THE STONING OF STEPHEN

Passage: Acts 7:51-60

Key verse: 56

NIV

51 “You stiff-necked people!(A) Your hearts(B) and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?(C) They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him(D)— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels(E) but have not obeyed it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious(F) and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,(G) looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.(H) 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open(I) and the Son of Man(J) standing at the right hand of God.”

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city(K) and began to stone him.(L) Meanwhile, the witnesses(M) laid their coats(N) at the feet of a young man named Saul.(O)

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”(P) 60 Then he fell on his knees(Q) and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”(R) When he had said this, he fell asleep.(S)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

51 (A)“You stiff-necked people, (B)uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. (C)As your fathers did, so do you. 52 (D)Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of (E)the Righteous One, (F)whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law (G)as delivered by angels and (H)did not keep it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

54 Now when they heard these things (I)they were enraged, and they (J)ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, (K)full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw (L)the glory of God, and Jesus standing (M)at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see (N)the heavens opened, and (O)the Son of Man standing (P)at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together[a] at him. 58 Then (Q)they cast him out of the city and (R)stoned him. And (S)the witnesses laid down their garments (T)at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, (U)he called out, “Lord Jesus, (V)receive my spirit.” 60 And (W)falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, (X)“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, (Y)he fell asleep.

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Footnotes
  1. Acts 7:57 Or rushed with one mind
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Stiff necks and uncircumcised hearts (51-53)

Stiff necks belong to proud people who do not bow humbly before the living God; uncircumcised hearts are hearts with no love for God and no repentance. Those who resist the word of God and the Holy Spirit's gentle leading are capable of crucifying even the righteous Son of God. Stephen exposed their lawlessness. He was not afraid of them, even though they stood there with stones in their hands.

2. I see heaven open (54-60)

When they gnashed their teeth at him with murder in their hearts, Stephen looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at his right hand. When they dragged him out of the city and began stoning him, he prayed for them, as Jesus on the cross had prayed (Lk 23:34,46). The seed of gospel faith was planted in a young man named Saul.

Prayer: Lord, circumcise my heart so that I may be a faithful witness to Jesus, and let me die with the vision of Jesus before me.

One Word: One glorious life and death