54Hearing these things, they were being sawn through in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him. [7:55] But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus already standing at the right hand of God. [7:56] He said: "Look — I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man already standing at the right hand of God." [7:57] Crying out with a loud voice, they covered their ears and rushed at him together. [7:58] Throwing him out of the city, they stoned him, and the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. [7:59] They were stoning Stephen as he called out and said: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." [7:60] Falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice: "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And having said this, he fell asleep.
ACT 7:54-60
The Stoning of Stephen
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Jewish context, stoning was a communal act of execution reserved for blasphemy, as defined by the Torah (Leviticus 24:16). Stephen’s vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God would have been perceived as a direct challenge to Jewish monotheism and Temple authority, echoing claims that Jesus himself made (Mark 14:62). The Sanhedrin, as guardians of Jewish orthodoxy, would have seen this as blasphemous, justifying the stoning. The act of witnesses laying their garments at Saul’s feet reflects a formalized process; witnesses were required to initiate the execution (Deuteronomy 17:7). Stephen’s use of (‘he fell asleep’) for death reflects early Christian belief in resurrection, contrasting with Jewish and Greco-Roman views of death as final. The scene also mirrors Jesus’ trial and death, positioning Stephen as a (witness) in both testimony and martyrdom.
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How other translations render this
ACT 7:54
- KJV
- When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
- BSB
- On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
- Koinōnos
- Hearing these things, they were being sawn through in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him.
ACT 7:55
- KJV
- 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,
- BSB
- But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
- Koinōnos
- But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus already standing at the right hand of God.
ACT 7:56
- KJV
- And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
- BSB
- “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
- Koinōnos
- He said: "Look — I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man already standing at the right hand of God.
ACT 7:57
- KJV
- Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
- BSB
- At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him.
- Koinōnos
- Crying out with a loud voice, they covered their ears and rushed at him together.
ACT 7:58
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
- Koinōnos
- Throwing him out of the city, they stoned him, and the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
ACT 7:59
- KJV
- And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
- BSB
- While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
- Koinōnos
- They were stoning Stephen as he called out and said: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
ACT 7:60
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
- Koinōnos
- Falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice: "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And having said this, he fell asleep.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
ACT 7:54
- they felt cut up:The phrase translated 'they felt cut up' literally means they were being sawn through, indicating an intense, visceral rage that went beyond mere anger.
ACT 7:55
- already standing:The word translated 'already standing' implies a firm, established posture, suggesting a deliberate and stable position rather than a casual or temporary one.
ACT 7:58
- witnesses:The term translated 'witnesses' carried the sense of someone who not only observed an event but was also prepared to testify about it, even to the point of suffering or death.
ACT 7:60
- he fell asleep.:The phrase 'he fell asleep' was a common and gentle euphemism in the ancient world for death, particularly among believers, suggesting a peaceful rest with the hope of awakening.