Acts 7.54-60

ADA012 Peter and John in prison

This article deals with the confrontation of Peter and John with the Sanhedrin. The apostles, arrested for preaching, must appear before this influential religious court. Facing the same authority that had condemned Jesus, Peter and John, supported by the Holy Spirit, courageously bear witness to their faith, illustrating the continuity of the message of Christ.

Mark 14.53-65 (King James Version) :

And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.But neither so did their witness agree together.And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org

Level: Intermediate Level: Intermediate

ADA029 The murder of Stephen

Analysis of the account of the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7.54-60), the first Christian martyr. The article examines the anger of the Sanhedrin, the legally irregular character of the execution, the vision of the glorified Christ granted to Stephen, and the theological parallel Luke draws between the passion of the disciple and that of Jesus. The presence of Saul foreshadows the rest of the apostolic narrative.

Acts 7.54-60 (King James Version) :

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.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,And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,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.And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.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.

King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org

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