Acts 7:44-8:3

Acts 7:44—8:3 (Good News Translation)

44 Our ancestors had the Tent of God's presence with them in the
desert. It had been made as God had told Moses to make it, according
to the pattern that Moses had been shown. 45 Later on, our ancestors
who received the tent from their fathers carried it with them when
they went with Joshua and took over the land from the nations that God
drove out as they advanced. And it stayed there until the time of
David. 46 He won God's favor and asked God to allow him to provide a
dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built
him a house. 48 But the Most High God does not live in houses built by
human hands; as the prophet says, 49 'Heaven is my throne, says the
Lord, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house would you
build for me? Where is the place for me to live in? 50 Did not I
myself make all these things?' 51 "How stubborn you are!" Stephen went
on to say. How heathen your hearts, how deaf you are to God's message!
You are just like your ancestors: you too have always resisted the
Holy Spirit! 52 Was there any prophet that your ancestors did not
persecute? They killed God's messengers, who long ago announced the
coming of his righteous Servant. And now you have betrayed and
murdered him. 53 You are the ones who received God's law, that was
handed down by angels—yet you have not obeyed it! " 54 As the members
of the Council listened to Stephen, they became furious and ground
their teeth at him in anger. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,
looked up to heaven and saw God's glory and Jesus standing at the
right side of God. 56 "Look!" he said. "I see heaven opened and the
Son of Man standing at the right side of God!" 57 With a loud cry the
Council members covered their ears with their hands. Then they all
rushed at him at once, 58 threw him out of the city, and stoned him.
The witnesses left their cloaks in the care of a young man named Saul.
59 They kept on stoning Stephen as he called out to the Lord, "Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit!" 60 He knelt down and cried out in a loud
voice, "Lord! Do not remember this sin against them!" He said this and
died. 1 And Saul approved of his murder. That very day the church in
Jerusalem began to suffer cruel persecution. All the believers, except
the apostles, were scattered throughout the provinces of Judea and
Samaria. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen, mourning for him with loud
cries. 3 But Saul tried to destroy the church; going from house to
house, he dragged out the believers, both men and women, and threw
them into jail."

Father God, forgive my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ down
to die on the cross and for shedding his blood for me. Three days
later you resurrected him. I accept that. I invite Jesus Christ into
my heart as y Lord and savior. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

God bless you.