Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The witnesses laid their garments at Saul's feet, not just to keep them from getting dirty, but because Jewish law required witnesses to be the first to throw stones. This detail highlights Saul's active participation and responsibility in Stephen's death, setting the stage for his later dramatic conversion.
Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Stephen delivers a powerful but challenging sermon, the Jewish leaders become enraged and ultimately condemn him. The crowd, incited to a frenzy, drags Stephen outside the city walls to stone him, a brutal execution sanctioned by ancient law. During this horrific event, the witnesses set aside their cloaks, and a young man named Saul supervises the guarding of their garments.
The stoning of Stephen was a brutal act, but a specific detail about the witnesses and their clothing points to a deeper, intentional observance of the law. What does this seemingly minor detail reveal about the solemnity of the event?
The Law stipulated that witnesses to a capital crime were to be the first to cast stones (Deuteronomy 17:7). To perform this duty effectively, they had to be unencumbered.
Stephen's final moments were filled with unimaginable pain and betrayal. Yet, his last words weren't of anger or despair, but of radical forgiveness. How could he pray this, and what does it teach us about God's grace?
Stephen's prayer, 'Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,' offered at the very moment of his brutal execution, is one of the most profound examples of Christ-like love found in Scripture.
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This violent event marks the first appearance of Saul in the book of Acts. His role as the keeper of the executioners' clothes is a stark foreshadowing. What was the significance of this moment for him and for history?
Stephen's martyrdom is a pivotal moment, not just for Stephen, but for Saul and the early Church. Saul's presence and role at this execution are deeply significant.
Understand the original words
martys · Greek Noun
A formal or informal observer of an event, whose testimony is held as valid or authoritative, especially in legal contexts regarding the truth or a crime.
This verse places us at the brutal execution of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. The presence of a young Saul, later the Apostle Paul, at this event is incredibly significant, highlighting his initial fierce opposition to the early church before his own dramatic conversion.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Crucified
Jesus of Nazareth is crucified in Jerusalem after a ministry of approximately three years, a pivotal event for His followers.
c. 30-34 AD
Early Church Growth in Jerusalem
Following Jesus' ascension, His disciples, empowered by the Holy Spirit, begin to preach and gather followers in Jerusalem.
c. 34 AD
Stephen's Ministry and Accusation
Stephen, one of the first deacons, boldly preaches in Jerusalem, but is accused of blasphemy against the Temple and the Law.
c. 34 AD— this verse
Stephen's Martyrdom
Stephen is stoned to death outside the city walls by a furious mob, becoming the first Christian martyr.
c. 34 AD
Saul's Involvement in Stephen's Death
A young man named Saul oversees the garments of those stoning Stephen, indicating his active approval and participation in the persecution.
c. 34-36 AD
Persecution Intensifies
The stoning of Stephen sparks a wave of persecution against the Jerusalem church, scattering many believers.
c. 36 AD
Saul's Conversion
Saul, on his way to persecute Christians in Damascus, has a dramatic encounter with the risen Christ and is converted.
This passage highlights Saul's zealous Pharisaic background and his commitment to the Law, providing context for his intense opposition to early Christians.
Romans 7:9Paul later reflects on his life before understanding grace, describing a state where he was 'alive' but then the commandment came and he 'died'. This echoes the blindness and hardened heart described in Acts 7:54-57, showing the spiritual condition that led to Stephen's stoning.
1 Timothy 1:13The apostle Paul himself identifies his role in Stephen's death, calling himself a 'blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.' This direct self-reference underscores the significance of Saul's involvement and his later transformation.
Hebrews 12:4This verse speaks to the idea that Christians have not yet resisted to the point of shedding their blood. Stephen's martyrdom is presented as the very first instance of this, setting a precedent for the suffering of believers.
John 8:59Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple when the Jews picked up stones to throw at Him. This action by the crowd against Stephen, casting him out of the city to stone him, parallels the violent rejection Jesus faced earlier.
ellicottActs 7:58: "And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul."
(58) And stoned him. —Literally, were stoning him. The verb is repeated in Acts 7:59 , as if to show that the shower of stones went on even during the martyr’s prayers. The witnesses laid down their clothes.—The Law required, as if to impress on witnesses their solemn responsibility, that they should be the first, if the accused were condemned to death…
barnesActs 7:58: "And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul."
And cast him out of the city - This was in accordance with the usual custom. In Leviticus 24:14 , it was directed to bring forth him that had cursed without the camp; and it was not usual, the Jewish writers inform us, to stone in the presence of the Sanhedrin. Though this was a popular tumult, and Stephen was condemned without the regular process of t…
The witnesses laid their garments at Saul's feet, not just to keep them from getting dirty, but because Jewish law required witnesses to be the first to throw stones. This detail highlights Saul's active participation and responsibility in Stephen's death, setting the stage for his later dramatic conversion.
As Stephen delivers a powerful but challenging sermon, the Jewish leaders become enraged and ultimately condemn him. The crowd, incited to a frenzy, drags Stephen outside the city walls to stone him, a brutal execution sanctioned by ancient law. During this horrific event, the witnesses set aside their cloaks, and a young man named Saul supervises the guarding of their garments.
As Stephen delivers a powerful but challenging sermon, the Jewish leaders become enraged and ultimately condemn him. The crowd, incited to a frenzy, drags Stephen outside the city walls to stone him, a brutal execution sanctioned by ancient law. During this horrific event, the witnesses set aside their cloaks, and a young man named Saul supervises the guarding of their garments.
"Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul." — The witnesses laid their garments at Saul's feet, not just to keep them from getting dirty, but because Jewish law required witnesses to be the first to throw stones. This detail highlights Saul's ac…
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Last reviewed October 2026