The Stoning of Stephen

⁵⁴ Now when they heard these things ^(A)they were enraged, and they ^(B)ground their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But he, ^(C)full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw ^(D)the glory of God, and Jesus standing ^(E)at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ And he said, “Behold, I see ^(F)the heavens opened, and ^(G)the Son of Man standing ^(H)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 ^(I)they cast him out of the city and ^(J)stoned him. And ^(K)the witnesses laid down their garments ^(L)at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ And as they were stoning Stephen, ^(M)he called out, “Lord Jesus, ^(N)receive my spirit.”

Saul Ravages the Church

8 And ^(A)Saul ^(B)approved of his execution.

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and ^(C)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 ^(D)Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he ^(E)dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

^3 (A)Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. ⁴ And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ^(B)me?” ⁵ And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, ^(C)whom you are persecuting. ⁶ But ^(D)rise and enter the city, and you will be told ^(E)what you are to do.” ^7 (F)The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, ^(G)hearing the voice but seeing no one. ⁸ Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, ^(H)he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ Now there was a disciple at Damascus named ^(I)Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, ^(J)“Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man ^(K)of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, ¹² and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and ^(L)lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” ¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, ^(M)how much evil he has done to ^(N)your ^(O)saints at Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And here he has authority from ^(P)the chief priests to bind all who ^(Q)call on your name.” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for ^(R)he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name ^(S)before the Gentiles and ^(T)kings and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For ^(U)I will show him how much ^(V)he must suffer ^(W)for the sake of my name.”

Saul Escapes from Damascus

^23 (A)When many days had passed, the Jews^[a] plotted to kill him, ²⁴ but their ^(B)plot became known to Saul. ^(C)They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, ²⁵ but his disciples took him by night and ^(D)let him down through an opening in the wall,^[b] lowering him in a basket.

Saul in Jerusalem

²⁶ And ^(E)when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But ^(F)Barnabas took him and ^(G)brought him to the apostles and declared to them ^(H)how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and ^(I)how at Damascus he had ^(J)preached boldly in the name of Jesus.