Acts 7:54-8:3

Christian Standard Bible

The First Christian Martyr

⁵⁴ When they heard these things, they were enraged^[a] and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.^{(A) 56} He said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” ^(B)

⁵⁷ They yelled at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. ⁵⁸ They dragged him out of the city and began to stone^(C) him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.^{(D) 59} While they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” ^{(E) 60} He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice,^(F) “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And after saying this, he fell asleep.^(G)

Saul the Persecutor

8 Saul agreed with putting him to death.

On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.^{(H) 2} Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. ³ Saul,^(I) however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison.^(J)