When Stephen had reached this point, there was a tumult among the people. The prisoner read his fate in the countenances before him. He perceived the resistance that met his words, which were spoken at the dictation of the Holy Ghost. He knew that he was giving his last testimony. When he connected Jesus Christ with the prophecies, and spoke of the temple as he did, the priest, affecting to be horror-stricken, rent his robe. This act was to Stephen a signal that his voice would soon be silenced forever. Although he was just in the midst of his sermon, he abruptly concluded it by suddenly breaking away from the chain of history, and, turning upon his infuriated judges, said, “Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers; who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.”{LP 18.1}


Skildringer fra Paulus liv kapitel 1. 18.     Fra side 18 i den engelske udgave.tilbage

Saulus forfølgeren

Da Stefanus havde nået til dette punkt, blev der tumult blandt folk. Fangen læste hans skæbne i ansigterne foran ham. Han så modtanden i hans ord, som blev sagt efter Helligåndens anvisning. Han vidste at han gav sit sidste vidnesbyrd. Da han forbandt Jesus Kristus med profetierne, og talte om templet sådan som han gjorde, rev præsten sin klædning i stykker af rædsel. Denne handling var et signal til Stefanus om at hans røst snart ville forties for altid. Selvom han var midt i hans prædiken, afslutede han den pludselig, ved et pludselig afbrud fra historiekæden, og vendte sig til hans rasende dommere og sagde: "I stivnakkede og uomskårne på hjerter og øren! Altid sætter I jer op imod Helligånden som jeres fædre, således I. Hvem af profeterne har jeres fædre ikke forfulgt? De dræbte dem, som forud forkyndte, at den Retfærdige skulle komme, og hans forrædere og mordere er I blevet. I modtog loven, formidlet ved engle, men I har ikke holdt den!"

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