And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
And when your witness Stephen was killed, I was right there watching it happen. I agreed with his death and even held the coats of the people who were stoning him.
Paul's being completely honest about his dark past, he was literally part of Stephen's murder.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Acts, Paul is recounting his past life as a persecutor of Christians while addressing a crowd in Jerusalem, as part of his defense after being arrested. This verse specifically refers to the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, as described in Acts 7, where Paul (then known as Saul) was present, approved of the killing, and even held the clothes of the attackers. This event highlights the radical transformation in Paul's life following his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus.
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