Acts 7:1-22.
Acts 7:1-22 (Good News Translation)
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."
Father God, forgive my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ down
to die on the cross and for shedding his blood for me. Three days
later you resurrected him. I accept that. I invite Jesus Christ into
my heart as my Lord and savior. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
God bless you.
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."
Father God, forgive my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ down
to die on the cross and for shedding his blood for me. Three days
later you resurrected him. I accept that. I invite Jesus Christ into
my heart as my Lord and savior. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
God bless you.
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