The Guards’ Report

¹¹ While the women were on their way, some of the guards^(A) went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away^(B) while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor,^(C) we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

¹¹ Then they secretly^(A) persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”^(B)

¹³ They produced false witnesses,^(A) who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place^(B) and against the law.