The stoning of Stephen. Before his death, Stephen looked up and stated he saw heaven open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Enraged, the crowd dragged him outside the city of Jerusalem and threw stones at him until he died. A young man named Saul—who later became the Apostle Paul—watched and approved of the killing, holding the coats of the men throwing the stones. Kneeling down, Stephen cried out loudly, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them," mirroring Jesus' forgiveness on the cross.