Acts 7:60

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Then he kneeled down and shouted out, “Lord! Don’t hold this sin against them!” With that, he died;

Berean Standard Bible:

Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

American Standard Version:

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.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

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}.

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Commentary for Acts 7:60

Acts 7:60 is part of the account of the martyrdom of Stephen, one of the seven deacons chosen by the early Christian community to distribute food and aid to the needy (Acts 6:1-6). Stephen was a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, known for performing great wonders and signs among the people (Acts 6:8). However, his bold preaching and the miraculous signs he performed led to his arrest on charges of blasphemy against Moses and God (Acts 6:11-14).

In Acts 7, Stephen stands before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious court, and delivers a powerful speech recounting the history of Israel, emphasizing God's presence throughout their history, and critiquing the Jewish leaders for resisting the Holy Spirit and persecuting the prophets, just as their ancestors had done. He accuses them of betraying and murdering Jesus, the Righteous One, whom God had sent as both Messiah and deliverer.

As the crowd's anger reaches its peak, Stephen looks up to heaven and declares that he sees the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55-56). Enraged by his words, the crowd drags him out of the city and begins to stone him. It is in this context that Acts 7:60 unfolds. As Stephen is being stoned, he kneels down and cries out with a loud voice, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." This prayer echoes Jesus' words on the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34), demonstrating Stephen's Christ-like forgiveness and compassion even toward his persecutors.

The phrase "he fell asleep" is a euphemism for death used in the New Testament to convey the Christian belief in the resurrection and the hope of eternal life (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Stephen's death marks the first recorded martyrdom in the early Church and sets a powerful example of faithfulness, forgiveness, and the imitation of Christ, even unto death. His martyrdom also signals the beginning of a wider dispersion of the Christian message beyond Jerusalem, as a severe persecution breaks out against the church, scattering believers throughout Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:1-4).

In summary, Acts 7:60 captures the culmination of Stephen's faithful witness, his Christ-like forgiveness in the face of death, and the historical transition from a concentrated Christian presence in Jerusalem to a more widespread missionary effort. It is a poignant example of the themes of suffering, persecution, forgiveness, and the enduring faith of the early Christian martyrs.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: G1161
   There are 2556 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: δέ
   Transliteration: dé
   Pronunciation: deh
   Description: a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).
   
2. Strong's Number: G5087
   There are 94 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: τίθημι
   Transliteration: títhēmi
   Pronunciation: theh'-o
   Description: a prolonged form of a primary (which is used only as alternate in certain tenses); to place (in the widest application, literally and figuratively; properly, in a passive or horizontal posture, and thus different from ἵστημι, which properly denotes an upright and active position, while κεῖμαι is properly reflexive and utterly prostrate):--+ advise, appoint, bow, commit, conceive, give, X kneel down, lay (aside, down, up), make, ordain, purpose, put, set (forth), settle, sink down.
   
3. Strong's Number: G1119
   There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: γόνυ
   Transliteration: góny
   Pronunciation: gon-oo'
   Description: of uncertain affinity; the "knee":--knee(X -l).
   
4. Strong's Number: G2896
   There are 58 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: κράζω
   Transliteration: krázō
   Pronunciation: krad'-zo
   Description: a primary verb; properly, to "croak" (as a raven) or scream, i.e. (genitive case) to call aloud (shriek, exclaim, intreat):--cry (out).
   
5. Strong's Number: G3173
   There are 185 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: μέγας
   Transliteration: mégas
   Pronunciation: meg'-as
   Description: (including the prolonged forms, feminine , plural , etc.; compare also μέγιστος, μείζων); big (literally or figuratively, in a very wide application):--(+ fear) exceedingly, great(-est), high, large, loud, mighty, + (be) sore (afraid), strong, X to years.
   
6. Strong's Number: G5456
   There are 129 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: φωνή
   Transliteration: phōnḗ
   Pronunciation: fo-nay'
   Description: probably akin to φαίνω through the idea of disclosure; a tone (articulate, bestial or artificial); by implication, an address (for any purpose), saying or language:--noise, sound, voice.
   
7. Strong's Number: G2962
   There are 687 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: κύριος
   Transliteration: kýrios
   Pronunciation: koo'-ree-os
   Description: from (supremacy); supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title):-- God, Lord, master, Sir.
   
8. Strong's Number: G2476
   There are 152 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: ἵστημι
   Transliteration: hístēmi
   Pronunciation: stah'-o
   Description: a prolonged form of a primary (of the same meaning, and used for it in certain tenses); to stand (transitively or intransitively), used in various applications (literally or figuratively):--abide, appoint, bring, continue, covenant, establish, hold up, lay, present, set (up), stanch, stand (by, forth, still, up). Compare τίθημι.
   
9. Strong's Number: G3361
   There are 602 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: μή
   Transliteration: mḗ
   Pronunciation: may
   Description: a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas οὐ expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas οὐ expects an affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations. See also ἐὰν μή, ἵνα μή, οὐ μή, μῆκος, μηκύνω, μήν, μὴ οὐκ.
   
10. Strong's Number: G5026
    There are 119 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: ταύτῃ
    Transliteration: taútēi
    Pronunciation: tow'-tace
    Description: dative case, accusative case and genitive case respectively of the feminine singular of οὗτος; (towards or of) this:--her, + hereof, it, that, + thereby, the (same), this (same).
    
11. Strong's Number: G266
    There are 190 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: ἁμαρτία
    Transliteration: hamartía
    Pronunciation: ham-ar-tee'-ah
    Description: from ἁμαρτάνω; a sin (properly abstract):--offence, sin(-ful).
    
12. Strong's Number: G846
    There are 3776 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: αὐτός
    Transliteration: autós
    Pronunciation: ow-tos'
    Description: from the particle (perhaps akin to the base of ἀήρ through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative ἑαυτοῦ) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which. Compare αὑτοῦ.
    
13. Strong's Number: G2532
    There are 5212 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: καί
    Transliteration: kaí
    Pronunciation: kahee
    Description: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
    
14. Strong's Number: G2036
    There are 901 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: ἔπω
    Transliteration: épō
    Pronunciation: ep'-o
    Description: a primary verb (used only in the definite past tense, the others being borrowed from ἐρέω, ῥέω, and φημί); to speak or say (by word or writing):--answer, bid, bring word, call, command, grant, say (on), speak, tell. Compare λέγω.
    
15. Strong's Number: G5124
    There are 303 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: τοῦτο
    Transliteration: toûto
    Pronunciation: too'-to
    Description: neuter singular nominative or accusative case of οὗτος; that thing:--here (-unto), it, partly, self(-same), so, that (intent), the same, there(-fore, -unto), this, thus, where(-fore).
    
16. Strong's Number: G2837
    There are 18 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: κοιμάω
    Transliteration: koimáō
    Pronunciation: koy-mah'-o
    Description: from κεῖμαι; to put to sleep, i.e. (passively or reflexively) to slumber; figuratively, to decease:--(be a-, fall a-, fall on) sleep, be dead.