60 And G1161 he kneeled down, G5087 G1119 and cried G2896 with a loud G3173 voice, G5456 Lord, G2962 lay G2476 not G3361 this G5026 sin G266 to their G846 charge. And G2532 when he had said G2036 this, G5124 he fell asleep. G2837
But G1161 I G1473 say G3004 unto you, G5213 Love G25 your G5216 enemies, G2190 bless G2127 them that curse G2672 you, G5209 do G4160 good G2573 to them that hate G3404 you, G5209 and G2532 pray G4336 for G5228 them which G3588 despitefully use G1908 you, G5209 and G2532 persecute G1377 you; G5209
And G2532 when he had thus G5023 spoken, G2036 he G846 kneeled G1119 down, G5087 and prayed G4336 with G4862 them G846 all. G3956
But G1161 Peter G4074 put G1544 them all G3956 forth, G1854 and kneeled down, G5087 G1119 and prayed; G4336 and G2532 turning G1994 him to G4314 the body G4983 said, G2036 Tabitha, G5000 arise. G450 And G1161 she opened G455 her G846 eyes: G3788 and G2532 when she saw G1492 Peter, G4074 she sat up. G339
Then G1161 said G3004 Jesus, G2424 Father, G3962 forgive G863 them; G846 for G1063 they know G1492 not G3756 what G5101 they do. G4160 And G1161 they parted G1266 his G846 raiment, G2440 and cast G906 lots. G2819
For G1063 G3303 David, G1138 after he had served G5256 his own G2398 generation G1074 by the will G1012 of God, G2316 fell on sleep, G2837 and G2532 was laid G4369 unto G4314 his G846 fathers, G3962 and G2532 saw G1492 corruption: G1312
But G1161 I would G2309 not G3756 have G2309 you G5209 to be ignorant, G50 brethren, G80 concerning G4012 them which are asleep, G2837 that G3363 ye sorrow G3076 not, G3363 even G2532 as G2531 others G3062 which G3588 have G2192 no G3361 hope. G1680 For G1063 if G1487 we believe G4100 that G3754 Jesus G2424 died G599 and G2532 rose again, G450 even so G3779 them also G2532 which sleep G2837 in G1223 Jesus G2424 will G71 God G2316 bring G71 with G4862 him. G846
But G1161 now G3570 is G1453 Christ G5547 risen G1453 from G1537 the dead, G3498 and become G1096 the firstfruits G536 of them that slept. G2837
And G1161 when G3753 we G2248 had G1096 accomplished G1822 those days, G2250 we departed G1831 and went our way; G4198 and they all G3956 brought G4311 us G2248 on our way, G4311 with G4862 wives G1135 and G2532 children, G5043 till G2193 we were out of G1854 the city: G4172 and G2532 we kneeled down G5087 G1119 on G1909 the shore, G123 and prayed. G4336
Who G3588 died G599 for G5228 us, G2257 that, G2443 whether G1535 we wake G1127 or G1535 sleep, G2518 we should live G2198 together G260 with G4862 him. G846
Bless G2127 them which persecute G1377 you: G5209 bless, G2127 and G2532 curse G2672 not. G3361 Rejoice G5463 with G3326 them that do rejoice, G5463 and G2532 weep G2799 with G3326 them that weep. G2799 Be of the same G846 mind G5426 one toward another. G1519 G240 Mind G5426 not G3361 high things, G5308 but G235 condescend G4879 to men of low estate. G5011 Be G1096 not G3361 wise G5429 in G3844 your own conceits. G1438 Recompense G591 to no man G3367 evil G2556 for G473 evil. G2556 Provide G4306 things honest G2570 in the sight G1799 of all G3956 men. G444 If G1487 it be possible, G1415 as much as lieth in G1537 you, G5216 live peaceably G1514 with G3326 all G3956 men. G444 Dearly beloved, G27 avenge G1556 not G3361 yourselves, G1438 but G235 rather give G1325 place G5117 unto wrath: G3709 for G1063 it is written, G1125 Vengeance G1557 is mine; G1698 I G1473 will repay, G467 saith G3004 the Lord. G2962 Therefore G3767 if G1437 thine G4675 enemy G2190 hunger, G3983 feed G5595 him; G846 if G1437 he thirst, G1372 give G4222 him G846 drink: G4222 for G1063 in so G5124 doing G4160 thou shalt heap G4987 coals G440 of fire G4442 on G1909 his G846 head. G2776 Be G3528 not G3361 overcome G3528 of G5259 evil, G2556 but G235 overcome G3528 evil G2556 with G1722 good. G18
Now when Daniel H1841 knew H3046 that the writing H3792 was signed, H7560 he went H5954 into his house; H1005 and his windows H3551 being open H6606 in his chamber H5952 toward H5049 Jerusalem, H3390 he kneeled H1289 upon H5922 his knees H1291 three H8532 times H2166 a day, H3118 and prayed, H6739 and gave thanks H3029 before H6925 his God, H426 as H6903 H3606 he did H1934 H5648 aforetime. H4481 H1836 H6928
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 7
Commentary on Acts 7 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 7
When our Lord Jesus called his apostles out to be employed in services and sufferings for him, he told them that yet the last should be first, and the first last, which was remarkably fulfilled in St. Stephen and St. Paul, who were both of them late converts, in comparison of the apostles, and yet got the start of them both in services and sufferings; for God, in conferring honours and favours, often crosses hands. In this chapter we have the martyrdom of Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian church, who led the van in the noble army. And therefore his sufferings and death are more largely related than those of any other, for direction and encouragement to all those who are called out to resist unto blood, as he did. Here is,
Act 7:1-16
Stephen is now at the bar before the great council of the nation, indicted for blasphemy: what the witnesses swore against him we had an account of in the foregoing chapter, that he spoke blasphemous words against Moses and God; for he spoke against this holy place and the law. Now here,
But let us see how this serves Stephen's purpose.
Let us now see what this is to Stephen's purpose.
Act 7:17-29
Stephen here goes on to relate,
Now let us see how this serves Stephen's purpose.
Act 7:30-41
Stephen here proceeds in his story of Moses; and let any one judge whether these are the words of one that was a blasphemer of Moses or no; nothing could be spoken more honourably of him. Here is,
Act 7:42-50
Two things we have in these verses:-
Act 7:51-53
Stephen was going on in his discourse (as it should seem by the thread of it) to show that, as the temple, so the temple-service must come to an end, and it would be the glory of both to give way to that worship of the Father in spirit and in truth which was to be established in the kingdom of the Messiah, stripped of the pompous ceremonies of the old law, and so he was going to apply all this which he had said more closely to his present purpose; but he perceived they could not bear it. They could patiently hear the history of the Old Testament told (it was a piece of learning which they themselves dealt much in); but if Stephen go about to tell them that their power and tyranny must come down, and that the church must be governed by a spirit of holiness and love, and heavenly-mindedness, they will not so much as give him the hearing. It is probable that he perceived this, and that they were going to silence him; and therefore he breaks off abruptly in the midst of his discourse, and by that spirit of wisdom, courage, and power, wherewith he was filled, he sharply rebuked his persecutors, and exposed their true character; for, if they will not admit the testimony of the gospel to them, it shall become a testimony against them.
We have reason to think Stephen had a great deal more to say, and would have said it if they would have suffered him; but they were wicked and unreasonable men with whom he had to do, that could no more hear reason than they could speak it.
Act 7:54-60
We have here the death of the first martyr of the Christian church, and there is in this story a lively instance of the outrage and fury of the persecutors (such as we may expect to meet with if we are called out to suffer for Christ), and of the courage and comfort of the persecuted, that are thus called out. Here is hell in its fire and darkness, and heaven in its light and brightness; and these serve as foils to set off each other. It is not here said that the votes of the council were taken upon his case, and that by the majority he was found guilty, and then condemned and ordered to be stoned to death, according to the law, as a blasphemer; but, it is likely, so it was, and that it was not by the violence of the people, without order of the council, that he was put to death; for here is the usual ceremony of regular executions-he was cast out of the city, and the hands of the witnesses were first upon him.
Let us observe here the wonderful discomposure of the spirits of his enemies and persecutors, and the wonderful composure of his spirit.