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.
7–BOB
Stefanning Oliy kengash oldidagi nutqi
1 Oliy ruhoniy Stefandan: “Shu gaplar rostmi?” deb soʻradi. 2 Stefan shunday javob berdi: “Birodarlar, otalar! Mening gaplarimga quloq solinglar. Bobomiz Ibrohim hali Xoronda yashamasdan oldin — Mesopotamiyada boʻlgan paytda ulugʻvor Xudo unga zohir boʻlib, 3 shunday dedi: «Oʻz yurtingdan, qarindosh–urugʻlaring oldidan chiqib ket. Men senga bir yurtni koʻrsataman, oʻsha yerga borasan.» 4 Shundan keyin Ibrohim Xaldeylar yurtini tark etib, Xoronga borib oʻrnashdi. Ibrohimning otasi vafot etgach, Xudo uni Xorondan hozir sizlar yashab turgan yurtga koʻchirdi. 5 Xudo Ibrohimga u yerdan mulk bermadi, hatto bir qarich yer ham bermadi. Lekin Ibrohimga va uning nasliga oʻsha yurtni mulk qilib berishni vaʼda qildi. Vaholanki, oʻsha paytda Ibrohimning farzandi yoʻq edi. 6 Xudo unga shunday dedi: «Sening nasling begona bir yurtda musofir boʻlib yashaydi. Toʻrt yuz yil qul boʻlib, jabr–zulm tortadi. 7 Ammo ularni qul qilib oladigan xalqni Men jazolayman. Shundan keyin ular oʻsha yurtdan chiqadilar va bu yerda Menga sajda qiladilar.» 8 Keyin Xudo unga sunnat ahdini berdi. Shunday qilib, Ibrohimdan Isʼhoq tugʻildi. Isʼhoqni sakkiz kunligida Ibrohim sunnat qildi. Isʼhoqdan Yoqub tugʻildi, u ham sunnat qilindi. Yoqubdan oʻn ikki qabila asoschilari tugʻildi, ular ham sunnat qilindi.
9 Yoqubning oʻgʻillari oʻzlarining ukalari Yusufga hasad qilib, uni Misrga sotib yubordilar. Ammo Xudo Yusuf bilan birga boʻlib, 10 uni hamma kulfatlardan saqlab qoldi. Xudo Yusufni shunchalik dono qildiki, u Misr firʼavnining iltifotiga sazovor boʻldi. Firʼavn Yusufni butun Misr va oʻzining xonadoni ustidan hokim qilib tayinladi. 11 Oʻsha davrda butun Misr va Kanʼon boʻylab ocharchilik tarqaldi, koʻp azob–uqubatlar kelib chiqdi. Ota–bobolarimiz yegulik topa olmay qoldilar. 12 Yoqub, Misrda don bor ekan, deb eshitib qoldi. U oʻgʻillarini, yaʼni bizning bobolarimizni Misrga birinchi bor safarga joʻnatdi. 13 Ular Misrga ikkinchi marta borganlarida, Yusuf akalariga oʻzini tanitdi. Shunday qilib, Yusufning urugʻ–aymogʻi firʼavnga maʼlum boʻldi. 14 Shundan keyin Yusuf otasi Yoqubni, hamma qarindosh–urugʻlarini yoniga chaqirdi. Ular hammasi boʻlib yetmish besh kishi edilar. 15 Shunday qilib, Yoqub Misrga ketdi. Yoqub ham, uning oʻgʻillari, yaʼni ota–bobolarimiz ham Misrda vafot etdilar. 16 Ularning suyaklarini Shakam shahriga olib kelib, Ibrohimning maqbarasiga qoʻydilar. Bu maqbarani Ibrohim shakamlik Xamoʻrning oʻgʻillaridan bir qancha kumushga sotib olgan edi.
17 Xudoning Ibrohimga bergan vaʼdasi amalga oshadigan payt yaqinlashgani sari, Misrdagi xalqimiz gʻoyat koʻpayib borar edi. 18 Misrni boshqa hukmdor boshqara boshladi. U Yusuf toʻgʻrisida hech narsa bilmasdi. 19 Ular ota–bobolarimizga nayrang ishlatdilar. Ota–bobolarimiz chaqaloqlaridan voz kechishlariga toʻgʻri keldi, chaqaloqlari oʻldirildi. 20 Shu paytda Muso tugʻilgan edi. U juda chiroyli bola edi. Ota–onasining uyida Musoni uch oy parvarishlaganlaridan keyin 21 oxiri, voz kechishga majbur boʻldilar. Firʼavnning qizi Musoni saqlab olib, oʻz oʻgʻliday tarbiya qildi. 22 Musoga Misrliklarning ilmu maʼrifati oʻrgatildi, u soʻzda ham, ishda ham buyuk odam boʻldi.
23 Muso qirq yoshga kirganda, uning yuragida qardoshlari boʻlgan Isroil xalqini koʻrish orzusi tugʻildi. 24 Misrliklardan biri Isroil xalqidan bittasiga shafqatsizlik qilayotganini koʻrganda, Muso qardoshini himoya qildi. Misrlikni oʻldirib, qardoshining oʻchini oldi. 25 Muso: «Xudo men orqali xalqimni ozod qilmoqchi, buni xalqim tushunsa kerak», deb oʻyladi. Ammo ular tushunmadilar. 26 Keyingi kuni Muso Isroil xalqidan ikkitasi janjallashayotganini koʻrib, ularni yarashtirmoqchi boʻldi: «Quloq solinglar, ey odamlar, axir, sizlar birodarsizlar! Nega bir–biringizni xafa qilyapsizlar?» 27 Ammo qardoshini xafa qilayotgan odam Musoni turtib dedi: «Kim seni bizning ustimizdan hukmdor yoki hakam qilib qoʻydi? 28 Kecha Misrlikni oʻldirganingday meni ham oʻldirmoqchimisan?» 29 Muso bu gapni eshitgach, Misrdan qochib ketdi va Midiyon yurtida musofir boʻlib yashay boshladi. Bu yurtda Muso ikki oʻgʻil koʻrdi.
30 Oradan qirq yil oʻtgach, Muso sahrodagi Sinay togʻi yonida boʻlganda, buta alangasi ichida unga bir farishta zohir boʻldi . 31 Muso buni koʻrib, hayron boʻldi. Yaxshiroq koʻrish uchun butaga yaqin bordi. Shu payt u Egamizning ovozini eshitdi: 32 «Men ota–bobolaringiz — Ibrohim, Isʼhoq va Yoqubning Xudosiman.» Muso qoʻrqqanidan titrab, qarashga jurʼat etmadi. 33 Shunda Egamiz Musoga dedi: «Oyogʻingdagi chorigʻingni yech, chunki sen turgan joy muqaddas yerdir. 34 Xalqimning Misrda chekkan azoblarini koʻrdim, ularning oh–vohlarini eshitdim. Men ularni ozod qilish uchun keldim. Endi kel, Men seni Misrga yuboraman.»
35 Mana shu Musoni xalq rad qilib, unga: «Kim seni bizga hukmdor va hakam qilib qoʻydi?» deb aytgandi. Xudoning Oʻzi esa Musoni hukmdor va xaloskor qilib yubordi. U buni buta ichida zohir boʻlgan farishta orqali amalga oshirdi. 36 Muso Isroil xalqini Misrdan olib chiqdi. Misrda, Qizil dengizda va sahroda qirq yil davomida moʻjizalar va alomatlar koʻrsatdi. 37 Isroil xalqiga: «Xudo sizlar uchun oʻz xalqingiz orasidan menga oʻxshagan bir paygʻambar chiqaradi » , deb aytgan ham oʻsha Muso edi. 38 Sahroda Isroil xalqi bilan birga yashagan Musodir, Sinay togʻida otalarimiz bilan birga turgan, farishta bilan gaplashgan ham udir. Bizga beriladigan Xudoning hayotbaxsh kalomini Muso farishtadan qabul qildi. 39 Ammo ota–bobolarimiz Musoga itoat etishni istamadilar. Aksincha, ular Musoni mensimay, koʻngillarida Misrga qaytishga moyil boʻldilar. 40 Ular Horunga shunday dedilar: «Biz uchun xudolar yasab ber, ular bizni yoʻlda boshlab borsin. Bizni Misrdan olib chiqqan Musoga nima boʻlganini bilmaymiz.» 41 Oʻsha paytda ular buzoq tasvirini yasadilar, oʻsha butga qurbonlik qildilar. Shunday qilib, qoʻllarining ijodi oldida koʻngilxushlik qildilar. 42 Shu sababdan Xudo ulardan yuz oʻgirdi, samoviy jismlarga sajda qilishsin, deb ularni tark etdi. Zotan, paygʻambarlar kitobida shunday yozilgan:
«Ey Isroil xalqi, sizlar juda koʻp qurbonliklar keltirasizlar! Men ota–bobolaringizni qirq yil sahroda olib yurganimda, ulardan shu qadar koʻp qurbonligu nazrlarni talab qilmadim! 43 Sizlar oʻzingiz yasagan xudolarga — Moʻlax va Rayfon tasvirlariga topinib yuribsizlar. Shuning uchun Men sizlarni Bobil yurtiga surgun qilaman. Qani, endi turinglar! Moʻlaxning chodirini va Rayfonning tasviri boʻlgan yulduzni koʻtarib olib ketinglar.»
44 Sahroda ota–bobolarimizning Muqaddas ahd chodiri bor edi. Bu Chodir, Xudo Musoga buyurganday, U koʻrsatgan namuna boʻyicha yasalgan edi. 45 Keyinroq oʻsha Chodir otalarimizga berildi. Otalarimiz Yoshua bilan ketganlarida Chodirni oʻzlari bilan olib ketdilar. Oʻshanda Xudo quvib yuborgan xalqlarning yerini otalarimiz tortib olgan edilar. Chodir shoh Dovud zamonigacha oʻsha yurtda otalarimiz bilan qoldi. 46 Xudoning marhamatiga sazovor boʻlgan Dovud: «Yoqubning Xudosiga maskan qurib beray», deb Undan izn soʻradi. 47 Ammo Xudoga uyni Sulaymon qurib berdi. 48 Vaholanki, Xudoyi Taolo inson qoʻllari bilan yasalgan uylarda istiqomat qilmaydi. Xudo paygʻambar orqali aytganday:
49 «Osmon Mening taxtimdir,
Yer oyogʻim tagidagi kursidir.
Menga qanday uy qurib bera olasiz?!
— demoqda Egamiz. —
Qaysi joy Menga maskan boʻla oladi?!
50 Axir, hammasini Oʻz qoʻllarim bilan yaratganman.»
51 Sizlar oʻjar xalqsiz! Ey yuraklari, quloqlari sunnat qilinmaganlar! Sizlar ham, ota–bobolaringizga oʻxshab, har doim Muqaddas Ruhga qarshi turasizlar. 52 Ota–bobolaringiz paygʻambarlarning hammasini quvgʻin qilganlar! Solih Zotning kelishini bashorat qilganlarni ular oʻldirganlar! Endi esa sizlar Solih Zotni sotib, qatl qildingizlar. 53 Xudoning qonunini olgan sizlarsiz. Ammo oʻsha qonun sizlarga farishtalar orqali berilganiga qaramay, sizlar unga rioya qilmadingizlar.”
54 Oliy kengash aʼzolari Stefanning soʻzlarini eshitib, gʻazabga mindilar, gʻazabdan tishlarini gʻijirlatdilar. 55 Ammo Muqaddas Ruhga toʻlgan Stefan osmonga tikilib, Xudoning ulugʻvorligini koʻrdi. Iso Xudoning oʻng tomonida turar edi.
56 “Qaranglar! — dedi Stefan. — Men osmon ochilganini koʻryapman. Inson Oʻgʻli Xudoning Oʻng tomonida turibdi!”
57 Ular esa qoʻllari bilan quloqlarini berkitib oldilar, soʻng birdaniga hammalari ovozlari boricha baqirib, Stefanga tashlandilar. 58 Ular Stefanni shahar tashqarisiga olib chiqdilar va toshboʻron qildilar. Unga qarshi guvohlik berganlar esa choponlarini Shoul degan yigitning oyoqlari ostiga qoʻydilar.
59 Ular Stefanni toshboʻron qilayotganlarida, Stefan: “Ey Rabbim Iso, ruhimni ol!” deb ibodat qildi. 60 Soʻngra u tiz choʻkib, ovozi boricha: “Ey Rabbim Iso! Bu gunohni ularga yuklamagin!” deb baqirib, jon berdi.
