Acts 7 59

Acts 7:59 kjv

And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Acts 7:59 nkjv

And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Acts 7:59 niv

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Acts 7:59 esv

And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Acts 7:59 nlt

As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Acts 7 verses

Acts 7 59 Meaning

Acts 7:59 vividly describes the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, at the climax of his testimony. As stones assault him, Stephen fervently prays directly to "Lord Jesus," asking Him to "receive my spirit." This pivotal moment highlights Stephen's profound faith and steadfast devotion to Christ in the face of death, mirroring Jesus' own final words on the cross. It implicitly yet powerfully affirms the divine nature of Jesus, portraying Him as the sovereign Lord to whom a dying saint entrusts his immortal soul, a role traditionally attributed to God. Stephen's act establishes a pattern of faithful martyrdom and prayer to Christ within early Christian witness.

Acts 7 59 Context

Acts chapter 7 contains Stephen's long and powerful speech before the Sanhedrin, where he recounts Israel's history from Abraham through Solomon, culminating in a fierce indictment of their continuous rejection of God's prophets and finally, the murder of the "Righteous One," Jesus (Acts 7:52). This impassioned rebuke stirs violent rage among his accusers. Immediately preceding verse 59, Stephen, "full of the Holy Spirit, gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55). He proclaims this vision, which the council views as blasphemy, triggering their unanimous rush to stone him outside the city. Verse 59 depicts the very moment of his death, where, despite the agony and the brutality of the stoning, Stephen’s focus remains steadfastly on Christ, demonstrating his unwavering faith and his direct relationship with Jesus as his Lord.

Acts 7 59 Word analysis

• And: A conjunction, simple but indicates the immediate, brutal consequence of Stephen's words and vision. It ties the action directly to the previous events of rage and accusation.
• they stoned: The Greek verb "elithoboloun" (ἐλιθοβόλουν) is in the imperfect tense, suggesting a continuous or repeated action, indicating the drawn-out agony of Stephen's death as they relentlessly threw stones. Stoning was a prescribed Jewish punishment for blasphemy (Lev 24:16; Deut 13:10), a charge leveled against Stephen.
• Stephen: The first named Christian martyr. He was one of the seven men chosen to serve the early Christian community, described as "full of faith and of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6:5). His name means "crown" or "garland," ironically fitting for his martyr's crown.
• calling upon: The Greek term "epikaleomenon" (ἐπικαλούμενον) implies invocation, appealing to, or solemnly addressing a deity or person with authority. In Jewish contexts, it often referred to calling upon the name of Yahweh. Here, Stephen is clearly invoking Jesus directly, demonstrating prayer to Christ.
• God: While not explicitly present in the Greek "Kyrie Iesou" (Lord Jesus), the immediate context of "calling upon" someone in a prayer-like fashion to receive a spirit strongly implies that the one invoked holds divine authority, traditionally associated with God. Luke, as the author, consistently presents Jesus as divine.
• saying: A straightforward verb introducing Stephen's dying words.
• Lord Jesus: "Kyrie Iesou" (Κύριε Ἰησοῦ). This is a profoundly significant address. "Kyrios" (Lord) was used for earthly masters, but importantly, also as a Greek translation for Yahweh in the Septuagint. By calling Jesus "Lord" in this context of final entrustment, Stephen directly acknowledges Jesus' divine sovereignty, authority, and identity with God, recognizing Him as the recipient of souls. This is a direct act of worship.
• receive: The Greek verb "dexai" (δέξαι) is an aorist imperative, functioning as an earnest plea or command. It signifies a request for Jesus to accept and take custody of Stephen's spirit, implying Jesus' power over death and the spiritual realm.
• my spirit: "to pneuma mou" (τὸ πνεῦμά μου). Refers to Stephen's essential self, his immortal soul, which he entrusts to Jesus. This reflects the ancient understanding that the spirit of a deceased person returns to God (Eccl 12:7). Stephen's plea acknowledges Jesus' capacity to preserve and guide the spirit after death.

Words-group analysis

• "And they stoned Stephen": This phrase starkly captures the violent execution Stephen suffered, emphasizing the brutal end of his earthly life at the hands of those who rejected his witness. The imperfect tense underlines the continuous, torturous nature of the act.
• "calling upon God and saying": This emphasizes Stephen's active, conscious, and profound devotion even in his last moments. It demonstrates that his prayer was not a fleeting thought but a deliberate and earnest invocation, amidst immense physical suffering.
• "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit": This constitutes Stephen's climactic declaration of faith and trust. By directly addressing Jesus as "Lord" and entrusting his eternal spirit to Him, Stephen's final words become a powerful Christological statement, affirming Jesus' deity and His role as the sovereign keeper of the souls of believers. It mirrors Jesus' own words on the cross (Lk 23:46) but is addressed to Jesus Himself, a significant distinction in prayer.

Acts 7 59 Bonus section

The parallel between Stephen's last words and those of Jesus (Lk 23:46) is a deliberate and significant literary and theological point made by Luke. It not only elevates Stephen's martyrdom as Christ-like but also underscores the genuine faith Stephen held in Jesus, modeling a life and death aligned with the Master. Stephen's vision of Jesus "standing" at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55) is often interpreted as Jesus rising to welcome Stephen, acknowledging his faithfulness, in contrast to His typical depiction as "seated" (e.g., Col 3:1). This particular detail adds a personal, immediate sense of Jesus' engagement with His suffering follower. The presence of Saul (Acts 7:58), "consenting" to Stephen's death, creates a powerful dramatic irony, as this same Jesus whom Stephen called upon would later radically transform Saul into Paul, a chief apostle to the Gentiles, through an encounter with the glorified Lord Himself (Acts 9). This martyrdom ultimately catalyzed the scattering of believers and the wider spread of the Gospel (Acts 8:1,4).

Acts 7 59 Commentary

Acts 7:59 presents Stephen not merely as a victim but as a triumphant witness to Christ. His final prayer to "Lord Jesus" is monumental for several reasons: it establishes an early precedent for praying directly to Jesus, showcasing the immediate and profound reverence early Christians held for Him; it underscores the divinity of Jesus, as only God has the authority to "receive" the human spirit at death; and it illustrates steadfast faith and complete surrender in the face of martyrdom. Stephen’s posture, paralleling Christ’s own words on the cross, demonstrates the complete identification of the believer with their Lord in both life and death. His trust that Jesus would receive his spirit offered hope and courage to the burgeoning Church facing severe persecution. It serves as a profound model of faithful endurance, forgiveness (Acts 7:60), and unshakeable hope in the eternal presence of Christ.