Acts 7:35-8:3

New International Version

³⁵ “This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’^(A) He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶ He led them out of Egypt^(B) and performed wonders and signs^(C) in Egypt, at the Red Sea^(D) and for forty years in the wilderness.^(E)

³⁷ “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’^{[a](F) 38} He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel^(G) who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors;^(H) and he received living words^(I) to pass on to us.^(J)

³⁹ “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.^{(K) 40} They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’^{[b](L) 41} That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made.^{(M) 42} But God turned away from them^(N) and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars.^(O) This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:

⁴⁴ “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law^(Q) with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.^{(R) 45} After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them.^(S) It remained in the land until the time of David,^{(T) 46} who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.^{[d](U) 47} But it was Solomon who built a house for him.^(V)

⁴⁸ “However, the Most High^(W) does not live in houses made by human hands.^(X) As the prophet says:

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people!^(AA) Your hearts^(AB) and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! ⁵² Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?^(AC) They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him^(AD)— ⁵³ you who have received the law that was given through angels^(AE) but have not obeyed it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

⁵⁴ When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious^(AF) and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,^(AG) looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.^{(AH) 56} “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open^(AI) and the Son of Man^(AJ) standing at the right hand of God.”

⁵⁷ At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, ⁵⁸ dragged him out of the city^(AK) and began to stone him.^(AL) Meanwhile, the witnesses^(AM) laid their coats^(AN) at the feet of a young man named Saul.^(AO)

⁵⁹ While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”^{(AP) 60} Then he fell on his knees^(AQ) and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”^(AR) When he had said this, he fell asleep.^(AS)

8 And Saul^(AT) approved of their killing him.

The Church Persecuted and Scattered

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered^(AU) throughout Judea and Samaria.^{(AV) 2} Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. ³ But Saul^(AW) began to destroy the church.^(AX) Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.