Welcome and thank you for taking a Bible break to test your knowledge of God's word.
This week's question:

The thief on the cross next to Jesus was concerned about his spirit while the other was concerned about his fleshly body and life. "One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, 'Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!' But the other answered, and rebuking him said, 'Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.' And he was saying, 'Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!' And He said to him, 'Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.' " (Luke 23:39-43) As Jesus' life was given up by Him He said, "And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, 'Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.' "
(Luke 23:46)

Now, Jesus' fleshly body was prepared by Joseph and Nicodemus and put into the tomb, but Jesus' Spirit was in Paradise along with one of the thieves that Jesus forgave as He told the thief they would be in Paradise that very same day! Upon that next first day of the week, Sunday, Jesus told Mary when they met in the garden after his crucifixion, "Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren, and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.' " (John 20:17).

So we can see that the fleshly body is one part of man and the spirit, another that separates upon death for either Paradise or the place of eternal torments within the Hadean realm. Paul tells us by the Holy Spirit, "So also is the resurrection of the dead It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL," The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:42-53) So we live in the flesh now and will live in the spirit for eternity as Paul says, "For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God." (1 Corinthians 2:11).

That brings us to our question, "Who said, 'Lord Jesus receive my spirit!'?". We find the answer of dividing the spirit and soul when reading Paul's inspired writings, "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:11-12) Paul says, "Therefore, do not loose heart, but though our inner man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day." (2 Corinthians 4:16), and again, "Now, may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 5:23)

So then, for the answer to our question we turn and read, "But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, 'Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.' But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!' And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them!' Having said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:55-60).

So there we have the answer to our question as the one who said, "Lord Jesus receive my spirit" is none other than Stephen!

May we be as courageous as Stephen to stand for truth in the face of possible death, "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13) and think upon Him, "For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and loose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin:" (Hebrews 12:3-4)!