1 THEN said the high priest, Are these things so?
2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.
7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.
8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.
14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,
16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.
19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months:
21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.
22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.
26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?
29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.
30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,
32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.
33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.
34 I have seen, 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, I will send thee into Egypt.
35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.
36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.
45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;
46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
47 But Solomon built him an house.
48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
50 Hath not my hand made all these things?
51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

1Then said the high Priest, Are these things so?

2And hee said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared vnto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

3And said vnto him, Get thee out of thy countrey, and from thy kinred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

4Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he remoued him into this lande wherein ye now dwell.

5And he gaue him none inheritance in it, no not so much as to set his foote on: yet he promised that he would giue it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

6And God spake on this wise, that his seede should soiourne in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and intreate them euill foure hundreth yeeres.

7And the nation to whom they shal bee in bondage, will I iudge, saide God: And after that shall they come forth, and serue me in this place.

8And he gaue him the couenant of Circumcision: and so Abraham begate Isaac, and circumcised him the eight day: and Isaac begate Iacob, and Iacob begate the twelue Patriarchs.

9And the Patriarchs moued with enuie, sold Ioseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

10And deliuered him out of all his afflictions, and gaue him fauour and wisedome in the sight of Pharao king of Egypt: and he made him gouernour ouer Egypt and all his house.

11Now there came a dearth ouer all the land of Egypt, and Chanaan, and great affliction, and our fathers found no sustenance.

12But when Iacob heard that there was corne in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.

13And at the second time Ioseph was made knowen to his brethren, and Iosephs kinred was made knowen vnto Pharao.

14Then sent Ioseph, and called his father Iacob to him, and all his kinred, threescore and fifteeene soules.

15So Iacob went downe into Egypt, and died, he and our fathers,

16And were caried ouer into Sichem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a summe of money of the sonnes of Emor the father of Sichem.

17But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworne to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

18Till another king arose, which knew not Ioseph.

19The same dealt subtilly with our kinred, and euill intreated our fathers, so that they cast out their yong children, to the end they might not liue.

20In which time Moses was borne, and was exceeding faire, and nourished vp in his fathers house three moneths:

21And when he was cast out, Pharaohs daughter tooke him vp, and nourished him for her owne sonne.

22And Moses was learned in all the wisedome of the Egyptians, and was mightie in words and in deeds.

23And when he was full forty yeres old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

24And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and auenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:

25For he supposed his brethren would haue vnderstood, how that God by his hand would deliuer them, but they vnderstood not.

26And the next day he shewed himselfe vnto them as they stroue, and would haue set them at one againe, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren, Why doe yee wrong one to another?

27But hee that did his neighbour wrong, thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a Iudge ouer vs?

28Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?

29Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begate two sonnes.

30And when fourtie yeeres were expired, there appeared to him in the wildernes of mount Sina, an Angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.

31When Moses saw it, he wondred at the sight: and as he drew neere to behold it, the voyce of the Lord came vnto him,

32Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

33Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shooes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest, is holy ground.

34I haue seene, I haue seene the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I haue heard their groning, & am come downe to deliuer them: And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.

35This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a Iudge? the same did God send to bee a ruler and a deliuerer, by the handes of the Angel which appeared to him in the bush.

36He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signes in the land of Egypt, and in the red Sea, and in the wildernesse fortie yeeres.

37¶ This is that Moses which said vnto the children of Israel, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise vp vnto you of your brethren, like vnto mee: him shall ye heare.

38This is he that was in þe Church in the wildernesse with the Angel, which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who receiued the liuely oracles, to giue vnto vs.

39To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned backe againe into Egypt,

40Saying vnto Aaron, Make vs gods to goe before vs. For as for this Moses, which brought vs out of the land of Egypt, we wote not what is become of him.

41And they made a calfe in those dayes, and offered sacrifice vnto the idole, and reioyced in the workes of their owne hands.

42Then God turned, and gaue them vp to worship the hoste of heauen, as it is written in the booke of the Prophets, O ye house of Israel, haue ye offered to me slaine beasts, and sacrifices, by the space of fourty yeeres in the wildernesse?

43Yea, ye tooke vp the Tabernacle of Moloch, and the starre of your God Remphan, figures which ye made, to worship them: and I will carie you away beyond Babylon.

44Our fathers had the Tabernacle of witnesse in the wildernesse, as hee had appointed, speaking vnto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seene.

45Which also our fathers that came after, brought in with Iesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God draue out before the face of our fathers, vnto the dayes of Dauid,

46Who found fauour before God, and desired to find a Tabernacle for the God of Iacob.

47But Solomon built him an house.

48Howbeit the most high dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as saith the Prophet,

49Heauen is my throne, and earth is my footestoole: What house will ye build me, saith the Lord? Or what is the place of my rest?

50Hath not my hand made all these things?

51¶ Ye stifnecked and vncircumcised in heart, and eares, ye doe alwayes resist the holy Ghost? as your fathers did, so doe ye.

52Which of the Prophets haue not your fathers persecuted? And they haue slaine them which shewed before of the comming of the Iust one, of whom ye haue bene now the betrayers and murderers:

53Who haue receiued the Lawe by the disposition of Angels, and haue not kept it.

54¶ When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

55But hee being full of the holy Ghost, looked vp stedfastly into heauen, and saw the glory of God, and Iesus standing on the right hand of God,

56And said, Behold, I see the heauens opened, and the Sonne of man standing on the right hand of God.

57Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their eares, and ran vpon him with one accord,

58And cast him out of the citie, and stoned him: and the witnesses layd downe their clothes at a yong mans feete, whose name was Saul.

59And they stoned Steuen, calling vpon God, and saying, Lord Iesus receiue my spirit.

60And he kneeled downe, and cried with a loud voice, Lord lay not this sinne to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleepe.

 

1 Then the high priest asked, "Is this so?" 2 And he replied, "My brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia, before he had settled in Haran, 3 and said to him, 'Go forth from your land and (from) your kinsfolk to the land that I will show you.' 4 So he went forth from the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, he made him migrate to this land where you now dwell. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but he did promise to give it to him and his descendants as a possession, even though he was childless. 6 And God spoke thus, 'His descendants shall be aliens in a land not their own, where they shall be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years; 7 but I will bring judgment on the nation they serve,' God said, 'and after that they will come out and worship me in this place.' 8 Then he gave him the covenant of circumcision, and so he became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, as Isaac did Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. 9 "And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him from all his afflictions. He granted him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, who put him in charge of Egypt and (of) his entire household. 11 Then a famine and great affliction struck all Egypt and Canaan, and our ancestors could find no food; 12 but when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there a first time. 13 The second time, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. 14 Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob, inviting him and his whole clan, seventy-five persons; 15 and Jacob went down to Egypt. And he and our ancestors died 16 and were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor at Shechem. 17 "When the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise that God pledged to Abraham, the people had increased and become very numerous in Egypt, 18 until another king who knew nothing of Joseph came to power (in Egypt). 19 He dealt shrewdly with our people and oppressed (our) ancestors by forcing them to expose their infants, that they might not survive. 20 At this time Moses was born, and he was extremely beautiful. For three months he was nursed in his father's house; 21 but when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was educated (in) all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his words and deeds. 23 "When he was forty years old, he decided to visit his kinsfolk, the Israelites. 24 When he saw one of them treated unjustly, he defended and avenged the oppressed man by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He assumed (his) kinsfolk would understand that God was offering them deliverance through him, but they did not understand. 26 The next day he appeared to them as they were fighting and tried to reconcile them peacefully, saying, 'Men, you are brothers. Why are you harming one another?' 27 Then the one who was harming his neighbor pushed him aside, saying, 'Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? 28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' 29 Moses fled when he heard this and settled as an alien in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. 30 "Forty years later, an angel appeared to him in the desert near Mount Sinai in the flame of a burning bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look at it, the voice of the Lord came, 32 'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.' Then Moses, trembling, did not dare to look at it. 33 But the Lord said to him, 'Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. 34 I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, I will send you to Egypt.' 35 This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, 'Who appointed you ruler and judge?' God sent as (both) ruler and deliverer, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the desert for forty years. 37 It was this Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up for you, from among your own kinsfolk, a prophet like me.' 38 It was he who, in the assembly in the desert, was with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and with our ancestors, and he received living utterances to hand on to us. 39 "Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him; instead, they pushed him aside and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, 'Make us gods who will be our leaders. As for that Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.' 41 So they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifice to the idol, and reveled in the works of their hands. 42 Then God turned and handed them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: 'Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings for forty years in the desert, O house of Israel? 43 No, you took up the tent of Moloch and the star of (your) god Rephan, the images that you made to worship. So I shall take you into exile beyond Babylon.' 44 "Our ancestors had the tent of testimony in the desert just as the One who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. 45 Our ancestors who inherited it brought it with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out from before our ancestors, up to the time of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: 49 'The heavens are my throne, the earth is my footstool. What kind of house can you build for me? says the Lord, or what is to be my resting place? 50 Did not my hand make all these things?' 51 "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors. 52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. 53 You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it." 54 When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." 57 But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. 58 They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them"; and when he said this, he fell asleep.

V1. Are what “things so”? Charges of false witnesses in 6:11-14.
a. Speaking blasphemously against Moses, v11.
(The Christian dispensation is superior to that of Moses.)
b. Speaking blasphemously against God, v11.
(The Gospel was designed to supersede Judaism.)
c. Blasphemy against the temple and the law, v13.
(The law was unavailing as source of justification.)
d. Jesus would destroy temple and change customs of Moses, v14.
(Henceforth true worship would be acceptable anywhere.)
These were radical charges which 6:12 tells us “Stirred up the people”. Compare 5:26 and 4:21. For the first time, Christians faced a hostile populace.  
v2. Stephen was a powerhouse for God even before his appointment, but he continues in power. In this verse he began to preach of the glory of God, and in v 55 he enters that glory. The defense. Jewish law demanded a fair trial with 2 or 3 witnesses etc., but this was as much mockery as a typical communist trial. The real issue was not innocence vs. guilty, but recant or be condemned. He began defense with history of Israel, Something any Israelite was proud of and would listen to. Any ages or numbers that seem contradictory to us, they understood and accepted. His motive was barely discernible at first, but as the application became obvious, they increased in bitterness.
v2-22 To begin showing Israel’s rejection of God, he comments on Abraham’s moves from Ur to Haran to Canaan and moving of Jacob's family from Canaan to Egypt. Stephen was emphasizing obedience to God, suggesting that Israel’s history was built on divinely ordained changes, leading up to the present Grace and gospel being a holy change from the Law, and they should likewise obey.
v35. In referring to Moses whom Israelites at first rejected, though he was really their only hope, he points to Christ, the only hope of these people who had also rejected Him, v52.
v37. Compare 3:22 and Deut. 18:15, Moses prophesy of Christ.
V44-50. Here he has turned his defense to the charges concerning the temple. The law, tabernacle and temple in themselves did not provide salvation, but were a symbol of the One who did. He is trying to tell them the temple has served it’s purpose and what god wants is obedience, Ps. 51:17. This “attack” upon the temple raised a furor apparently, as he abruptly ended his defense, v50.
v51-53. Probably had to raise his voice to be heard and forced to conclude with a few words aimed directly at the wickedness of theirs people. Not a part of his defense, but a hard hitting attack on sin.
Compounding their guilt was the fact that the law they disobeyed was given by disposition of 10,000s of angels (saints) or chariots of fire (2 Ki. 6:17, and the Lord among them as at Sinai, Ps. 78:16) by which the Lord came in brightness like the sun, illuminating distant Mt Seir of Edom and Mt Paran of Ishmael. They were not in the mood to receive the Lord, so His favor rested on Israel, Deut. 33:2. The law was “fiery” because it came in the midst of fire and works like fire or hammer, Jer 23:29. Giving of the law was accompanied by thunder, lightning, cloud, smoke, fire, quake and increasingly loud trumpet, Ex. 19:16-19; It was ordained by angels, Gal. 3:19 and spoken by angels, Heb. 2:2.
The Law was given by angels and trumpets, Gospel by Holy Spirit and tongues.
v54. The prisoner, telling them they were resisting God, through them into  a rage.
v55,56. This calm pronouncement of seeing Christ with God completed their infuriation.
v58. Ironically, taken outside the city so his blood would not pollute their “holy” city according to Lev. 24:14. Note also the beginning of Saul’s persecuting Christians.
v59. No selfish plea for deliverance, but prayer of mercy for those who were worse of, really, than he was, and who already had great penalty of guilt without this being added.
Summary of purpose:
Christ offered the Kingdom and was rejected.
Peter promises, Acts 3:12-26, that the lord would yet return if the people repented and received him. (v19. When the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord is literally, “so that” it shall come.) The disciples had asked, “Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” The Lord could  have returned in Peter’s day if the people had received Him.
In Chapter 7, the miracles, message an martyrdom of Stephen are the final trial and indictment of the nation. Stephen showed the persistent refusal of the nation to obey God. The miracles and witness of the Apostles were unmistakable. Stephen charged them as “stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ... ye do always resist the Holy Ghost.” His martyrdom marks the official rejection of the renewed offer of the kingdom. Traditionally, over 2000 more believers were slain after Stephen’s death. The persecutors were like an animal, crazed with the taste of blood.
Then chapter 8 tells that because of this persecution, the preaching of the gospel went world wide. The Jewish nation had lost it’s chance to accept their Messiah and will not get that chance again till the end of the tribulation period.
Stephen’s death was pivotal:
a. Final trial of the nation at the capitol.
b. Official Jewish rejection of the kingdom.
c. Outward movement of evangelism.
d. Now worship to be anywhere.

          When They Heard:
“This”                         “These Things
2:37                                7:54
They Were:  
Pricked In Their             Cut To The
Heart                                Heart
Receive                           Reject
Convicted                       Hardened
Saved                             Condemned
2:41                                 7:57

The message was  the same. The response was what was different. The same sun that will melt a dish of butter will harden a dish of clay.