Acts 7:54–8:4
54 When they heard these things, they were enraged in their hearts g and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God’s glory, with h Jesus standing at the right hand of God, i and he said, 56 “Look! I see the heavens opened and the * Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” j
57 Then they screamed at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. 58 They threw him out of the city and began to stone k him. And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. l 59 They were stoning Stephen as he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” m 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, n “Lord, do not charge them with this sin!” And saying this, he fell * asleep. o
8 Saul agreed with putting him to death.
On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria. p 2 Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. 3 Saul, q however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison. r
4 So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the message of good news.