“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.”
Then he fell on his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them' - Stephen's final petition is for forgiveness of his murderers. 'Fell on his knees' is a posture of prayer and petition. 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them' (Kyrie, mē stēsēs autois tautēn tēn hamartian, do not set this sin to their account) directly echoes Jesus's crucifixion prayer (Luke 23:34, 'Father, forgive them'). Stephen becomes an icon of Christ's mercy. His forgiveness prayer is not weakness but the height of spiritual power—even in death, he prays for his killers. This prayer may have planted the seed in Saul's heart that would later blossom into his conversion (Acts 9).
Church Fathers on Acts 7:60
And he knelt down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. Acts 7:60 To clear himself, and show that neither were his former words prompted by passion, he says, Lord lay not this sin to their charge: wishing also even in this way to win them over. For to show that he forgave their wrath and rage in murdering him, and that his own soul was free from all passion, was the way to make his saying to be favorably received. And Saul was consenting unto…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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