STEPHEN’S MARTYRDOM

Passage: Acts 7:39-60

Key verse: 60

NIV

39 “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.(A) 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’[a](B) 41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made.(C) 42 But God turned away from them(D) and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars.(E) This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:

“‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
    forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?
43 You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek
    and the star of your god Rephan,
    the idols you made to worship.
Therefore I will send you into exile’[b](F) beyond Babylon.

44 “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law(G) with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.(H) 45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them.(I) It remained in the land until the time of David,(J) 46 who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.[c](K) 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.(L)

48 “However, the Most High(M) does not live in houses made by human hands.(N) As the prophet says:

49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool.(O)
What kind of house will you build for me?
says the Lord.
    Or where will my resting place be?
50 Has not my hand made all these things?’[d](P)

51 “You stiff-necked people!(Q) Your hearts(R) 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?(S) They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him(T)— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels(U) but have not obeyed it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious(V) and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,(W) looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.(X) 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open(Y) and the Son of Man(Z) 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(AA) and began to stone him.(AB) Meanwhile, the witnesses(AC) laid their coats(AD) at the feet of a young man named Saul.(AE)

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

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Footnotes
  1. Acts 7:40 Exodus 32:1
  2. Acts 7:43 Amos 5:25-27 (see Septuagint)
  3. Acts 7:46 Some early manuscripts the house of Jacob
  4. Acts 7:50 Isaiah 66:1,2
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and (A)in their hearts they turned to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, (B)‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 41 And (C)they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and (D)were rejoicing in (E)the works of their hands. 42 But (F)God turned away and (G)gave them over to worship (H)the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:

(I)“‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices,
    (J)during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 You took up the tent of (K)Moloch
    and the star of your god Rephan,
    the images that you made to worship;
and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

44 “Our fathers had (L)the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses (M)directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn (N)brought it in with Joshua when they (O)dispossessed the nations (P)that God drove out before our fathers. So it was (Q)until the days of David, 46 (R)who found favor in the sight of God and (S)asked to find a dwelling place for (T)the God of Jacob.[a] 47 But it was (U)Solomon who built a house for him. 48 (V)Yet the Most High does not dwell (W)in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

49 (X)“‘Heaven is my throne,
    (Y)and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
    or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?’

51 (Z)“You stiff-necked people, (AA)uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. (AB)As your fathers did, so do you. 52 (AC)Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of (AD)the Righteous One, (AE)whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law (AF)as delivered by angels and (AG)did not keep it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

54 Now when they heard these things (AH)they were enraged, and they (AI)ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, (AJ)full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw (AK)the glory of God, and Jesus standing (AL)at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see (AM)the heavens opened, and (AN)the Son of Man standing (AO)at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together[b] at him. 58 Then (AP)they cast him out of the city and (AQ)stoned him. And (AR)the witnesses laid down their garments (AS)at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, (AT)he called out, “Lord Jesus, (AU)receive my spirit.” 60 And (AV)falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, (AW)“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, (AX)he fell asleep.

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Footnotes
  1. Acts 7:46 Some manuscripts for the house of Jacob
  2. 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

The idolatry that eventually led God's people into Babylonian captivity started in the desert when they made the golden calf (Ex 32). They did not obey Moses, who had received God's living words. In their hearts they turned back to Egypt and to the idol-worshiping culture of their slave life.

The tabernacle in the desert was made by Moses according to God's pattern. It was brought into the promised land by Joshua. King David did not build the temple--his son Solomon did. Solomon knew that God is not confined to any house. Stephen had been accused of speaking against the temple and the law (6:13). He taught them the Bible: God cannot be confined in a building. He pointed out that they were the law-breakers. They had rejected the Bible by not obeying it and were slaves to pride, self-righteousness, and jealousy, like their ancestors.

The high priests were enraged. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, exclaimed that he could see Jesus at the right hand of God. They responded by stoning him. Stephen entrusted his spirit to Jesus, and in his final act, got on his knees and prayed for their forgiveness. He had Jesus’ image on the cross, praying, “Father, forgive them.”

Prayer: Father, help me to hold your word in my heart, not become enslaved to sin and idol worship, and forgive those who reject Christ and your words.

One Word: Martyred for teaching the gospel