¹⁷ However, after Jehoiada died, the rulers of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them, ¹⁸ and they abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and served the Asherah poles and the idols.^(A) So there was wrath^(B) against Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, he sent them prophets^(C) to bring them back to the Lord; they admonished them, but the people would not listen.^(D)

²⁰ The Spirit of God enveloped^[a](E) Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood above the people and said to them, “This is what God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the Lord’s commands so that you do not prosper?^(F) Because you have abandoned the Lord, he has abandoned you.’”^{(G) 21} But they conspired against him and stoned him at the king’s command in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.^{(H) 22} King Joash didn’t remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him, but killed his son. While he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and demand^(I) an account.”

¹⁷ Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts^[a] and flog you in their synagogues.^{(A) 18} You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.^{(B) 19} But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak.^(C) For you will be given what to say at that hour, ²⁰ because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit^(D) of your Father is speaking through you.^(E)

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.^{(F) 22} You will be hated by everyone because of my name.^(G) But the one who endures to the end will be saved.^(H)

Stephen Accused of Blasphemy

⁸ Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ Opposition arose, however, from some members of the Freedmen’s Synagogue, composed of both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, and they began to argue with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

¹¹ Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.”^{(A) 12} They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came, seized him, and took him to the Sanhedrin. ¹³ They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and the law.^{(B) 14} For we heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”^{(C) 15} And all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Resisting the Holy Spirit

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked^(A) people with uncircumcised hearts and ears!^(B) You are always resisting the Holy Spirit. As your ancestors did, you do also. ⁵² Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute?^(C) They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers^(D) you have now become. ⁵³ You received the law under the direction of angels^(E) and yet have not kept it.”

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.^{(F) 56} He said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” ^(G)

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^(H) him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.^{(I) 59} While they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” ^(J)