It is unclear who the devout men are that buried Stephen. It could be pious Jews who knew Stephen and considered him their friend. More likely, however, it refers to Christian believers seeing as there would be some risk involved for those undertaking the burial.1 Mourning someone who was executed as a criminal would have been seen as a public protest against his execution,2 a statement that Stephen was righteous. This was forbidden by the Jewish Talmud3 and thus an act liable to repercussions from the authorities.4
2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.