New Testament in a Year

⁴⁴ “In the desert our ancestors had the tent of God’s promise. Moses built this tent exactly as God had told him. He used the model he had seen. ⁴⁵ After our ancestors received the tent, they brought it into this land. They did this with Joshua’s help when they took possession of the land from the nations that God forced out of our ancestors’ way. This tent remained here until the time of David, ⁴⁶ who won God’s favor. David asked that he might provide a permanent place for the family of Jacob.^{[a] 47} But Solomon was the one who built a house for God.

⁴⁸ “However, the Most High doesn’t live in a house built by humans, as the prophet says:

⁵¹ “How stubborn can you be? How can you be so heartless and disobedient? You’re just like your ancestors. They always opposed the Holy Spirit, and so do you! ⁵² Was there ever a prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute? They killed those who predicted that a man with God’s approval would come. You have now become the people who betrayed and murdered that man. ⁵³ You are the people who received Moses’ Teachings, which were put into effect by angels. But you haven’t obeyed those teachings.”

Stephen Is Executed

⁵⁴ As council members listened to Stephen, they became noticeably furious. ⁵⁵ But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked into heaven, saw God’s glory, and Jesus in the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne. ⁵⁶ So Stephen said, “Look, I see heaven opened and the Son of Man in the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the throne!”

⁵⁷ But the council members shouted and refused to listen. Then they rushed at Stephen with one purpose in mind, ⁵⁸ and after they had thrown him out of the city, they began to stone him to death. The witnesses left their coats with a young man named Saul.

⁵⁹ While council members were executing Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, welcome my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and shouted, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them.” After he had said this, he died.