Acts 7:51-8:13

Contemporary English Version

^51 (A) You stubborn and hardheaded people! You are always fighting against the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors did. ⁵² Is there one prophet that your ancestors didn't mistreat? They killed the prophets who told about the coming of the One Who Obeys God.^[a] And now you have turned against him and killed him. ⁵³ Angels gave you God's Law, but you still don't obey it.

Stephen Is Stoned to Death

⁵⁴ When the council members heard Stephen's speech, they were angry and furious. ^55 (B) But Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked toward heaven, where he saw our glorious God and Jesus standing at his right side.^{[b] 56} Then Stephen said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God!”

⁵⁷ The council members shouted and covered their ears. At once they all attacked Stephen ⁵⁸ and dragged him out of the city. Then they started throwing stones at him. The men who had brought charges against him put their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.^[c]

⁵⁹ As Stephen was being stoned to death, he called out, “Lord Jesus, please welcome me!” ⁶⁰ He knelt down and shouted, “Lord, don't blame them for what they have done.” Then he died.

8 ^1-2 Saul approved the stoning of Stephen. Some faithful followers of the Lord buried Stephen and mourned very much for him.

Saul Makes Trouble for the Church

At that time the church in Jerusalem suffered terribly. All of the Lord's followers, except the apostles, were scattered everywhere in Judea and Samaria. ^3 (C) Saul started making a lot of trouble for the church. He went from house to house, arresting men and women and putting them in jail.

The Good News Is Preached in Samaria

⁴ The Lord's followers who had been scattered went from place to place, telling the good news. ⁵ Philip went to the city of Samaria and told the people about Christ. ⁶ They crowded around Philip because they were eager to hear what he was saying and to see him work miracles. ⁷ Many people with evil spirits were healed, and the spirits went out of them with a shout. A lot of paralyzed and lame people were also healed. ⁸ Everyone in that city was very glad because of what was happening.

⁹ For some time a man named Simon had lived there and had amazed the people of Samaria. He practiced witchcraft and claimed to be somebody great. ¹⁰ Everyone, rich and poor, crowded around him. They said, “This man is the power of God called ‘The Great Power.’ ”

¹¹ For a long time, Simon had used witchcraft to amaze the people, and they kept crowding around him. ¹² But when they believed what Philip was saying about God's kingdom and about the name of Jesus Christ, they were all baptized. ¹³ Even Simon believed and was baptized. He stayed close to Philip, because he marveled at all the miracles and wonders.