Omazuvarisiro wa Stefanus
1 Omupristeri Otjiuru wa pura Stefanus a tja: “Omambo nga nai ouatjiri?”
2 Stefanus wa zira a tja: “Varumendu ovakwetu nootate, puratene ku ami! Tate mukururume Abraham ngunda e hiya katura kOharan, Ndjambi wondangero aihe otje rimunikisa ku ye mehi ra Mesopotamie 3 na tja ku ye: ‘Pita mehi reṋu na momuhoko woye, nu u yende kehi ndi me ku urikire.’ 4 Abraham otja tjinda mehi rawo na katura mehi ra Haran. Kombunda yonḓiro ya ihe, Ndjambi arire tje mu tjindisire kehi ndi eṋe nambano mu mwa tura. 5 Ndjambi ka yandjere eṱa ku Abraham mehi ndi nangarire pu pe ṱa ondambo yomundu, nungwari Ndjambi wa kwizikira okuriyandja ku ye, nokutja oro mari rire ore nozondekurona ze. Noruveze Ndjambi ndwa tjita omakwizikiro nga tjandje nao Abraham ke novanatje. 6 Ndjambi wa tjere nai ku ye: ‘Ozondekurona zoye maze katura mehi rambangu nu aze karira ovakarere ngo naze katatumisiwa noutwe oure wozombura omasere yane. 7 Nungwari ami me pangura otjiwaṋa tji matji ze isa po ovakarere, nu kombunda yanao ozo maze tjindi mehi ndo naze rikotamene ku ami poṋa mbo.’ 8 Nu Ndjambi wa yandja omasukarekero ku Abraham ye rire otjiraisiro tjomerikutiropamwe. Abraham otja sukareka Isak meyuva oritjahambondatu kombunda yongwatero ye; nu Isak a sukareke omuzandu we Jakob; tjazumba Jakob a sukareke ovazandu ve omurongo na vevari, imba ootate mukururume vomuhoko wetu.
9 “Ovazandu va Jakob va ṱeruru nomuangu wawo Josef, notji ve mu randisa kOengipte okukarira omukarere. Nungwari Ndjambi wa ri puna ye, 10 narire tje mu yama momauzeu we aehe. Nu momurungu wombara ya Engipte Ndjambi wa yandjere otjari nounongo ku Josef, nombara ai ziki Josef okurira ongooneya wokehi yombara mehi nowonganda yayo aihe youhona. 11 Tjazumba otji mwa kara ondjara mehi arihe ra Engipte nora Kanaan; ondjara ndji ya eta ouzeu ounene, nootate mukururume kava ri notjiṋa okurya. 12 Nu Jakob tja zuvire kutja kOengipte ku novikurya, arire tja hindi ovazandu ve, ootate mukururume, otjikando otjitenga koṋa ngo. 13 Owo tji va ire ngo porutjavari, Josef arire tje rihangununa komarumbi we, nomuhoko wa Josef otji wa tjiukwa kombara ya Engipte. 14 Josef wa raa ombuze ku ihe Jakob okumuraera kutja eye nomuhoko auhe, ovandu avehe kumwe omirongo hambombari na vetano, ve ye kOengipte. 15 Nu Jakob wa ire kOengipte, neye novazandu ve ave kaṱira ngo. 16 Otutu twawo twa kapakwa kOsikem meyendo nda randerwe i Abraham kozondekurona za Hamor kotjimariva tjorive.
17 “Omayuva tji ya yenene kutja Ndjambi a yenenise omakwizikiro nga tjitire ku Abraham, tjandje nao otjivaro tjotjiwaṋa tjetu mOengipte tja takavarera ko, 18 nga tji mwa zikwa ombara yarwe mOengipte ndjaa i ha tjiwa Josef. 19 Oyo ya tjita ootate mukururume ovineya, ai ve tatumisa nokuveṋiṋikiza kutja ve imbirahi ounatje wawo ounyame kutja u ṱe. 20 Nu Moses wa kwaterwe momayuva nga, neye wa ri okanatje okawa komurungu wa Ndjambi. Neye we kurisiwa monganda ya ihe oure womieze vitatu, 21 nu tja za nokuimbirahiwa moyawo, omusuko wombara arire tje mu yakura, e mu kurisa ne mu isa po omuatje we omuini. 22 Moses wa hongerwe ounongo auhe wOvaengipte, nu a rire omurumendu omunamirya momambo na moviungura vye.
23 “Neye tja tjita ozombura omirongo vine we rizemburuka okukavarura ovangu ve, ihi otjiwaṋa tja Israel. 24 Nu tja muna Omuisrael omukwao ama tatumisiwa i Omuengipte, arire tje kemuvatera na sutisa ondjito ndji mokuzepa ingwi Omuengipte. 25 Moses we ripura kutja otjiwaṋa tjawo matji munu kutja Ndjambi me tji kutura meke re, nungwari otjo katji zuvire ko nawa. 26 Mependukirwa eye wa muna Ovaisrael vevari amave ru, narire tja roro okuvehanganisa ama tja: ‘Purateneye, varumendu, oweṋe Ovaisrael amuyevari; mamu rwire tjike?’ 27 Nungwari ingwi ngwaa tjiti ouhasemba komukwao wa undura Moses na pura a tja: ‘Owaṋi ngwe ku pa ousemba noupangure kombanda yetu. 28 Mo vanga okundjizepa tjimuna tji wa zepere ingwi Omuengipte erero are?’ 29 Moses tja zuva omambo nga wa pita mOengipte na katura mOmidian, indi ehi eye ma kakwatera ovanatje ovazandu vevari.
30 “Ozombura omirongo vine tji za kapita, omuengeri we rimunikisa ku Moses morururumo rwomuriro mbuyau yaka motjihwa tjomakuiya mokuti onguza popezu nondundu Sinai. 31 Moses wa kumisirwe i otjiṋa tjaa munu, nu tja ryama popezu notjihwa okutara nawa, arire tja zuu eraka ra Muhona ndi mari tja: 32 ‘Owami Ndjambi wooiho mukururume, Ndjambi wa Abraham na Ndjambi wa Isak na Ndjambi wa Jakob!’ Nu Moses wa zezerisiwa i omburuma na ha roro nangarire ingwi okutara. 33 Muhona wa tjere nai ku ye: ‘Hukura ozongaku zoye, orondu poṋa pu wa kurama mba opopayapuke. 34 Ami mba munu nawanawa ondatumisire yotjiwaṋa tjandje mOengipte, nu mba zuu ondjemeno yatjo, notji mba rauka okuyekuvekutura ku yo. Nambano indjo, nami me ku hindi kOengipte.’
35 “Moses onguri ye ngwi ngwa imbirahirwe i otjiwaṋa tja Israel indu tji tja tjere: ‘Owaṋi ngwe ku pa ousemba noupangure kombanda yetu?’ Eye onguri ye ngwi Ndjambi ngwa hindire okuyekuhonaparera otjiwaṋa nokutjikutura nombatero yomuengeri ngwi ngwe rimunikisire ku ye motjihwa tjaa tji yaka. 36 Eye ongwa hongorera otjiwaṋa ame tji pitisa mehi ra Engipte nama tjiti ovihimise noviraisiro mu ro na pOmuronga wOtuu na mokuti onguza oure wozombura omirongo vine. 37 Moses onguri ye ngwi ngwa tjere nai kotjiwaṋa tja Israel: ‘Ndjambi me mu pendurire omuprofete otja ami mokati kotjiwaṋa tjeṋu.’ 38 Eye onguri ye ngwi ngwa ri puna otjiwaṋa tja Israel tji tja woronganene mokuti onguza, na puna ootate mukururume nomuengeri ngwi ngwa hungirire na ye kondundu Sinai, narire tja yakura omambo omanamuinyo wa Ndjambi okuyevasisa ku eṱe.
39 “Nungwari ootate mukururume va panḓa okukara nonḓuviro ku ye; owo ve mu imbirahi nave zeri okuyaruka kOengipte. 40 Notji va tja nai ku Aron: ‘Tu tjitira oomukuru vovisenginina mbu mave tu hongorere. Eṱe katu nokutjiwa kutja Moses ngwe tu tjindisa mOengipte wa katjitwa vi.’ 41 Nowo arire tji ve riungurire otjiserekarera tjotjisenginina tjosaneno yondana, ave tji punguhire ozombunguhiro nave zepa omukandi okuyozika ihi tji va ungura nomake wawo. 42 Ndjambi otje ve pa etambo nu e ve yandja kutja ve rikotamene kozonyose zeyuru, otja tji pa tjangwa membo rovaprofete:
‘Tjiwaṋa tja Israel! Ozombura nḓa omirongo vine nḓu mwa kara mokuti onguza,
mwe ndji punguhira ozombunguhiro zovinamuinyo nozoningiririsiwa are?
43 Eṋe mwa toora ondanda yomukuru wotjisenginina Molok
notjisekerarera tja Refan, ingwi omukuru weṋu wonyose;
oviserekarera eṋe mbi mwa ungura okurikotamena ku vyo.
Ami otji me mu hindi kouhuura munda mbwina ya Babilon.’
44 “Ootate mukururume va ri nOndanda yOmahakaeneno ya Ndjambi puna womokuti onguza. Oyo ya ungurirwe otja Moses punga a raererwe i Ndjambi kosaneno yotjisanekero Moses tja munine. 45 Kombunda ootate mukururume, mba perwe Ondanda ndji i ooihe, ve i toora indu tji va hongorererwe i Josua okukakambura ehi roviwaṋa Ndjambi mbya rambere mehi owo tji ve ere. Noyo ya kara mo nga komayuva wa David. 46 David wa munine ondjingonekero komurungu wa Ndjambi, neye arire tja ningire Ndjambi kutja e mu yandjere okutungira Ndjambi wa Jakob omaturiro. 47 Nu a ri Salomo ongwe mu tungira indji ondjuwo.
48 “Nungwari Ndjambi wOkombandambanda ka tura mozondjuwo nḓe tungwa i omake wovandu otja omuprofete punga ama hee:
49 ‘Muhona matja nai:
Eyuru oro otjihavero tjandje tjouhona,
nehi oro okahavero kozombaze zandje.
Hapo ongendjuwo ndji mamu yenene okundjitungira,
nu opoṋa peṋe ami pu me suva?
50 Kawami are ngu mba uta avihe mbi?’
51 “Eṋe, tjiri, oweṋe ovirangaranga! Omitima vyeṋu vi ri tjimuna ovyovandu mbe ha kambura mu Ndjambi, noweṋe ozomboro kembo ra Ndjambi. Aruhe mu pirukira Ombepo Ondjapuke. Otja ooiho mukururume punga aave tjiti eṋe wina opunga amu tjita! 52 Omuprofete uṋe ooiho mukururume ngu ve ha tatumisire? Owo va zepere ovahindwa va Ndjambi, imba ovahindwa mba zuvarisire omeero wOmusemba rukuru. Nambano eṋe mwe mu rondora namu mu zepa. 53 Oweṋe mba mbu mwa yakura omatwako wa Ndjambi, inga nga yandjerwe i ovaengeri, nu, tjiri, eṋe kamu karere ko nonḓuviro komatwako nga!”
Stefanus ma ṱu nomawe
54 Nouṋepo wOtjira tjOvajuda tji wa zuva omambo nga wa Stefanus, arire tji wa ṱomazenge tjinene nau mu rumatere omiṋa. 55 Nungwari ingwi Stefanus, ngwe urire nOmbepo Ondjapuke, wa tara keyuru a munu ongeṋangeṋeno ya Ndjambi na Jesus a kurama kokunene kwa Ndjambi. 56 Neye arire tja tja: “Tara, ami me munu eyuru ara paturuka nOmuna wOmundu a kurama kokunene kwa Ndjambi!”
57 Ovandu vOtjira tjOvajuda va tjita ondokohero onene ava setike omatwi wawo nomake. Nowo arire tji va hakahana okuya ku ye, 58 ave mu undurire pendje yotjihuro nave mu vete nomawe. Novahongonone va isa ozombanda zawo pomuzandona wena Saulus. 59 Owo va kara pokuveta Stefanus nomawe eye ngunda ama ravaere nai ku Muhona: “Muhona Jesus, yakura ombepo yandje!” 60 Nu eye wa wora ozongoro na ravaere neraka enene a tja: “Muhona, arikana o ve verere ko ourunde mbwi!” Neye tja za nokuhungira omambo nga arire tja koka.
Stephen's Speech
1 The High Priest asked Stephen, “Is this true?”
2 Stephen answered, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! Before our ancestor Abraham had gone to live in Haran, the God of glory appeared to him in Mesopotamia 3 and said to him, ‘Leave your family and country and go to the land that I will show you.’ 4 And so he left his country and went to live in Haran. After Abraham's father died, God made him move to this land where you now live. 5 God did not then give Abraham any part of it as his own, not even a square foot of ground, but God promised to give it to him, and that it would belong to him and to his descendants. At the time God made this promise, Abraham had no children. 6 This is what God said to him: ‘Your descendants will live in a foreign country, where they will be slaves and will be badly treated for four hundred years. 7 But I will pass judgment on the people that they will serve, and afterward your descendants will come out of that country and will worship me in this place.’ 8 Then God gave to Abraham the ceremony of circumcision as a sign of the covenant. So Abraham circumcised Isaac a week after he was born; Isaac circumcised his son Jacob, and Jacob circumcised his twelve sons, the famous ancestors of our race.
9 “Jacob's sons became jealous of their brother Joseph and sold him to be a slave in Egypt. But God was with him 10 and brought him safely through all his troubles. When Joseph appeared before the king of Egypt, God gave him a pleasing manner and wisdom, and the king made Joseph governor over the country and the royal household. 11 Then there was a famine all over Egypt and Canaan, which caused much suffering. Our ancestors could not find any food, 12 and when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent his sons, our ancestors, on their first visit there. 13 On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and the king of Egypt came to know about Joseph's family. 14 So Joseph sent a message to his father Jacob, telling him and the whole family, seventy-five people in all, to come to Egypt. 15 Then Jacob went to Egypt, where he and his sons died. 16 Their bodies were taken to Shechem, where they were buried in the grave which Abraham had bought from the clan of Hamor for a sum of money.
17 “When the time drew near for God to keep the promise he had made to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had grown much larger. 18 At last a king who did not know about Joseph began to rule in Egypt. 19 He tricked our ancestors and was cruel to them, forcing them to put their babies out of their homes, so that they would die. 20 It was at this time that Moses was born, a very beautiful child. He was cared for at home for three months, 21 and when he was put out of his home, the king's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 He was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians and became a great man in words and deeds.
23 “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to find out how his fellow Israelites were being treated. 24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his help and took revenge on the Egyptian by killing him. ( 25 He thought that his own people would understand that God was going to use him to set them free, but they did not understand.) 26 The next day he saw two Israelites fighting, and he tried to make peace between them. ‘Listen, men,’ he said, ‘you are fellow Israelites; why are you fighting like this?’ 27 But the one who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside. ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?’ he asked. 28 ‘Do you want to kill me, just as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 When Moses heard this, he fled from Egypt and went to live in the land of Midian. There he had two sons.
30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31 Moses was amazed by what he saw, and went near the bush to get a better look. But he heard the Lord's voice: 32 ‘I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and dared not look. 33 The Lord said to him, ‘Take your sandals off, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have seen the cruel suffering of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groans, and I have come down to set them free. Come now; I will send you to Egypt.’
35 “Moses is the one who was rejected by the people of Israel. ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?’ they asked. He is the one whom God sent to rule the people and set them free with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush. 36 He led the people out of Egypt, performing miracles and wonders in Egypt and at the Red Sea and for forty years in the desert. 37 Moses is the one who said to the people of Israel, ‘God will send you a prophet, just as he sent me, and he will be one of your own people.’ 38 He is the one who was with the people of Israel assembled in the desert; he was there with our ancestors and with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and he received God's living messages to pass on to us.
39 “But our ancestors refused to obey him; they pushed him aside and wished that they could go back to Egypt. 40 So they said to Aaron, ‘Make us some gods who will lead us. We do not know what has happened to that man Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.’ 41 It was then that they made an idol in the shape of a bull, offered sacrifice to it, and had a feast in honor of what they themselves had made. 42 So God turned away from them and gave them over to worship the stars of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:
‘People of Israel! It was not to me
that you slaughtered and sacrificed animals
for forty years in the desert.
43 It was the tent of the god Molech that you carried,
and the image of Rephan, your star god;
they were idols that you had made to worship.
And so I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
44 “Our ancestors had the Tent of God's presence with them in the desert. It had been made as God had told Moses to make it, according to the pattern that Moses had been shown. 45 Later on, our ancestors who received the tent from their fathers carried it with them when they went with Joshua and took over the land from the nations that God drove out as they advanced. And it stayed there until the time of David. 46 He won God's favor and asked God to allow him to provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built him a house.
48 “But the Most High God does not live in houses built by human hands; as the prophet says,
49 ‘Heaven is my throne, says the Lord,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house would you build for me?
Where is the place for me to live in?
50 Did not I myself make all these things?’
51 “How stubborn you are!” Stephen went on to say. “How heathen your hearts, how deaf you are to God's message! You are just like your ancestors: you too have always resisted the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there any prophet that your ancestors did not persecute? They killed God's messengers, who long ago announced the coming of his righteous Servant. And now you have betrayed and murdered him. 53 You are the ones who received God's law, that was handed down by angels—yet you have not obeyed it!”
The Stoning of Stephen
54 As the members of the Council listened to Stephen, they became furious and ground their teeth at him in anger. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw God's glory and Jesus standing at the right side of God. 56 “Look!” he said. “I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God!”
57 With a loud cry the Council members covered their ears with their hands. Then they all rushed at him at once, 58 threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses left their cloaks in the care of a young man named Saul. 59 They kept on stoning Stephen as he called out to the Lord, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 He knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord! Do not remember this sin against them!” He said this and died.
