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

¹Basi, Kuhani Mkuu akamwuliza, "Je, mambo haya ni kweli?"

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,

²Naye Stefano akasema, "Ndugu zangu na akina baba, nisikilizeni! Mungu alimtokea baba yetu Abrahamu alipokuwa kule Mesopotamia kabla hajaenda kukaa kule 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.

³Mungu alimwambia: Ondoka katika nchi yako; waache watu wa ukoo wako; nenda katika nchi nitakayokuonyesha!

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.

⁴Kwa hivyo, Abrahamu alihama nchi ya Kaldayo, akaenda kukaa Harani. Baada ya kifo cha baba yake, Mungu alimtoa tena Harani akaja kukaa katika nchi hii mnayokaa sasa.

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.

⁵Mungu hakumpa hata sehemu moja ya nchi hii iwe mali yake; hata hivyo, alimwahidia kumpa nchi hii iwe yake na ya wazawa wake, ingawaje wakati huu hakuwa na mtoto.

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;

⁶Mungu alimwambia hivi: Wazao wako watapelekwa katika nchi inayotawaliwa na watu wengine, na huko watafanywa watumwa na kutendewa vibaya kwa muda wa miaka mia nne.

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.

⁷Lakini mimi nitalihukumu taifa hilo litakalowafanya watumwa. Kisha nitawatoa katika nchi hiyo ili waje kuniabudu mahali hapa.

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.

⁸Halafu Mungu aliifanya tohara iwe ishara ya agano. Hivyo, Abrahamu alimtahiri mtoto wake Isaka, siku ya nane baada ya kuzaliwa. Na Isaka, vivyo hivyo, alimtahiri Yakobo. Naye Yakobo aliwatendea wale mababu kumi na wawili vivyo hivyo.

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

⁹"Wale mababu walimwonea wivu Yosefu, wakamuuza utumwani Misri. Lakini Mungu alikuwa pamoja 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.

¹⁰akamwokoa katika taabu zake zote. Mungu alimjalia fadhili na hekima mbele ya Farao, mfalme wa Misri, hata Farao akamweka awe mkuu wa ile nchi na nyumba ya kifalme.

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

¹¹Kisha, kulizuka njaa kubwa katika nchi yote ya Misri na Kanaani, ikasababisha dhiki kubwa. Babu zetu hawakuweza kupata chakula chochote.

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

¹²Basi, Yakobo alipopata habari kwamba huko Misri kulikuwa na nafaka, aliwatuma watoto wake, yaani babu zetu, waende huko Misri mara ya kwanza.

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

¹³Katika safari yao ya pili, Yosefu alijitambulisha kwa ndugu zake, na Farao akaifahamu jamaa ya Yosefu.

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

¹⁴Yosefu alituma ujumbe kwa baba yake na jamaa yote, jumla watu sabini na tano, waje Misri.

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

¹⁵Hivyo, Yakobo alikwenda Misri ambako yeye na babu zetu wengine walikufa.

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.

¹⁶Miili yao ililetwa mpaka Shekemu, ikazikwa katika kaburi Abrahamu alilonunua kutoka kwa kabila la Hamori kwa kiasi fulani cha fedha.

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

¹⁷"Wakati ulipotimia Mungu aitimize ahadi aliyompa Abrahamu, idadi ya wale watu kule Misri ilikwisha ongezeka na kuwa kubwa zaidi.

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

¹⁸Mwishowe, mfalme mmoja ambaye hakumtambua Yosefu alianza kutawala huko Misri.

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

¹⁹Alilifanyia taifa letu ukatili, akawatendea vibaya babu zetu kwa kuwalazimisha waweke nje watoto wao wachanga ili wafe.

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

²⁰Mose alizaliwa wakati huo. Alikuwa mtoto mzuri sana. Alilelewa nyumbani kwa muda wa miezi 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.

²¹na alipotolewa nje, binti wa Farao alimchukua, akamlea kama mtoto wake.

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

²²Mose alifundishwa mambo yote ya hekima ya Wamisri akawa mashuhuri kwa maneno na matendo.

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;

²³"Alipokuwa na umri wa miaka arobaini aliamua kwenda kuwaona ndugu zake Waisraeli.

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

²⁴Huko alimwona mmoja wao akitendewa vibaya, akaenda kumwokoa, na kulipiza kisasi, akamuua yule Mmisri.

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

²⁵(Alidhani kwamba Waisraeli wenzake wangeelewa kwamba Mungu angemtumia yeye kuwakomboa, lakini hawakuelewa hivyo.)

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?

²⁶Kesho yake, aliwaona Waisraeli wawili wakipigana, akajaribu kuwapatanisha, akisema: Ninyi ni ndugu; kwa nini basi, kutendeana vibaya ninyi kwa ninyi?

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

²⁷Yule aliyekuwa anampiga mwenzake alimsukuma Mose kando akisema: Ni nani aliyekuweka wewe kuwa kiongozi na mwamuzi wa watu?

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

²⁸Je, unataka kuniua kama ulivyomuua yule Mmisri jana?

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

²⁹Baada ya kusikia hayo Mose alikimbia, akaenda kukaa katika nchi ya Midiani na huko akapata watoto wawili.

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.

³⁰"Miaka arobaini ilipotimia, malaika wa Bwana alimtokea Mose katika kichaka kilichokuwa kinawaka moto kule jangwani karibu na mlima Sinai.

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

³¹Mose alistaajabu sana kuona jambo hilo hata akasogea karibu ili achungulie; lakini alisikia sauti ya Bwana:

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].

³²Mimi ni Mungu wa baba zako, Mungu wa Abrahamu, Isaka na Yakobo! Mose akatetemeka kwa hofu na wala hakuthubutu kutazama zaidi.

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

³³Bwana akamwambia: Vua viatu vyako maana hapa unaposimama ni mahali patakatifu.

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.

³⁴Nimeyaona mabaya wanayotendewa watu wangu kule Misri. Nimesikia kilio chao, nami nimekuja kuwaokoa. Basi sasa, nitakutuma Misri.

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.

³⁵"Huyu Mose ndiye yule watu wa Israeli waliyemkataa waliposema: Ni nani aliyekuweka wewe kuwa kiongozi na mwamuzi wetu? Kwa njia ya yule malaika aliyemtokea katika kichaka kilichokuwa kinawaka moto, Mungu alimtuma Mose huyo awe kiongozi na mkombozi.

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.

³⁶Ndiye aliyewaongoza wale watu watoke Misri kwa kufanya miujiza na maajabu katika nchi ya Misri, katika bahari ya Shamu na jangwani kwa muda wa miaka arobaini.

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].

³⁷Mose ndiye aliyewaambia watu wa Israeli: Mungu atawateulieni nabii kama mimi kutoka katika ndugu zenu ninyi wenyewe.

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;

³⁸Wakati watu wa Israeli walipokutana pamoja kule jangwani, Mose ndiye aliyekuwako huko pamoja nao. Alikuwa huko pamoja na babu zetu na yule malaika aliyeongea naye mlimani Sinai; ndiye aliyekabidhiwa yale maneno yaletayo uzima atupe sisi.

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

³⁹"Lakini yeye ndiye babu zetu waliyemkataa kumsikiliza; walimsukuma kando, wakatamani kurudi Misri.

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.

⁴⁰Walimwambia Aroni: Tutengenezee miungu itakayotuongoza njiani, maana hatujui yaliyompata Mose huyu aliyetuongoza kutoka Misri!

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

⁴¹Hapo ndipo walipojitengenezea sanamu ya ndama, wakaitambikia na kukifanyia sherehe kitu ambacho ni kazi ya mikono yao wenyewe.

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?

⁴²Lakini Mungu aliondoka kati yao, akawaacha waabudu nyota za anga, kama ilivyoandikwa katika kitabu cha manabii: Enyi watu wa Israeli! Si mimi mliyenitolea dhabihu na sadaka kwa muda wa miaka arobaini kule jangwani!

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.

⁴³Ninyi mlikibeba kibanda cha mungu Moloki, na sanamu ya nyota ya mungu wenu Refani. Sanamu mlizozifanya ndizo mlizoabudu. Kwa sababu hiyo nitakupeleka mateka mbali kupita Babuloni!

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;

⁴⁴Kule jangwani babu zetu walikuwa na lile hema lililoshuhudia kuweko kwa Mungu. Lilitengenezwa kama Mungu alivyomwambia Mose alifanye; nakala kamili ya kile alichoonyeshwa.

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;

⁴⁵Kisha babu zetu walilipokezana wao kwa wao mpaka wakati wa Yoshua, walipoinyakua ile nchi kutoka kwa mataifa ambayo Mungu aliyafukuza mbele yao. Hapo lilikaa mpaka nyakati za Daudi.

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

⁴⁶Daudi alipata upendeleo kwa Mungu, akamwomba Mungu ruhusa ya kumjengea makao yeye aliye Mungu wa Yakobo.

⁴⁷but Solomon built him a house.

⁴⁷Lakini Solomoni ndiye aliyemjengea Mungu nyumba.

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

⁴⁸"Hata hivyo, Mungu Mkuu haishi katika nyumba zilizojengwa na binadamu; kama nabii asemavyo:

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?

⁴⁹Bwana asema: Mbingu ni kiti changu cha enzi na dunia ni kiti changu cha kuwekea miguu.

⁵⁰has not my hand made all these things?

⁵⁰Ni nyumba ya namna gani basi mnayoweza kunijengea, na ni mahali gani nitakapopumzika? Vitu hivi vyote ni mimi nimevifanya, au sivyo?

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

⁵¹"Enyi wakaidi wakuu! Mioyo na masikio yenu ni kama ya watu wa mataifa. Ninyi ni kama baba zenu. Siku zote mnampinga Roho Mtakatifu.

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!

⁵²Je, yuko nabii yeyote ambaye baba zenu hawakumtesa? Waliwaua hao Mungu aliowatuma watangaze kuja kwake yule Mwenye Haki. Na sasa, ninyi mmemsaliti, mkamuua.

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

⁵³Ninyi mliipokea ile Sheria iliyoletwa kwenu na Malaika, lakini hamkuitii."

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

⁵⁴Wale wazee wa Baraza waliposikia hayo, walighadhibika sana, wakamsagia meno kwa hasira.

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,

⁵⁵Lakini Stefano akiwa amejawa na Roho Mtakatifu, akatazama juu mbinguni, akauona utukufu wa Mungu na Yesu amekaa upande wa kulia wa Mungu.

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

⁵⁶Akasema, "Tazameni! Ninaona mbingu zimefunuliwa na Mwana wa Mtu amesimama upande wa kulia wa Mungu."

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

⁵⁷Hapo, watu wote katika kile kikao cha Baraza, wakapiga kelele na kuziba masikio yao kwa mikono yao. Kisha wakamrukia wote kwa pamoja,

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.

⁵⁸wakamtoa nje ya mji, wakampiga mawe. Wale mashahidi wakayaweka makoti yao chini ya ulinzi wa kijana mmoja jina lake Saulo.

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

⁵⁹Waliendelea kumpiga mawe Stefano, huku akiwa anasali: "Bwana Yesu, ipokee roho yangu!"

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

⁶⁰Akapiga magoti, akalia kwa sauti kubwa: "Bwana, usiwalaumu kwa sababu ya dhambi hii." Baada ya kusema hivyo, akafa.