¹Zvino mupristi mukuru akati: Zvinhu izvi zvakadai here?

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

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

²and he said, `Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken: The God of the glory did appear to our father Abraham, being in Mesopotamia, before his dwelling in Haran,

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

³and He said to him, Go forth out of thy land, and out of thy kindred, and come to a land that I shall shew thee.

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

⁴`Then having come forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran, and from thence, after the death of his father, He did remove him to this land wherein ye now dwell,

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

⁵and He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a footstep, and did promise to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him — he having no child.

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

⁶`And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years,

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

⁷and the nation whom they shall serve I will judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and shall do Me service in this place.

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

⁸`And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac [begat] Jacob, and Jacob — the twelve patriarchs;

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

⁹and the patriarchs, having been moved with jealousy, sold Joseph to Egypt, and God was with him,

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

¹⁰and did deliver him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he did set him — governor over Egypt and all his house.

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

¹¹`And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance,

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

¹²and Jacob having heard that there was corn in Egypt, sent forth our fathers a first time;

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

¹³and at the second time was Joseph made known to his brethren, and Joseph`s kindred became manifest to Pharaoh,

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

¹⁴and Joseph having sent, did call for his father Jacob, and all his kindred — with seventy and five souls —

¹⁵Zvino Jakobho akaburukira Egipita, ndokufa iye nemadzibaba edu;

¹⁵and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers,

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

¹⁶and they were carried over into Sychem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Sychem.

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

¹⁷`And according as the time of the promise was drawing nigh, which God did swear to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

¹⁸kusvikira umwe mambo amuka wakange asingazivi Josefa.

¹⁸till another king rose, who had not known Joseph;

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

¹⁹this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live;

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

²⁰in which time Moses was born, and he was fair to God, and he was brought up three months in the house of his father;

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

²¹and he having been exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and did rear him to herself for a son;

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

²²and Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in words and in works.

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

²³`And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came upon his heart to look after his brethren, the sons of Israel;

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

²⁴and having seen a certain one suffering injustice, he did defend, and did justice to the oppressed, having smitten the Egyptian;

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

²⁵and he was supposing his brethren to understand that God through his hand doth give salvation; and they did not understand.

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

²⁶`On the succeeding day, also, he shewed himself to them as they are striving, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, brethren are ye, wherefore do ye injustice to one another?

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

²⁷and he who is doing injustice to the neighbour, did thrust him away, saying, Who set thee a ruler and a judge over us?

²⁸Iwe unoda kundiuraya, sezvo wakauraya muEgipita zuro here?

²⁸to kill me dost thou wish, as thou didst kill yesterday the Egyptian?

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

²⁹`And Moses fled at this word, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons,

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

³⁰and forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai a messenger of the Lord, in a flame of fire of a bush,

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

³¹and Moses having seen did wonder at the sight; and he drawing near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord unto him,

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

³²I [am] the God of thy fathers; the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. `And Moses having become terrified, durst not behold,

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

³³and the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place in which thou hast stood is holy ground;

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

³⁴seeing I have seen the affliction of My people that [is] in Egypt, and their groaning I did hear, and came down to deliver them; and now come, I will send thee to Egypt.

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

³⁵`This Moses, whom they did refuse, saying, Who did set thee a ruler and a judge? this one God a ruler and a redeemer did send, in the hand of a messenger who appeared to him in the bush;

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

³⁶this one did bring them forth, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years;

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

³⁷this is the Moses who did say to the sons of Israel: A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me, him shall ye hear.

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

³⁸`This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the messenger who is speaking to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers who did receive the living oracles to give to us;

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

³⁹to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but did thrust away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,

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

⁴⁰saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who shall go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what hath happened to him.

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

⁴¹`And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands,

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?

⁴²and God did turn, and did give them up to do service to the host of the heaven, according as it hath been written in the scroll of the prophets: Slain beasts and sacrifices did ye offer to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

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

⁴³and ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan — the figures that ye made to bow before them, and I will remove your dwelling beyond Babylon.

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

⁴⁴`The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He did direct, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen;

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

⁴⁵which also our fathers having in succession received, did bring in with Joshua, into the possession of the nations whom God did drive out from the presence of our fathers, till the days of David,

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

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

⁴⁷Asi Soromoni wakamuvakira imba.

⁴⁷and Solomon built Him an house.

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

⁴⁸`But the Most High in sanctuaries made with hands doth not dwell, according as the prophet saith:

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

⁴⁹The heaven [is] My throne, and the earth My footstool; what house will ye build to Me? saith the Lord, or what [is] the place of My rest?

⁵⁰Ruoko rwangu haruna kuita zvinhu izvi zvose here?

⁵⁰hath not My hand made all these things?

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

⁵¹`Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears! ye do always the Holy Spirit resist; as your fathers — also ye;

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

⁵²which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed those who declared before about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom now ye betrayers and murderers have become,

⁵³Imwi vakagamuchira murairo neurongwa hwevatumwa, asi mukasauchengeta.

⁵³who received the law by arrangement of messengers, and did not keep [it].`

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

⁵⁴And hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts, and did gnash the teeth at him;

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

⁵⁵and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked stedfastly to the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

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

⁵⁶and he said, `Lo, I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.`

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

⁵⁷And they, having cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and did rush with one accord upon him,

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

⁵⁸and having cast him forth outside of the city, they were stoning [him] — and the witnesses did put down their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul —

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

⁵⁹and they were stoning Stephen, calling and saying, `Lord Jesus, receive my spirit;`

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

⁶⁰and having bowed the knees, he cried with a loud voice, `Lord, mayest thou not lay to them this sin;` and this having said, he fell asleep.