And Sha’ul was giving approval to his death. And on that day there was a great persecution against the assembly which was at Yerushalayim, and they were all scattered throughout the countries of Yehuḏ
So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?”
“Because of this, see, I send you prophets, and wise men, and scholars of Scripture. Some of them you shall kill and impale, and some of them you shall flog in your congregations and persecute from city to city,
“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt becomes tasteless, how shall it be seasoned? For it is no longer of any use but to be thrown out and to be trodden down by men.
“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they shall persecute you too. If they have guarded My Word, they would guard yours too.
‘And when the blood of Your witness Stephanos was shed, I also was standing by giving my approval to his death, and keeping the garments of those who were killing him.’
which also I did in Yerushalayim, and I shut up many of the set-apart ones in prison, having received authority from the chief priests. And when they were put to death, I gave my vote against them.
And they heeded his advice, and having called for the emissaries, beating them, they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of יהושע, and let them go.
“This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the Messenger who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the living Words to give to us,
who, though they know the righteousness of Elohim, that those who practise such deserve death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practise them.