Acts 7:51-8:12

English Standard Version Anglicised

^51 (A)“You stiff-necked people, ^(B)uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. ^(C)As your fathers did, so do you. ^52 (D)Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of ^(E)the Righteous One, ^(F)whom you have now betrayed and murdered, ⁵³ you who received the law ^(G)as delivered by angels and ^(H)did not keep it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

⁵⁴ Now when they heard these things ^(I)they were enraged, and they ^(J)ground their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But he, ^(K)full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw ^(L)the glory of God, and Jesus standing ^(M)at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ And he said, “Behold, I see ^(N)the heavens opened, and ^(O)the Son of Man standing ^(P)at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷ But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together^[a] at him. ⁵⁸ Then ^(Q)they cast him out of the city and ^(R)stoned him. And ^(S)the witnesses laid down their garments ^(T)at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ And as they were stoning Stephen, ^(U)he called out, “Lord Jesus, ^(V)receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ And ^(W)falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ^(X)“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, ^(Y)he fell asleep.

Saul Ravages the Church

8 And ^(Z)Saul ^(AA)approved of his execution.

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and ^(AB)they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. ² Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. ³ But ^(AC)Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he ^(AD)dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria

⁴ Now ^(AE)those who were scattered went about preaching the word. ^5 (AF)Philip went down to the city^[b] of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. ^6 (AG)And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him ^(AH)and saw the signs that he did. ⁷ For ^(AI)unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralysed or lame were healed. ⁸ So ^(AJ)there was much joy in that city.

Simon the Magician Believes

⁹ But there was a man named Simon, ^(AK)who had previously practised magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, ^(AL)saying that he himself was somebody great. ¹⁰ They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, ^(AM)“This man is the power of God that is called ^(AN)Great.” ¹¹ And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had ^(AO)amazed them with his magic. ¹² But when ^(AP)they believed Philip as he preached good news ^(AQ)about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, ^(AR)they were baptized, both men and women.