LORD, DO NOT HOLD THIS SIN AGAINST THEM

Passage: Acts 7:51-8:8

Key verse: 7:60

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)

8 And Saul(T) approved of their killing him.

The Church Persecuted and Scattered

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered(U) throughout Judea and Samaria.(V) 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul(W) began to destroy the church.(X) Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

Philip in Samaria

4 Those who had been scattered(Y) preached the word wherever they went.(Z) 5 Philip(AA) went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many,(AB) and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.(AC) 8 So there was great joy in that city.

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.

Saul Ravages the Church

8 And (Z)Saul (AA)approved of his execution.

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and (AB)they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But (AC)Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he (AD)dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria

4 Now (AE)those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 (AF)Philip went down to the city[b] of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 (AG)And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him (AH)and saw the signs that he did. 7 For (AI)unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So (AJ)there was much joy in that city.

Footnotes
  1. Acts 7:57 Or rushed with one mind
  2. Acts 8:5 Some manuscripts a city
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. Jesus Standing at the right hand of God (7:51-6 ) Though Stephen had been very respectful towards the Sanhedrin, he now rebuked them firmly for their stubbornness and lack of repentance. There was such a contrast between the furious Jews and Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit who looked up to heaven and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Though as a mob they dragged him out to stone him, he prayed like Jesus on the cross for their forgiveness, full of assurance that he would soon be with him. His beautiful witness to the end must have greatly affected a young man named Saul. 2. They preached the word where ever they went (8:1-8) The persecution of Stephen boiled over upon the other believers in Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. While godly men mourned Stephen, Saul set out to destroy the church. However, all his effort achieved was to help further Jesus' world mission command to spread the gospel from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria (1:8). The scattered believers, rather than be defeated, spread the word wherever they went. One of them was Philip who powerfully proclaimed Christ in Samaria.

Prayer: Lord, help me like Stephen to glorify Jesus to the end.

One Word: Preach the word wherever you go