51 “You men who are astiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

52 “aWhich one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of bthe Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers cyou have now become;

53 you who received the law as aordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”

Stephen Put to Death

54 Now when they heard this, they were acut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.

55 But being afull of the Holy Spirit, he bgazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing cat the right hand of God;

56 and he said, “Behold, I see the aheavens opened up and bthe Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.

58 When they had adriven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and bthe witnesses claid aside their robes at the feet of da young man named Saul.

59 They went on stoning Stephen as he acalled on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

60 Then afalling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, bdo not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he 1cfell asleep.

Chapter 8

Saul Persecutes the Church

1 aSaul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death.

And on that day a great persecution 1began against bthe church in Jerusalem, and they were all cscattered throughout the regions of Judea and dSamaria, except the apostles.