⁸ But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.^(A)

¹⁸ Today I have made you^(A) a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land.

³² And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon,^(A) Barak,^(B) Samson^(C) and Jephthah,^(D) about David^(E) and Samuel^(F) and the prophets, ³³ who through faith conquered kingdoms,^(G) administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,^{(H) 34} quenched the fury of the flames,^(I) and escaped the edge of the sword;^(J) whose weakness was turned to strength;^(K) and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.^{(L) 35} Women received back their dead, raised to life again.^(M) There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. ³⁶ Some faced jeers and flogging,^(N) and even chains and imprisonment.^{(O) 37} They were put to death by stoning;^[a](P) they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword.^(Q) They went about in sheepskins and goatskins,^(R) destitute, persecuted and mistreated—

²⁷ By faith he left Egypt,^(A) not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people!^(A) Your hearts^(B) and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! ⁵² Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?^(C) They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him^(D)— ⁵³ you who have received the law that was given through angels^(E) but have not obeyed it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

⁵⁴ When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious^(F) and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,^(G) looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.^{(H) 56} “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open^(I) and the Son of Man^(J) standing at the right hand of God.”

²⁰ Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!”^(A)

“I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold^(B) yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord.