(མཛད་པ། 7:51-60)
51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” 54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and 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 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together[b] at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:51-60)
Stephen is Executed
Stephen finished his speech by accusing his accusers of themselves being rebellious against God just like their forefathers. So in their fury they execute him.
It seemed that God’s purpose for his church to continue growing had been defeated. But not so; God had his own plans.
Chapter 9 of Acts tell us how, later on, the young man Saul came to believe. And then Chapters 13-28 are mainly the story of how God used Saul, now known as Paul, to help the gospel to spread.