I see this verse as giving us the power in The Holy Spirit for personal sins that are against ourselves. We have all had horrible things done to us that are not”apologized for”. That perfectly reasonable anger we feel turns into resentment, and eventually to obsessive hatred, and changes us in very bad ways. Both Jesus and St. Stephen gave us wonderful examples of how we can forgive the unforgivable and achieve peace within our hearts.
This is what both of them did..WHILE they were being EXECUTED, mind you.
Both of them released the offenders to the Father for forgiveness. By letting go of the offense and giving the offender to God, it is, in fact, forgiveness.
Releasing the offender to God and letting HIM decide how He is going to handle it, relieves one of the bitter root which can grow and fester, becoming a nasty parasite that can rob a person of peace for the rest of one’s life.
Anyway, Just My Opinion.
Thank You.