Dem Put di Story of our Papa for Court

When dem ask am if di charges na true, Stephen answer with Israel whole story: we Papa show imself to Abraham, Joseph, Moses wey im own pipo reject, golden calf, temple wey dem no ever need. Im call im hearers di heirs of their fathers. Dem stone am, and im ask make dem forgive dem.

Chapter 7.

Den di high priest ask am say, "Na true say all dis tins na so?"

Stephen talk say, "My brothers and my fathers, make una listen: Our Papa of glory show imsef to our father Abraham for Mesopotamia, bifor e go stay for Haran,

and E tell am say, ‘Comot for your land and your family, and go di land wey I go show you.’

So e comot for di Babylon people land and go stay for Haran. Afta im papa die, our Papa move am from der come dis land wey una dey live for now. E no give am any inheritance for inside, e no even give am ground wey reach one foot—but E promise say E go give am and im children wey go come afta am, make e be dia own, even though e no get pikin dat time. And our Papa talk say im children go be strangers for land wey no be dia own, and dem go turn dem to slave and treat dem bad for 400 years.

‘I go judge di nation wey dem go serve,’ na so our Papa talk, ‘and afta, dem go comot come worship me for dis place.’

E give am di Covenant of circumcision. Abraham born Isaac and circumcise am for di eighth day; Isaac born Jacob, and Jacob born di twelve ancestors.

Di ancestors get jealousy for Joseph, so dem sell am make e go Egypt, but our Papa dey wit am, and E rescue am from all im trouble, E give am favor and wisdom bifor Pharaoh king of Egypt, wey make am ruler ova Egypt and ova Pharaoh im whole house. Hunger and plenty suffer catch di whole Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers no fit find food. Wen Jacob hear say grain dey Egypt, e send our fathers go der first. For di second time wey dem go, Joseph make im brothers know am, and Pharaoh come sabi Joseph family. And Joseph send message make dem call im father Jacob and all im relatives, wey be seventy-five people altogeda.

So Jacob go down enter Egypt, and e die der, im and our fathers. Dem carry dem body go back Shechem, and dem bury dem for di tomb wey Abraham don buy wit silver from Hamor im sons for Shechem.

As di time of di promise wey our Papa give Abraham dey near, di people grow and multiply for Egypt, till anoda king wey no know Joseph come rule ova Egypt. Dis king use our people anyhow and treat our fathers bad, e force dem make dem throway dia small pikin make dem die.

Na dat time dem born Moses, wey fine well-well for our Papa eye. Dem raise am for three months for im papa house. And wen dem throway am, na Pharaoh im daughter adopt am and raise am like her own pikin. Dem train Moses for all Egypt wisdom, and e strong for word and for action.

Wen e reach forty years, e decide say make e go visit im brothers, di sons of Israel. As e see say dem dey do one of dem bad, e defend di man wey dem dey oppress and e revenge for am, e kill di Egypt man. E tink say im brothers go understand say na our Papa dey use im hand give dem salvation, but dem no understand.

Di next day e meet dem as dem dey fight, and e try make peace between dem, e talk say, ‘Men, una na brothers. Why una dey do each oda bad?’ But di man wey dey wrong im neighbor push Moses commot for side, e talk say, ‘Na who make you ruler and judge ova us? You wan kill me like how you kill di Egypt man yesterday?’ Wen Moses hear dis word, e run comot and e go live as stranger for di land of Midian, wey e born two sons der.

Forty years afta, one angel show imsef to am for di wilderness of Mount Sinai, inside fire wey dey burn for one bush. Moses see am and e wonder; as e come near to look am well, di voice of our Papa come:

‘Na I be di God of your fathers—di God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses body shake, e no even fit look. Den our Papa tell am, ‘Comot di sandals for your feet, bicos di place wey you stand na holy ground. I don truly see how my people dey suffer for Egypt, I don hear dem dey groan, and I don come down to rescue dem. Now go—I dey send you go Egypt.’

Dis same Moses wey dem reject, wey dem talk say, ‘Na who make you ruler and judge?’—na am our Papa send as ruler and redeemer, tru di hand of di angel wey show imsef to am for di bush. Na dis man lead dem comot, e dey do wonder and sign for di land of Egypt, for di Red Sea, and for di wilderness for forty years. Na dis Moses wey tell di sons of Israel say, ‘Our Papa go raise up one prophet like me for una, from una own brothers.’ Na am dey for di gathering for wilderness wit di angel wey dey talk to am for Mount Sinai, and wit our fathers—e receive words wey dey alive make e give us.

Our fathers refuse to obey am; dem reject am and for dia heart dem turn back go Egypt, dem tell Aaron say, ‘Make gods for us wey go go bifor us. As for dis Moses wey lead us comot for di land of Egypt, we no know wetin happen to am.’ For dose days dem make one calf, dem offer sacrifice to di idol, and dem dey celebrate wetin dia own hand make. But our Papa turn im face comot, E leave dem make dem worship di stars of heaven, as dem write for di prophets book: ‘House of Israel, una bring me animal wey una kill and sacrifice for forty years for di wilderness? Una carry Moloch im tent and di star of Rephan una god, di idols wey una make so make una worship dem; so I go send una go far pass Babylon.’

Our ancestors get di tent of witness for di wilderness, as di One wey talk to Moses direct am make e make am, to match di pattern wey e don see. Our fathers wey come afta bring am enter wit Joshua wen dem collect di land from di nations wey our Papa drive comot bifor dem. E remain so till di days of David, wey find favor wit our Papa and beg say make e find place wey our Papa go stay. But na Solomon build house for am. Yet di Most High no dey live for house wey human hand make, as di prophet talk say:

‘Heaven na my throne, and di earth na di place wey I dey rest my leg. Wetin kind house una go build for me, na so our Papa talk, abi na wia be di place of my rest? No be my own hand make all dis tins?’

"Una hard-head people, wey no circumcise for heart and for ear, una dey always fight di Holy Spirit—just like una fathers, na so una dey do too. Which prophet dey wey una fathers no persecute? Dem kill di ones wey talk bifor-hand say di Correct-and-Holy One go come—wey una don betray and murder now. Una wey receive di law tru angels but una no keep am."

Now wen dem hear all dis tins, vex full dem, and dem dey gnash dia teeth for am. But Stephen, wey full wit di Holy Spirit, look up enter heaven, e see di glory of our Papa, and Jesus dey stand for di right hand of our Papa. ^a

And e talk say, "Look, I dey see heaven wey open and di Pikin of Man dey stand for di right hand of our Papa."

But dem shout wit loud voice, dem cover dia ears, and dem rush am togeda. Dem throway am comot for di city and dem stone am. Di witnesses drop dia cloth for di feet of one young man wey dem dey call Saul.

And as dem dey stone am, Stephen call out say, "Oga Jesus, receive my spirit." ^b

E kneel down, e shout wit loud voice say, "Oga, no hold dis sin against dem." Den e sleep die.

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Acts 7

Dem Put di Story of our Papa for Court

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