¹And the high priest said, Are these things then so?

¹Zvino mupristi mukuru akati: Zvinhu izvi zvakadai here?

²And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

²Zvino akati: Varume, hama nemadzibaba, teererai. Mwari wekubwinya wakaonekwa kuna baba vedu Abhurahamu vari muMesopotamia, vasati vagara Harani,

³and said to him, Go out of thy land and out of thy kindred, and come into the land which I will shew thee.

³akati kwavari: Buda munyika yako nekuhama dzako, uuye kunyika yandichakuratidza.

⁴Then going out of the land of the Chaldeans he dwelt in Charran, and thence, after his father died, he removed him into this land in which *ye* now dwell.

⁴Zvino vakabuda munyika yevaKaradhia, vakagara muHarani; zvino kubva ipapo shure kwekufa kwababa vavo, wakavabvisira kunyika iyi yamunogara imwi ikozvino;

⁵And he did not give him an inheritance in it, not even what his foot could stand on; and promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he had no child.

⁵asi haana kuvapa nhaka mairi, kwete kunyange chitsiko chetsoka, asi wakavavimbisa kuvapa iyo ive yavo, neyembeu yavo shure kwavo, vasati vava nemwana.

⁶And God spoke thus: His seed shall be a sojourner in a strange land, and they shall enslave them and evil entreat [them] four hundred years;

⁶Mwari ndokutaura seizvi, kuti mbeu yavo ichava vatorwa kunyika yeumweni, uye ichaiita nhapwa nekuibata zvakaipa makore mazana mana;

⁷and the nation to which they shall be in bondage will *I* judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and serve me in this place.

⁷asi rudzi urwo rwavachava varanda kwarwuri ndicharwutonga ini, wakadaro Mwari; uye shure kweizvozvo vachabuda vagondishumira panzvimbo ino.

⁸And he gave to him [the] covenant of circumcision; and thus he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.

⁸Zvino akavapa sungano yedzingiso, naizvozvo vakabereka Isaka, vakamudzingisa zuva rerusere; naIsaka Jakobho; naJakobho mateteguru gumi nemaviri.

⁹And the patriarchs, envying Joseph, sold him away into Egypt. And God was with him,

⁹Mateteguru akazadzwa negodo, vakatengesa Josefa kuEgipita; asi Mwari waiva naye.

¹⁰and delivered him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he appointed him chief over Egypt and all his house.

¹⁰Akamusunungura pamatambudziko ake ose, akamupa nyasha nenjere pamberi paFarao mambo weEgipita; ndokumuita mutungamiriri pamusoro peEgipita neimba yake yose.

¹¹But a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great distress, and our fathers found no food.

¹¹Zvino kwakauya nzara panyika yose yeEgipita neKanani, nedambudziko guru; madzibaba edu akasawana chikafu.

¹²But Jacob, having heard of there being corn in Egypt, sent out our fathers first;

¹²Asi Jakobho wakati anzwa kuti kwaiva nezviyo kuEgipita, wakatuma madzibaba edu kwekutanga.

¹³and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh.

¹³Zvino kwechipiri Josefa wakaziviswa kuvanakomana vababa vake; uye rudzi rwaJosefa rwukaziviswa kuna Farao.

¹⁴And Joseph sent and called down to him his father Jacob and all [his] kindred, seventy-five souls.

¹⁴Zvino Josefa akatumira akadana baba vake Jakobho nehama dzake dzose, vane mweya makumi manomwe nemishanu.

¹⁵And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers,

¹⁵Zvino Jakobho akaburukira Egipita, ndokufa iye nemadzibaba edu;

¹⁶and were carried over to Sychem and placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the [father] of Sychem.

¹⁶uye vakatakurirwa Shekemi, vakaradzikwa paguva Abhurahamu raakange atenga nemutengo wesirivheri kuvanakomana vaEmori weShekemi.

¹⁷But as the time of promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

¹⁷Zvino nguva yechivimbiso yakati yaswedera Mwari chaakange apikira kuna Abhurahamu, vanhu vakakura, vakawanda muEgipita,

¹⁸until another king over Egypt arose who did not know Joseph.

¹⁸kusvikira umwe mambo amuka wakange asingazivi Josefa.

¹⁹*He* dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that they might not live.

¹⁹Ndiye wakabata rudzi rwedu nemanomano, akatambudza madzibaba edu, chivarasisa vacheche vavo kuti varege kurarama.

²⁰In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly lovely, who was nourished three months in the house of his father.

²⁰Munguva iyoyo Mozisi wakaberekwa, uye wakange akanaka kuna Mwari; ndokurerwa mumba mababa vake mwedzi mitatu.

²¹And when he was cast out, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and brought him up for herself [to be] for a son.

²¹Zvino wakati araswa, mukunda waFarao akamunonga, akazvirerera iye kuti ave mwanakomana.

²²And Moses was instructed in all [the] wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.

²²Mozisi akadzidziswa muuchenjeri hwese hwevaEgipita; akava nesimba pamashoko nepamabasa.

²³And when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it came into his heart to look upon his brethren, the sons of Israel;

²³Zvino makore makumi mana akati asvika kwaari, zvakasvika mumoyo make kushanyira hama dzake, vana vaIsraeri.

²⁴and seeing a certain one wronged, he defended [him], and avenged him that was being oppressed, smiting the Egyptian.

²⁴Zvino achiona umwe achiitirwa zvisakarurama, akamurwira ndokutsivira wakange achitambudzwa, akarova muEgipita;

²⁵For he thought that his brethren would understand that God by his hand was giving them deliverance. But they understood not.

²⁵zvino waifunga kuti hama dzake dzichanzwisisa kuti Mwari unovapa ruponeso neruoko rwake; asi havana kunzwisisa.

²⁶And on the morrow he shewed himself to them as they were contending, and compelled them to peace, saying, *Ye* are brethren, why do ye wrong one another?

²⁶Zvino zuva raitevera wakazvionesa kwavari vachirwa, akavayananisa nesimba achiti: Varume, imwi muri hama; munoitiranirei zvisakarurama?

²⁷But he that was wronging his neighbour thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us?

²⁷Zvino iye wakange achiitira umwe wake zvakaipa wakamusundidzira achiti: Ndiani wakuita mutungamiriri nemutongi pamusoro pedu?

²⁸Dost *thou* wish to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?

²⁸Iwe unoda kundiuraya, sezvo wakauraya muEgipita zuro here?

²⁹And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Madiam, where he begat two sons.

²⁹Zvino neshoko iri Mozisi wakatiza, ndokuva mutorwa munyika yeMidhiani, kwaakabereka vanakomana vaviri.

³⁰And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire of a bush.

³⁰Zvino makore makumi mana akati azadziswa, kwakaonekwa kwaari murenje regomo Sinai mutumwa waIshe mumurazvo wemoto wemugwenzi.

³¹And Moses seeing it wondered at the vision; and as he went up to consider it, there was a voice of [the] Lord,

³¹Mozisi wakati aona, akashamisika nechionekwa ichi; zvino paaiswedera kunocherekedza, inzwi raIshe rikasvika kwaari richiti:

³²*I* am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not consider [it].

³²Ndini Mwari wemadzibaba ako, Mwari waAbhurahamu, naMwari waIsaka, naMwari waJakobho. Zvino Mozisi akadedera akasashinga kucherekedza.

³³And the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place on which thou standest is holy ground.

³³Zvino Ishe akati kwaari: Kurura shangu patsoka dzako, nekuti nzvimbo yaumire pairi ivhu dzvene.

³⁴I have surely seen the ill treatment of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groan, and have come down to take them out of it; and now, come, I will send thee to Egypt.

³⁴Ndaonesesa dambudziko revanhu vangu vari muEgipita, ndikanzwa kugomera kwavo, zvino ndaburuka kuzovasunungura; ikozvino uya, ndichakutuma kuEgipita.

³⁵This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made thee ruler and judge? him did God send [to be] a ruler and deliverer with the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

³⁵Uyu Mozisi wavakaramba vachiti: Ndiani wakakuita mutungamiri nemutongi? ndiye Mwari waakatuma kuva mutungamiriri nemudzukunuri neruoko rwemutumwa, wakaonekwa kwaari mugwenzi.

³⁶*He* led them out, having wrought wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

³⁶Iye akavabudisa, aita zvishamiso nezviratidzo munyika yeEgipita nemuGungwa Dzvuku, nemurenje makore makumi mana.

³⁷This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up to you out of your brethren like me [him shall ye hear].

³⁷Ndiye uya Mozisi wakati kuvana vaIsraeri: Ishe Mwari wenyu uchakumutsirai Muporofita pahama dzenyu, wakafanana neni; muchamunzwa iye.

³⁸This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received living oracles to give to us;

³⁸Uyu ndiye wakange ari mukereke murenje, ane mutumwa wakataura naye mugomo Sinai uye nemadzibaba edu; wakagamuchira mashoko mapenyu kuti atipe.

³⁹to whom our fathers would not be subject, but thrust [him] from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,

³⁹Ndiye madzibaba edu wavakange vasingadi kuteerera; asi vakamusundidzira parutivi, vakadzokera kuEgipita mumoyo yavo.

⁴⁰saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us; for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has happened to him.

⁴⁰Vachiti kuna Aroni: Tiitire vamwari vachatitungamirira; nekuti Mozisi uyu wakatibudisa munyika yeEgipita, hatizivi zvamuwira.

⁴¹And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

⁴¹Zvino vakaita mhuru mumazuva iwayo, vakauisa chibayiro kuchifananidzo, vakafara nemabasa emaoko avo.

⁴²But God turned and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in [the] book of the prophets, Have ye offered me victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

⁴²Zvino Mwari akafuratira, akavakumikidza kuti vashumire hondo yekudenga, sezvakanyorwa mubhuku revaporofita, zvichinzi: Ko makauisa kwandiri here zvibairo nezvipo makore makumi mana murenje, imwi imba yaIsraeri?

⁴³Yea, ye took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of [your] god Remphan, the forms which ye made to do homage to them; and I will transport you beyond Babylon.

⁴³Uye makatakura tende raMoroki, nenyeredzi yamwari wenyu Remifani, zvifananidzo zvamakaita kuti muzvinamate; uye ndichakutamisirai mberi kweBhabhironi.

⁴⁴Our fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the model which he had seen;

⁴⁴Madzibaba edu aiva netende reuchapupu murenje, sekuraira kwaiye wakataura naMozisi kuti aiite nemufananidzo waakange aona;

⁴⁵which also our fathers, receiving from their predecessors, brought in with Joshua when they entered into possession of [the lands of] the nations, whom God drove out from [the] face of our fathers, until the days of David;

⁴⁵yakatiwo madzibaba edu aitevera aigamuchira, akaipinza pamwe naJoshua munhumbi dzevahedheni, Mwari vaakadzinga pamberi pechiso chemadzibaba edu, kusvika kumazuva aDhavhidhi;

⁴⁶who found favour before God, and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob;

⁴⁶wakawana nyasha pamberi paMwari, akakumbira kuwanira Mwari waJakobho tende.

⁴⁷but Solomon built him a house.

⁴⁷Asi Soromoni wakamuvakira imba.

⁴⁸But the Most High dwells not in [places] made with hands; as says the prophet,

⁴⁸Asi Wekumusoro-soro haagari mutembere dzakaitwa nemaoko, sezvinoreva muporofita achiti:

⁴⁹The heaven [is] my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet: what house will ye build me? saith [the] Lord, or where [is the] place of my rest?

⁴⁹Denga chigaro changu cheushe, nenyika chitsiko chetsoka dzangu; muchandivakira imba yakadini? ndizvo zvinoreva Ishe; kana nzvimbo yezororo rangu ndeipi?

⁵⁰has not my hand made all these things?

⁵⁰Ruoko rwangu haruna kuita zvinhu izvi zvose here?

⁵¹O stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, *ye* do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, *ye* also.

⁵¹Imwi vemitsipa mikukutu uye vasina kudzingiswa pamoyo nenzeve, imwi munogara muchipikisa Mweya Mutsvene; semadzibaba enyu saizvozvo imwi.

⁵²Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain those who announced beforehand concerning the coming of the Just One, of whom *ye* have now become deliverers up and murderers!

⁵²Ndeupi wevaporofita madzibaba enyu wavasina kushusha? Vakaponda avo vaifanozivisa nezvekuuya kweWakarurama, iye ikozvino wamava vatengesi nevaurayi vake.

⁵³who have received the law as ordained by [the] ministry of angels, and have not kept [it].

⁵³Imwi vakagamuchira murairo neurongwa hwevatumwa, asi mukasauchengeta.

⁵⁴And hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him.

⁵⁴Zvino vanzwa zvinhu izvi vakabayiwa pamoyo yavo, vakamugedera-gedera meno.

⁵⁵But being full of [the] Holy Spirit, having fixed his eyes on heaven, he saw [the] glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,

⁵⁵Asi iye azere neMweya Mutsvene, akatarisisa kudenga, akaona kubwinya kwaMwari, naJesu amire kuruoko rwerudyi rwaMwari,

⁵⁶and said, Lo, I behold the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.

⁵⁶akati: Tarirai, ndinoona matenga akazaruka, neMwanakomana wemunhu amire kuruoko rwerudyi rwaMwari.

⁵⁷And they cried out with a loud voice, and held their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord;

⁵⁷Zvino vakadanidzira nenzwi guru, vakadzivira nzeve dzavo, vakamhanyira paari nemoyo umwe;

⁵⁸and having cast [him] out of the city, they stoned [him]. And the witnesses laid aside their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul.

⁵⁸vakamubudisira kunze kweguta, ndokumutaka nemabwe; nezvapupu zvikaisa nguvo dzazvo patsoka dzejaya rainzi Sauro.

⁵⁹And they stoned Stephen, praying, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

⁵⁹Zvino vakataka Sitefano nemabwe, achidana achiti: Ishe Jesu, gamuchirai mweya wangu.

⁶⁰And kneeling down, he cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And having said this, he fell asleep.

⁶⁰Zvino wakafugama, akadanidzira nenzwi guru, achiti: Ishe, musavaverengera chivi ichi. Zvino wakati areva izvi, akarara.