The Stoning of Stephen and the Persecution of the Church
Acts 7:54-8:1
54When they heard these things they were sawn through in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him.55Being full of the Holy Spirit he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.56And he said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."57Then they cried out with a loud voice and covered their ears and rushed at him with one accord.58They drove him out of the city and began to stone him, and the witnesses laid aside their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.59They continued to stone Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."60Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this he fell asleep.
Chapter 8
1Saul was consenting to his death. And on that day a great persecution arose against the assembly in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles.