The Arrest of Stephen

8 Now Stephen, [who was] full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 But resistance arose from what was called [the] Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from [the provinces of] Cilicia and Asia.[fn] They disputed with Stephen, 10 [but] they could not stand up to [his] wisdom [or] the Spirit by whom he spoke.

11 Then they prompted [some] men to say “We heard [Stephen] speak words of blasphemy against Moses and [against] God.”

12 [So] they stirred up the people, elders, and scribes and confronted [Stephen]. They seized him and brought [him] before the Sanhedrin,[fn] 13 [where] they presented false witnesses [who] said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and [against] the law. 14 For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at [Stephen], [and] they saw that his face [was] like [the] face of an angel.