^7:54When they heard these things, they became furious¹⁶⁶ and ground their teeth¹⁶⁷ at him. ^7:55But Stephen,¹⁶⁸ full¹⁶⁹ of the Holy Spirit, looked intently¹⁷⁰ toward heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing¹⁷¹ at the right hand of God. ^7:56“Look!” he said.¹⁷² “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” ^7:57But they covered their ears,¹⁷³ shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent. ^7:58When¹⁷⁴ they had driven him out of the city, they began to stone him,¹⁷⁵ and the witnesses laid their cloaks¹⁷⁶ at the feet of a young man named Saul. ^7:59They¹⁷⁷ continued to stone Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” ^7:60Then he fell¹⁷⁸ to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”¹⁷⁹ When¹⁸⁰ he had said this, he died.¹⁸¹^8:1And Saul agreed completely with killing¹ him.

Saul Begins to Persecute the Church

Now on that day a great² persecution began³ against the church in Jerusalem,⁴ and all⁵ except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions⁶ of Judea and Samaria.

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Footnotes

166 This verb, which also occurs in Acts 5:33, means “cut to the quick” or “deeply infuriated” ( διαπρίω).
167 Or “they gnashed their teeth.” This idiom is a picture of violent rage ( βρύχω). See also Ps 35:16.
168 Grk “he”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
169 Grk “being full,” but the participle ὑπάρχων (huparchōn) has not been translated since it would be redundant in English.
170 Grk “looking intently toward heaven, saw.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
171 The picture of Jesus standing (rather than seated) probably indicates his rising to receive his child. By announcing his vision, Stephen thoroughly offended his audience, who believed no one could share God’s place in heaven. The phrase is a variation on Ps 110:1.
172 Grk “And he said, ‘Look!’ ” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.
173 They covered their ears to avoid hearing what they considered to be blasphemy.
174 Grk “And when.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.
175 They began to stone him. The irony of the scene is that the people do exactly what the speech complains about in v. 52.
176 Or “outer garments.” Laid their cloaks. The outer garment, or cloak, was taken off and laid aside to leave the arms free (in this case for throwing stones).
177 Grk “And they.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.
178 Grk “Then falling to his knees he cried out.” The participle θείς (theis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
179 The remarks Lord Jesus, receive my spirit and Lord, do not hold this sin against them recall statements Jesus made on the cross (Luke 23:34, 46).
180 Grk “And when.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.
181 The verb κοιμάω (koimaō) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.
1 The term ἀναίρεσις (anairesis) can refer to murder ( ; 2 Macc 5:13; Josephus, 5.2.12 [5.165]).
2 Or “severe.”
3 Grk “Now there happened on that day a great persecution.” It is less awkward to say in English “Now on that day a great persecution began.”
4 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
5 All. Given that the Jerusalem church is still active after this and that the Hellenists are the focus of Acts 6–8, it is possible to argue that only the Hellenistic Christians were forced to scatter.
6 Or “countryside.”