God Promises Action

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for [a](A)under compulsion he will let them go, and [b]under compulsion he will drive them out of his land.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 6:1 Lit by a strong hand
  2. Exodus 6:1 Lit by a strong hand

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand(A) he will let them go;(B) because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”(C)

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Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘(A)I am the Lord, and (B)I will bring you out from under the labors of the Egyptians, and I will rescue you from their bondage. I will also (C)redeem you with (D)an outstretched arm, and with great judgments.

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“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.(A) I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem(B) you with an outstretched arm(C) and with mighty acts of judgment.(D)

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14 (A)And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘(B)With [a]a powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of [b]slavery.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 13:14 Lit strength of hand
  2. Exodus 13:14 Lit slaves

14 “In days to come, when your son(A) asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.(B)

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16 So (A)it shall [a]serve as a sign on your hand and as [b]phylacteries [c]on your forehead, for with [d]a powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 13:16 Lit be for
  2. Exodus 13:16 Or frontlet-bands
  3. Exodus 13:16 Lit between your eyes
  4. Exodus 13:16 Lit strength of hand

16 And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead(A) that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.”

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For you are (A)a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be (B)a people for His personal possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the [a]earth.

(C)The Lord did not [b]make you His beloved nor choose you because you were greater in number than any of the peoples, since you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the (D)oath which He swore to your forefathers, (E)the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of [c]slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 7:6 Lit ground
  2. Deuteronomy 7:7 Or become so attached to
  3. Deuteronomy 7:8 Lit slaves

For you are a people holy(A) to the Lord your God.(B) The Lord your God has chosen(C) you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.(D)

The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous(E) than other peoples, for you were the fewest(F) of all peoples.(G) But it was because the Lord loved(H) you and kept the oath he swore(I) to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand(J) and redeemed(K) you from the land of slavery,(L) from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

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17 “But as the (A)time of the promise which God had assured to Abraham was approaching, (B)the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, 18 until (C)another king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. 19 It was he who (D)shrewdly took advantage of our nation and mistreated our fathers in order that they would (E)abandon their infants in the Nile, so that they would not survive. 20 At this time (F)Moses was born; and he was beautiful to God. He was nurtured for three months in his father’s home. 21 And after he had been put outside, (G)Pharaoh’s daughter [a]took him away and nurtured him as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all (H)the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was proficient in [b]speaking and action. 23 But when he was approaching the age of forty, (I)it entered his [c]mind to visit his countrymen, the sons of Israel. 24 And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended and took vengeance for the oppressed man by fatally striking the Egyptian. 25 And he thought that his brothers understood that God was granting them [d]deliverance [e]through him; but they did not understand. 26 (J)And on the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting each other, and he tried to reconcile them to peace, by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers, why are you injuring each other?’ 27 But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘(K)Who made you a ruler and judge over us? 28 (L)You do not intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ 29 At this remark, (M)Moses fled and became a stranger in the land of [f]Midian, where he (N)fathered two sons.

30 “After forty years had passed, (O)an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was astonished at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, the voice of the Lord came: 32 (P)I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses shook with fear and did not dare to look closely. 33 (Q)But the Lord said to him, ‘[g](R)Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 34 (S)I have certainly seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them; and (T)now come, I will send you to Egypt.’

35 “This Moses whom they (U)disowned, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one whom God [h]sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the [i]help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. 36 (V)This man led them out, performing (W)wonders and [j]signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea, and in the (X)wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘(Y)God will raise up for you a prophet [k]like me from your countrymen.’ 38 This is the one who was in (Z)the [l]assembly in the wilderness together with (AA)the angel who spoke to him at length on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received (AB)living (AC)words to pass on to you. 39 Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him; on the contrary they (AD)rejected him and turned back to Egypt in their hearts, 40 (AE)saying to Aaron, ‘Make us [m]a god who will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egyptwe do not know what happened to him.’ 41 [n]At that time (AF)they made a [o]calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in (AG)the works of their hands. 42 But God (AH)turned away and gave them over to [p]serve the heavenly [q]lights; as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘(AI)You did not offer Me victims and sacrifices (AJ)for forty years in the wilderness, did you, house of Israel? 43 (AK)You also took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god [r]Rompha, the images which you made to worship. I also will deport you beyond Babylon.’

44 “Our fathers had (AL)the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it (AM)according to the pattern which he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn received it, and they also (AN)brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the [s]nations that God drove out from our fathers, until the time of David. 46 [t](AO)David found favor in God’s sight, and (AP)asked that he might [u]find a dwelling place for the [v]house of Jacob. 47 But it was (AQ)Solomon who built a house for Him. 48 However, (AR)the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

49 (AS)Heaven is My throne,
And the earth is the footstool of My feet;
What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord,
Or what place is there for My rest?
50 (AT)Was it not My hand that made all these things?’

51 “You men who are (AU)stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 52 (AV)Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of (AW)the Righteous One, and (AX)you have now become betrayers and murderers of Him; 53 you who received the Law as (AY)ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”

Stephen Put to Death

54 Now when they heard this, they were (AZ)infuriated, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55 But he, being (BA)full of the Holy Spirit, (BB)looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing (BC)at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, “Behold, I see the (BD)heavens opened and (BE)the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one [w]mind. 58 When they had (BF)driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and (BG)the witnesses (BH)laid aside their cloaks at the feet of (BI)a young man named Saul. 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he (BJ)called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then he (BK)fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, (BL)do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he [x](BM)fell asleep.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 7:21 Or adopted him
  2. Acts 7:22 Lit his words and actions
  3. Acts 7:23 Lit heart
  4. Acts 7:25 Or salvation
  5. Acts 7:25 Lit through his hand
  6. Acts 7:29 Gr Madiam
  7. Acts 7:33 Lit Untie the sandal of your
  8. Acts 7:35 Lit has sent
  9. Acts 7:35 Lit hand
  10. Acts 7:36 I.e., confirming miracles
  11. Acts 7:37 Or as He raised up me
  12. Acts 7:38 Gr ekklesia
  13. Acts 7:40 Lit gods, plural, but prob. refers to a singular deity
  14. Acts 7:41 Lit in those days
  15. Acts 7:41 Or young bull
  16. Acts 7:42 Or worship
  17. Acts 7:42 Lit host
  18. Acts 7:43 Other mss spell it: Romphan, Rempham, Raiphan; or Rephan
  19. Acts 7:45 Or Gentiles
  20. Acts 7:46 Lit He who
  21. Acts 7:46 I.e., build the temple
  22. Acts 7:46 I.e., the people of Israel
  23. Acts 7:57 Or purpose
  24. Acts 7:60 I.e., died

17 “As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased.(A) 18 Then ‘a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.’[a](B) 19 He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our ancestors by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die.(C)

20 “At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child.[b] For three months he was cared for by his family.(D) 21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.(E) 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians(F) and was powerful in speech and action.

23 “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. 24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. 26 The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’

27 “But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?(G) 28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’[c] 29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.(H)

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 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say:(I) 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers,(J) the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’[d] Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.(K)

33 “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.(L) 34 I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’[e](M)

35 “This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’(N) He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 He led them out of Egypt(O) and performed wonders and signs(P) in Egypt, at the Red Sea(Q) and for forty years in the wilderness.(R)

37 “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’[f](S) 38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel(T) who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors;(U) and he received living words(V) to pass on to us.(W)

39 “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.(X) 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’[g](Y) 41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made.(Z) 42 But God turned away from them(AA) and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars.(AB) This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:

“‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
    forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?
43 You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek
    and the star of your god Rephan,
    the idols you made to worship.
Therefore I will send you into exile’[h](AC) beyond Babylon.

44 “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law(AD) with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.(AE) 45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them.(AF) It remained in the land until the time of David,(AG) 46 who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.[i](AH) 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.(AI)

48 “However, the Most High(AJ) does not live in houses made by human hands.(AK) As the prophet says:

49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool.(AL)
What kind of house will you build for me?
says the Lord.
    Or where will my resting place be?
50 Has not my hand made all these things?’[j](AM)

51 “You stiff-necked people!(AN) Your hearts(AO) and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?(AP) They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him(AQ) 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels(AR) but have not obeyed it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious(AS) and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,(AT) looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.(AU) 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open(AV) and the Son of Man(AW) standing at the right hand of God.”

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city(AX) and began to stone him.(AY) Meanwhile, the witnesses(AZ) laid their coats(BA) at the feet of a young man named Saul.(BB)

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”(BC) 60 Then he fell on his knees(BD) and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”(BE) When he had said this, he fell asleep.(BF)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 7:18 Exodus 1:8
  2. Acts 7:20 Or was fair in the sight of God
  3. Acts 7:28 Exodus 2:14
  4. Acts 7:32 Exodus 3:6
  5. Acts 7:34 Exodus 3:5,7,8,10
  6. Acts 7:37 Deut. 18:15
  7. Acts 7:40 Exodus 32:1
  8. Acts 7:43 Amos 5:25-27 (see Septuagint)
  9. Acts 7:46 Some early manuscripts the house of Jacob
  10. Acts 7:50 Isaiah 66:1,2