8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 But some of those who were of the Synagogue named that of the Libertines, and some of the men of Cyrene and of Alexandria and those from Cilicia and Asia, had arguments with Stephen. 10 But they were not able to get the better of him, for his words were full of wisdom and of the Spirit. 11 Then they got men to say, He has said evil against Moses and against God, in our hearing. 12 And the people, with the rulers and the scribes, were moved against him, and they came and took him before the Sanhedrin, 13 And they got false witnesses who said, This man is for ever saying things against this holy place and against the law: 14 For he has said in our hearing that this Jesus of Nazareth will put this place to destruction and make changes in the rules which were handed down to us by Moses. 15 And all those who were in the Sanhedrin, looking at him, saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 6:8-15
Commentary on Acts 6:8-15
(Read Acts 6:8-15)
When they could not answer Stephen's arguments as a disputant, they prosecuted him as a criminal, and brought false witnesses against him. And it is next to a miracle of providence, that no greater number of religious persons have been murdered in the world, by the way of perjury and pretence of law, when so many thousands hate them, who make no conscience of false oaths. Wisdom and holiness make a man's face to shine, yet will not secure men from being treated badly. What shall we say of man, a rational being, yet attempting to uphold a religious system by false witness and murder! And this has been done in numberless instances. But the blame rests not so much upon the understanding, as upon the heart of a fallen creature, which is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Yet the servant of the Lord, possessing a clear conscience, cheerful hope, and Divine consolations, may smile in the midst of danger and death.