51. Stephen continued speaking: “You stubborn Jewish leaders! You have not given your hearts to God! You won’t listen to him! You are always against what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you. Your ancestors were like this, and you are just like them!
52. Your fathers tried to hurt every prophet who ever lived. Those prophets said long ago that the Righteous One would come. But your fathers killed them. And now you have turned against the Righteous One and killed him.
53. You received the law of Moses, which God gave you through his angels. But you don’t obey it!”
54. When the leaders heard Stephen saying all these things, they became very angry. They were so mad that they were grinding their teeth at Stephen.
55. But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God. He saw Jesus standing at God’s right side.
56. He said, “Look! I see heaven open. And I see the Son of Man standing at God’s right side!”
57. Then they all shouted loudly. They covered their ears with their hands and all ran at Stephen.
58. They took him out of the city and threw stones at him until he was dead. The men who told lies against Stephen left their coats with a young man named Saul.
59. While they were throwing stones, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60. He fell on his knees and cried in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” After Stephen said this, he died.