Acts 7:39-60 ▼

39 to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt,

40 saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us: for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what hath happened to him.

41 And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice for the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Have ye offered me slain beasts and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

43 Yet have ye taken up the tabernacle of Moloc, and the star of your god Remphan, those figures which ye made to pay adoration to them: and I will transport you beyond Babylon.

44 The tabernacle of the testimony was with our fathers in the wilderness, as he that spake to Moses commanded, that he should make it according to the model which he had seen.

45 Which also our fathers having received, brought in with Joshua into the place possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out from before the presence of our fathers, unto the days of David;

46 who found favour before God, and sought to procure an habitation for the God of Jacob.

47 But Solomon built an house for him.

48 Though the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as the prophet saith,

49 ?Heaven is my throne, and earth the footstool for my feet: what kind of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what place is there for my repose?

50 hath not my hand made all these things??

51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears, ye do always oppose yourselves against the Holy Ghost: as your fathers, so are ye.

52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they killed those who before published the tidings of the coming of that Righteous Person; of whom ye have now been the betrayers and murderers:

53 who have received the law through arrangements of angels, yet have not observed it.

54 Now when they heard these things, they were cut through their hearts as with a saw, and gnashed upon him with their teeth.

55 But he being full of the Holy Ghost, and looking up stedfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;

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

57 Then they screamed out with a great cry, and stopped their ears, and rushed all together upon him,

58 and dragging him out of the city, stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, named Saul.

59 And they stoned Stephen, in the act of prayer, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!

60 Then falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, Lord, impute not to them this sin! And thus speaking, fell asleep.