatekulu venya omulongo navavali.
9 “Ndele ootatekulu venya ova ningila Josef ondubo ndele ve mu landifa po kuEgipiti, ndele Kalunga okwa li pamwe naye, 10 nokwe mu xupifa moudjuu waye aushe, ndele okwe mu pa onghenda nounongo koshipala shaFarao, ohamba yaEgipiti neumbo laye alishe. 11 Ndele edu alishe laEgipiti nolaKaanan ola hangika kondjala nokoluhepo linene, ngaashi ootate inava mona oipalwifa. 12 Ndele Jakob eshi a uda muEgipiti mu noilya, okwa tuma ko ootate lwotete, 13 nomokushuna ko olutivali, ovamwaxe ova dimbulukiwa kuJosef, naFarao okwa shiivifilwa epata laJosef. 14 Opo nee Josef okwa tuma kuxe Jakob a ka talwe ko nepata laye alishe, ovanhu omilongo heyali navatano. 15 Ndele Jakob okwa ya kuEgipiti, ndele oko a fila ye mwene nootate. 16 Ndele vo ova twalwa kuSekem, va pakwa mombila ei Abraham e lilandela noimaliwa kovana vaHamor muSekem.
17 “Ndele efimbo lokuwanifa eudaneko Kalunga e li udanekela Abraham, eshi la ehena popepi, ovanhu ova tana nokuhapupalela muEgipiti, 18 fiyo ohamba imwe ya nangala Egipiti, oyo inai shiiva Josef nande okanini. 19 Ou okwa kotokela oshiwana shetu, ndele ta hepeke ootate, ndele okwe va fininika okweekelashi ounona vavo vaha kale ve nomwenyo. 20 Mefimbo linya Moses omo a dalwa, ndele okwa li okaana kawa unene ka wapalela Kalunga, ko ka li ka diininwa meumbo laxe eehani nhatu. 21 Ndele eshi ka ekelwashi, omona okakadona kaFarao e ka kufa po e ke litekulila, ka ninge omona waye. 22 Ndele Moses okwa longwa ounongo aushe wOvaegipiti, nokwa li omuladi meendjovo nomoilonga.
23 “Ndele omido daye eshi da ninga omilongo ine, momutima waye mwa penduka ediladilo a ka talele po ovamwaxe, ovana vaIsrael. 24 Ndele eshi a mona ko umwe a hepekwa nai, okwe mu popila, ndele ponhele yomuhepekwa okwa alulila winya owii waye, nokwa denga Omuegipiti ndele te mu dipaa. 25 Ndele ye okwa li e shi, ovamwaxe tava ka koneka kutya, Kalunga ote va xupififa eke laye, ndelenee inave shi koneka. 26 Ndele mefiku lomongula eshi a holoka kuvo fimbo tava patafana tave lidenge, opo a hetekela oku va anuna va kalafane nombili, eshi ta ti: ‘Ovalumenhu nye, nye ovanhu vaxe imwe, oshike tamu ningafana nai?’ 27 Ndele ou ta ningi nai mukwao, okwe mu undula po ndele ta ti: ‘Olyelye e ku lenga u kale omupangeli nomutokoli wetu? 28 Owa hala tuu okudipaa nge ngaashi onghela wa dipaele Omuegipiti?’ 29 Molweendjovo edi Moses okwa ya onhapo, ndele okwa li omunailongo medu laMidian, ndele okwa dalela kwinya ovana ovamati vavali.
30 “Ndele eshi pa pita omido omilongo ine, mombuwa yopomhunda yaSinai, omweengeli wOmwene e mu lihololela momundilo moshixwa sheno sha xwama. 31 Ndele emoniko olo Moses eshi e li mona, okwe li kuminwa, naashi a ehena ko e li tale nawa, okwa uda ondaka yOmwene tai ti: 32 ‘Aame Kalunga kooxo, Kalunga kaAbraham naIsak naJakob’. Moses okwa hovela okukakama ndele ta tila okutala ko. 33 Ndele Omwene okwa tya kuye: ‘Dula ko eenghaku doye, osheshi onhele ei u li po ofika, oiyapuki. 34 Ame ondi wete ovanhu vange nhumbi ve li po tava hepekwa muEgipiti, nekemo lavo onde li uda, ndele nde uya poshi ndi va mangulule. Hano paife, ehena oku, ohandi ku tumu kuEgipiti.’
35 “Moses tuu ou ve mu dina, eshi va tile: ‘olyelye e ku lenga u kale omupangeli nomutokoli wetu’, oye tuu ou Kalunga e mu tuma a kale omupangeli nomumangululi okekwafo lomweengeli ou e mu lihololela moshixwa sheno. 36 Ye okwe va tembula mo nokulonga oinyengandunge noilongadidiliko medu laEgipiti nomEfuta Litilyana nomombuwa omido omilongo ine. 37 Moses tuu ou a lombwela ovana vaIsrael: ‘Kalunga ote mu pendulile movamwaxo omuxunganeki umwe ngaashi ame.’ 38 Oye winya okwa li pamwe nomweengeli meongalo fimbo la li mombuwa, ou a popya naye komhunda yaSinai, ndele okwa li pamwe nootate; ye okwa pewa eendjovo di nomwenyo, e di tu lombwele. 39 Ndelenee ootate inava hala okudulika kuye, vo ove mu ekelashi ndele momitima davo ova shuna kuEgipiti, 40 eshi va tile kuAron: ‘Tu ningila oikalunga, tai tu kwatele komesho, osheshi Moses ou e tu tembula muEgipiti, katu shii nhumbi a ningwa.’ 41 Ndele momafiku enya ove li ningila okatana kandume nova etela oshikalunga shavo omayambo nova nyakukilwa oshilonga shomake avo. 42 Ndelenee Kalunga okwe va pilamena ndele okwe va efa va longele ongudu yovakwaita vomeulu, ngaashi momishangwa dovaxunganeki mwa tiwa:
‘Onye vomeumbo laIsrael,
mwa etela nge tuu mbela omayambo omatomeno
nomaxwikilo makwao
omido dinya omilongo nhee mombuwa?
43 Ahowe, etwali laMolok mwe li humbata,
nonyofi yoshikalunga sheni Refan,
oifefa ei mwe i lihongela mu i linyongamene,
Ame handi ke mu lundululila ko
langhele kwinya yaBabilon.’
44 “Etwali lehepaululo la li mokati kootate mombuwa, ngaashi winya a popya naMoses, e mu lombwela, ne li tunge nokuhopaelela efano olo e li tala. 45 Ndele ootate vetu ove li tambula efyuululo, nove li eta oku pamwe naJosua, edu eshi ve li kufa ovanhu venya, Kalunga e va ta mo koshipala shootate, osho sha kala fiyo okounyuni waDavid. 46 Oye ou Kalunga e mu fila onghenda, ye a indila, a efelwe a tungile Kalunga kaJakob ongulu. 47 Ndele Salomo e mu tungila ongulu. 48 Ndele ou wOkombadambada iha kala meetembeli da tungwa nomake ovanhu, ngaashi omuxunganeki ta ti:
49 ‘Eulu olo olukalwa lange
nedu olo oshilyatelelo sheemhadi dange,
hano nye omwa hala mu tungile nge
ongulu ya tya ngahelipi, Omwene osho ta ti,
ile onhele yange yokutulumukwa oilipipo?
50 Eke lange halo la shita oinima aishe ei?’
51 “Ovakwandudi nye, ava mokupitetanda inamu li pita komitima nokomatwi, alushe nye mwa twa ondubo nOmhepo Iyapuki, ngaashi ooxo, osho nanye yo. 52 Olyelye ou womovaxunganeki ooxo inave mu tonda? Ovo tuu va dipaa ava va xunganeka okuuya kwOmuyuki ou, nopaife nye mwa ninga ovakengeleli novadipai vaye. 53 Onye tuu ovo mwa pewa omhango, mwe i pefifwa ovaengeli, nye inamu i diinina.”
Stefanus ta dipawa
54 Opo nee vo eshi ve di uda, oda lengula omitima davo, ve mu likweshela komayoo. 55 Ndele ye okwa li e yadi Omhepo Iyapuki, nokwa liyaamena keulu ndele ta mono oshinge shaKalunga naJesus e li ofika kolulyo laKalunga. 56 Ndele okwa tya: “Taleni, ame ondi wete eulu la yeuluka nOmona wOmunhu e li ofika kolulyo laKalunga.” 57 Opo tuu vo ova ingida mokule unene, ove lifitika omatwi, opo vo aveshe ve mu nhukila, 58 ove mu ta mo moshilando ndele ove mu dipaa nomamanya. Eendobwedi ova tula oikutu yavo keemhadi domunyasha, edina laye Saulus. 59 Ndele fimbo va kupula Stefanus nomamanya, ye okwa ilikana, ta ti: “Omwene Jesus, tambula omhepo yange.” 60 Ndele ye okwa twa eengolo ndele ta ingida mokule unene: “Omwene, etimba eli ino li va valulila”. Ndele eshi e di tya, okwa kofa po nee.
