Acts 7:60

“And he kneeled down, etc.] It seems as if he stood before while they were stoning him, and while he was commending his soul to Christ, but now he kneeled down; prayer may be performed either kneeling or standing: and cried with a loud voice; not only to show that he was in good spirits, and not afraid to die, but chiefly to express his vehement and affectionate desire to have the following petition granted: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge: do not impute it to them, or place it to their account; let it not rise and stand in judgment against them, or they be condemned for it; grant them forgiveness for it, and for every other sin: there is a great deal of likeness between Christ and…”

“cried with a loud voice--with something of the gathered energy of his dying Lord (see on Joh 19:16-30). Lord--that is, JESUS, beyond doubt, whom he had just before addressed as Lord. lay not this sin to their charge--Comparing this with nearly the same prayer of his dying Lord, it will be seen how very richly this martyr of Jesus had drunk into his Master's spirit, in its divinest form. he fell asleep--never said of the death of Christ. (See on Th1 4:14). How bright the record of this first martyrdom for Christ, amidst all the darkness of its perpetrators; and how many have been cheered by it to like faithfulness even unto death! Next: Acts Chapter 8”

“And he kneeled down - This seems to have been a “voluntary” kneeling; a placing himself in this position for the purpose of “prayer,” choosing to die in this attitude. Lord - That is, Lord Jesus. See the notes on Acts 1:24. Lay not ... - Forgive them. This passage strikingly resembles the dying prayer of the Lord Jesus, Luke 23:34. Nothing but the Christian religion will enable a man to utter such sentiments in his dying moments. He fell asleep - This is the usual mode of describing the death of saints in the Bible. It is an expression indicating: The “peacefulness” of their death, compared with the alarm of sinners; The hope of a resurrection; as we retire to sleep with the hope of again…”

“he kneeled: Act 9:40, Act 20:36, Act 21:5; Ezr 9:5; Dan 6:10; Luk 22:41 Lord: Mat 5:44; Luk 6:28, Luk 23:34; Rom 12:14-21 he fell: Act 13:36; Co1 11:30, Co1 15:6, Co1 15:18, Co1 15:20, Co1 15:51; Th1 4:13, Th1 4:14, Th1 5:10 Next: Acts Chapter 8”