Acts 7:44 – 8:4

Acts 7

Stephen Defends Himself

⁴⁴ “Our fathers had the Tent of the Testimony in the wilderness. It was just like the model Moses had seen, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it. ⁴⁵ After our fathers received it from him, they brought it in with Joshua when they took possession of the land from the nations God drove out before our fathers. It was here until the days of David. ⁴⁶ He found favor in the presence of God and asked that he might obtain a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. ^{[1] 47} But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

⁴⁸ “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands, just as the prophet says:

Stephen Condemns the Jewish Rulers

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit! You are doing just what your fathers did. ⁵² Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who prophesied the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers— ⁵³ you who received the law as transmitted by angels, but did not keep it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

⁵⁴ When they heard these things, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed up into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ He said, “Look, I see heaven opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

⁵⁷ But they screamed at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and rushed at him with one purpose in mind. ⁵⁸ They threw him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.

⁵⁹ While they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” ⁶⁰ Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” After he said this, he fell asleep.

Acts 8

¹ Saul agreed with putting Stephen to death.

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. ² Godly men buried Stephen, and they mourned deeply for him.

³ But Saul was trying to destroy the church by going into one house after another, dragging off both men and women, and putting them in prison.

The Word of God Spreads in Samaria

⁴ So those believers who were scattered went around proclaiming the gospel message.