The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 7 -

(Genesis 12:1–9)

Then the high priest said: Are these things so?

Who said: Ye men, brethren, and fathers, hear. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charan.

And said to him: Go forth out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

Then he went out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charan. And from thence, after his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein you now dwell.

And he gave him no inheritance in it; no, not the pace of a foot: but he promised to give it him in possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

And God said to him: That his seed should sojourn in a strange country, and that they should bring them under bondage, and treat them evil four hundred years.

And the nation which they shall serve will I judge, said the Lord; and after these things they shall go out, and shall serve me in this place.

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

Joseph Sold into Egypt

(Genesis 37:12–30)

And the patriarchs, through envy, sold Joseph into Egypt; and God was with him,

And delivered him out of all his tribulations: and he gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharao, the king of Egypt; and he appointed him governor over Egypt, and over all his house.

Now there came a famine upon all Egypt and Chanaan, and great tribulation; and our fathers found no food.

But when Jacob had heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent our fathers first:

And at the second time, Joseph was known by his brethren, and his kindred was made known to Pharao.

And Joseph sending, called thither Jacob, his father, and all his kindred, seventy-five souls.

Israel Oppressed in Egypt

(Exodus 1:8–22)

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

And they were translated into Sichem, and were laid in the sepulchre, that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Hemor, the son of Sichem.

And when the time of the promise drew near, which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased, and were multiplied in Egypt,

Till another king arose in Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

This same dealing craftily with our race, afflicted our fathers, that they should expose their children, to the end they might not be kept alive.

The Birth and Adoption of Moses

(Exodus 2:1–10; Hebrews 11:23–29)

At the same time was Moses born, and he was acceptable to God: who was nourished three months in his father’s house.

And when he was exposed, Pharao’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.

And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and in his deeds.

The Rejection and Flight of Moses

(Exodus 2:11–22)

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

And when he had seen one of them suffer wrong, he defended him; and striking the Egyptian, he avenged him who suffered the injury.

And he thought that his brethren understood that God by his hand would save them; but they understood it not.

And the day following, he shewed himself to them when they were at strife; and would have reconciled them in peace, saying: Men, ye are brethren; why hurt you one another?

But he that did the injury to his neighbour thrust him away, saying: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge over us?

What, wilt thou kill me, as thou didst yesterday kill the Egyptian?

And Moses fled upon this word, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begot two sons.

The Call of Moses

(Exodus 3:1–22)

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

And Moses seeing it, wondered at the sight. And as he drew near to view it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:

I am the God of thy fathers; the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses being terrified, durst not behold.

And the Lord said to him: Loose the shoes from thy feet, for the place wherein thou standest, is holy ground.

Seeing 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, and I will send thee into Egypt.

This Moses, whom they refused, saying: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge? him God sent to be prince and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

He brought them out, doing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the desert forty years.

This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel: A prophet shall God raise up to you of your own brethren, as myself: him shall you hear.

This is he that was in the church in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on mount Sina, and with our fathers; who received the words of life to give unto us.

The Rebellion of Israel

(Exodus 32:1–35; Deuteronomy 9:7–29; Amos 5:16–27)

Whom our fathers would not obey; but thrust him away, and in their hearts turned back into Egypt,

Saying to Aaron: Make us gods to go before us. For as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.

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

And God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of heaven, as it is written in the books of the prophets: Did you offer victims and sacrifices to me for forty years, in the desert, O house of Israel?

And you took unto you the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Rempham, figures which you made to adore them. And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

The Tabernacle of the Testimony

(Exodus 40:1–33; Hebrews 9:1–10)

The tabernacle of the testimony was with our fathers in the desert, as God ordained for them, speaking to Moses, that he should make it according to the form which he had seen.

Which also our fathers receiving, brought in with Jesus, into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David.

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

But Solomon built him a house.

Yet the most High dwelleth not in houses made by hands, as the prophet saith:

Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool. What house will you build me? saith the Lord; or what is the place of my resting?

Hath not my hand made all these things?

You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do you also.

Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them who foretold of the coming of the Just One; of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers:

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

The Stoning of Stephen

Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed with their teeth at him.

But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And he said: Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

And they crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and with one accord ran violently upon him.

And casting him forth without the city, they stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul.

And they stoned Stephen, invoking, and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

And falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord. And Saul was consenting to his death.

(Genesis 12:1–9)

The high priest said, “Are these things so?”

He said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

and said to him, ‘Get out of your land and away from your relatives, and come into a land which I will show you.’(a)

Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans and lived in Haran. From there, when his father was dead, God moved him into this land where you are now living.

He gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on. He promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his offspring after him, when he still had no child.

God spoke in this way: that his offspring would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.

‘I will judge the nation to which they will be in bondage,’ said God, ‘and after that they will come out and serve me in this place.’(b)

He gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.

Joseph Sold into Egypt

(Genesis 37:12–30)

“The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him

and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.

But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time.

On the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was revealed to Pharaoh.

Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.

Israel Oppressed in Egypt

(Exodus 1:8–22)

Jacob went down into Egypt and he died, himself and our fathers;

and they were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver from the children of Hamor of Shechem.

“But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

until there arose a different king who didn’t know Joseph.

The same took advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to abandon their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.

The Birth and Adoption of Moses

(Exodus 2:1–10; Hebrews 11:23–29)

At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome to God. He was nourished three months in his father’s house.

When he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up and reared him as her own son.

Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works.

The Rejection and Flight of Moses

(Exodus 2:11–22)

But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers,(c) the children of Israel.

Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian.

He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn’t understand.

“The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’

But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’(d)

Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

The Call of Moses

(Exodus 3:1–22)

“When forty years were fulfilled, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.

When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he came close to see, the voice of the Lord came to him,

‘I am the God of your fathers: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’(e) Moses trembled and dared not look.

The Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy ground.

I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into Egypt.’(f)

“This Moses whom they refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—God has sent him as both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

This man led them out, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.

This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me.’(g)

(h)

This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living revelations to give to us,

The Rebellion of Israel

(Exodus 32:1–35; Deuteronomy 9:7–29; Amos 5:16–27)

to whom our fathers wouldn’t be obedient, but rejected him and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,

saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’(i)

They made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.

But God turned away and gave them up to serve the army of the sky,(j) as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘Did you offer to me slain animals and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

You took up the tabernacle of Moloch, the star of your god Rephan, the figures which you made to worship, so I will carry you away

(k)

beyond Babylon.’

The Tabernacle of the Testimony

(Exodus 40:1–33; Hebrews 9:1–10)

“Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern that he had seen;

which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered into the possession of the nations whom God drove out before the face of our fathers to the days of David,

who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.

But Solomon built him a house.

However, the Most High doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says,

‘heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me?’ says the Lord. ‘Or what is the place of my rest?

Didn’t my hand make all these things?’(l)

“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.

Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.

You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!”

The Stoning of Stephen

Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

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

and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears, then rushed at him with one accord.

They threw him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

He kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Footnotes

(a)7:3 ℘ Genesis 12:1

(b)7:7 ℘ Genesis 15:13-14

(c)7:23 The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may be also correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(d)7:28 ℘ Exodus 2:14

(e)7:32 ℘ Exodus 3:6

(f)7:34 ℘ Exodus 3:5,7-8,10

(g)7:37 TR adds “You shall listen to him.”

(h)7:37 ℘ Deuteronomy 18:15

(i)7:40 ℘ Exodus 32:1

(j)7:42 This idiom could also be translated “host of heaven”, or “angelic beings”, or “heavenly bodies.”

(k)7:43 ℘ Amos 5:25-27

(l)7:50 ℘ Isaiah 66:1-2