Stephen the Martyr

^54 (A)When they heard these things they were ^[a]cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. ⁵⁵ But he, ^(B)being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the ^(C)glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, ⁵⁶ and said, “Look! ^(D)I see the heavens opened and the ^(E)Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

⁵⁷ Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; ⁵⁸ and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And ^(F)the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, ^(G)receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ^(H)“Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Saul Persecutes the Church

8 Now Saul was consenting to his death.

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and ^(A)they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. ² And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and ^(B)made great lamentation over him.

³ As for Saul, ^(C)he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

^10 (A)This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority ^(B)from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. ^11 (C)And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.