Acts 7:9-15

7:9 The ¹  patriarchs, because they were jealous of Joseph, sold ²  him into Egypt. But ³  God was with him, 7:10 and rescued him from all his troubles, and granted him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made ⁴  him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 7:11 Then a famine occurred throughout ⁵  Egypt and Canaan, causing ⁶  great suffering, and our ⁷  ancestors ⁸  could not find food. 7:12 So when Jacob heard that there was grain ⁹  in Egypt, he sent our ancestors ¹⁰  there ¹¹  the first time. 7:13 On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph’s family ¹²  became known to Pharaoh. 7:14 So Joseph sent a message ¹³  and invited ¹⁴  his father Jacob and all his relatives to come, seventy-five people ¹⁵  in all. 7:15 So Jacob went down to Egypt and died there, ¹⁶  along with our ancestors, ¹⁷ 

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¹ tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

² tn The meaning “sell” for the middle voice of ἀποδίδωμι (apodidwmi) is given by BDAG 110 s.v. 5.a. See Gen 37:12-36, esp. v. 28.

³ tn Though the Greek term here is καί (kai), in context this remark is clearly contrastive: Despite the malicious act, God was present and protected Joseph.

⁴ tn Or “appointed.” See Gen 41:41-43.

⁵ tn Grk “came upon all Egypt.”

⁶ tn Grk “and,” but logically causal.

⁷ sn Our. Stephen spoke of “our” ancestors (Grk “fathers”) in an inclusive sense throughout the speech until his rebuke in v. 51, where the nation does what “your” ancestors did, at which point an exclusive pronoun is used. This serves to emphasize the rebuke.

⁸ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

⁹ tn Or possibly “food,” since in a number of extrabiblical contexts the phrase σιτία καὶ ποτά (sitia kai pota) means “food and drink,” where solid food is contrasted with liquid nourishment (L&N 3.42).

¹⁰ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

¹¹ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

¹² tn BDAG 194 s.v. γένος 2. gives “family, relatives” here; another alternative is “race” (see v. 19).

¹³ tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

¹⁴ tn Or “Joseph had his father summoned” (BDAG 121 s.v. ἀποστέλλω 2.b).

¹⁵ tn Grk “souls” (here an idiom for the whole person).

¹⁶ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

¹⁷ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”