Acts 7:51-60 Lesson 234

Acts 7:51-60
Lesson 234

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

The history lesson continues.

Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

Stephen is stoned to death.

Study Tip:

"In Bible reading, we need to watch ourselves very closely, lest our thoughts wander, and our reading become perfunctory and meaningless. We must determine resolutely to keep our minds on what we are reading, doing our best to form an intelligent conception of it, and being on the lookout for lessons for ourselves."

Henry Hampton Halley, minister and religious writer (1874-1965).

The Acts of the Apostles

The King James Bible

Acts 7:51-60
Stephen is martyred

51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Margin notes:

"Stiffnecked." (7:51) - Means "stubborn." Stephen is parroting God, who repeatedly called "the children of Israel" stiffnecked (Exodus 32:9; 33:3; 33:5).

"Uncircumcised in heart and ears." (7:51) - To have an uncircumcised heart and ears is to have a hard and impure heart (Leviticus 26:41) and ears that won't listen (Jeremiah 6:10).

"Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did." (7:51) - For proof, read 2 Chronicles 36:16.

"They have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One." (7:52) - "They killed those who predicted the coming of the Messiah."

"Who have received the law by the disposition of angels." (7:53) - "You received the (Mosaic) Law from angels."

"They were cut to the heart." (7:54) - "They were enraged." The Sanhedrin were infuriated with Stephen, just as they were with Peter and his fellow apostles for speaking about Jesus (Acts 5:33). The Sanhedrin had Peter and the rest beaten before releasing them (Acts 5:40). What will they do with Stephen?

"But he, being full of the Holy Ghost." (7:55) - Stephen was filled with faith and the Holy Ghost (Acts 6:5).

"The glory of God." (7:55) - Just as God appeared to "the children of Israel" 1400 years earlier (Exodus 16:10; 40:34-35), He now appears to Stephen.

"The Son of man standing on the right hand of God." (7:56) - Moments before he died, Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God, just where the Messiah said He would be (Luke 22:69).

"Stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord." (7:57) - "Covered their ears and together they charged him."

"Stoned him." (7:58) - According to civil law, only the Romans could administer the death sentence. Stephen's stoning was an illegal act of mob violence, without even the pretense of a trial.

"Laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul." (7:58) - Saul was the Gentile name for Paul. It was Paul who watched the coats of Stephens executioners (Acts 22:20). After Stephen's murder, Paul persecuted the church for years until he met Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9). After being converted, Paul wrote large parts of the New Testament and became perhaps the most important apostle. We will learn more about Paul as we go.

"They stoned Stephen." (7:59) - Stoning was the Jewish punishment for blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16). Stephen was stoned in AD 35-37.

"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." (7:59) - This is similar to what Jesus said on the cross ("Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit"), as recorded in Luke 23:46.

"Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." (7:60) - Again, these words are similar to what Jesus spoke on the cross ("Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.") in Luke 23:34.

"He fell asleep." (7:60) - "He died" (John 11:11-14; 1 Corinthians 11:30).

New Living Translation

Acts 7:51-60

51 "You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That's what your ancestors did, and so do you!

52 Name one prophet your ancestors didn't persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One-the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered.

53 You deliberately disobeyed God's law, even though you received it from the hands of angels."

54 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen's accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.

55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand.

56 And he told them, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!"

57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him

58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

60 He fell to his knees, shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin!" And with that, he died.

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's Question:

1. What did Stephen accuse the high council of? (7:51-53)

Questions? I'll do my best to answer them.

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. As he stood before the Sanhedrin, Stephen, the accused, became the accuser. He charged the Sanhedrin, and their fathers before them, of rejecting the word of God (7:51), of systematically persecuting and killing the prophets (7:52), and denounced them for not obeying "God's law" (7:53).  Like Jesus before him (Luke 11:47), Stephen didn't sugarcoat his words; he used the very Scriptures the Sanhedrin claimed to live by to condemn them. The harsh reality of Stephen's words pained the high council (7:54) to the point where they could hear no more (7:57). They dragged Stephen from the city and hurled stones at him until he was dead (7:58).

Additional note: Stephens's accusations against the Sanhedrin were not unique.  In a parable, Jesus chided the Jews for rejecting God's prophets (Luke 20:9-19).

Application thought for the day:

Stephen was murdered for his faith. Chances are you will never face death for following Christ but would you risk being embarrassed or mocked for sharing your faith with others.  The same people who turn a deaf ear to you today may be converted tomorrow.  Show your faith; you never know whose heart is ready to accept God's message of redemption.

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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