Stephen is a prominent figure in the New Testament, known for being the first Christian martyr. His account is primarily found in the Book of Acts, chapters 6 and 7. Stephen was one of the seven men chosen by the early church to serve as deacons, tasked with distributing food and aid to the widows and needy within the Christian community in Jerusalem. This selection was made to allow the apostles to focus on prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:1-4).

Selection as a Deacon

Stephen was described as "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6:5). His selection as a deacon was a result of his exemplary character and spiritual maturity. The apostles laid hands on him and the other six men, commissioning them for their service (Acts 6:6).

Ministry and Miracles

Stephen's ministry extended beyond his administrative duties. He was known for performing "great wonders and signs among the people" (Acts 6:8). His powerful witness and the miracles he performed drew attention and opposition from certain members of the Jewish community, particularly from the Synagogue of the Freedmen. They were unable to counter his wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke (Acts 6:9-10).

Arrest and Trial

Unable to defeat Stephen in debate, his opponents resorted to deceit. They secretly persuaded men to accuse him of blasphemy against Moses and God. This led to Stephen's arrest and his appearance before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council (Acts 6:11-12). False witnesses were brought forward, claiming that Stephen spoke against the holy place and the law, asserting that Jesus of Nazareth would destroy the temple and change the customs handed down by Moses (Acts 6:13-14).

Stephen's Speech

In response to the charges, Stephen delivered a powerful speech before the Sanhedrin, which is recorded in Acts 7. He recounted the history of Israel, highlighting the faithfulness of God and the repeated disobedience of the people. Stephen emphasized that God's presence was not confined to the temple and that the Jewish leaders were resisting the Holy Spirit, just as their ancestors had done (Acts 7:51-53).

Martyrdom

Stephen's speech enraged the members of the Sanhedrin. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, with Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He declared this vision to the council, which further incited their anger (Acts 7:55-56). They dragged him out of the city and stoned him. As he was being stoned, Stephen called upon the Lord, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." He then fell to his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." With these words, he fell asleep (Acts 7:59-60).

Legacy

Stephen's martyrdom marked a significant moment in the early church, as it led to a great persecution against the Christians in Jerusalem, causing them to scatter throughout Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:1). This dispersion contributed to the spread of the Gospel beyond Jerusalem. Stephen's faithfulness unto death and his Christ-like forgiveness of his persecutors serve as a powerful example of Christian witness and devotion. His account is a testament to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the call to stand firm in faith, even in the face of persecution.

Stephen's vision
... STEPHEN'S VISION. ... Their passion is a measure of the preciousness to the Christian
consciousness of that which Stephen saw, and said that he saw. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/stephens vision.htm

S. Stephen's Day
... S. Stephen's Day. STICHERA AT VESPERS 7,6,7,6. Anatolius, 458. ... But yesterday was
born: And Stephen's glorious offering. His birthtide shall adorn. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neale/hymns of the eastern church/s stephens day.htm

Sermon for St. Stephen's Day
... SERMONS OF THE Reverend Doctor John Tauler XXV Sermon for St. Stephen's Day.
Of three grades of those who learn to die unto themselves ...
/.../xxv sermon for st stephens.htm

St. Stephen's Day and Stephen, Full of Faith and Power, did Great ...
... St. Stephen's Day And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles
among the people. . . . Then they stirred up the people. . . . ...
/.../winkworth/lyra germanica the christian year/st stephens day and stephen.htm

Appendix D.
... Seven Sermons. APPENDIX D. (p.72.) [St. Stephen's Statement in Acts 7:15,
16, explained.]. IN a work like the present which purports ...
//christianbookshelf.org/burgon/inspiration and interpretation/appendix d.htm

Acts and Records of the Famous Controversy About the Baptism of ...
... Acts and Records of the Famous Controversy About the Baptism of Heretics. A
Roman Council Celebrated Under Stephen. ... Stephen's Episcopate. ...
/.../a treatise of novatian concerning the trinity/acts and records of the.htm

The Death of the Master and the Death of the Servant
... 'And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit.60. ... Why, then, this exceptional detail about the martyrdom of Stephen? ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/the death of the master.htm

Brief Memoir of Thomas Watson
... Burgess, W. Jenkyn, Ralph Venning, Thomas Brooks, T. White, Samuel Slater, Thomas
Watson, John Rowe, Dr. W. Bates, Stephen Charnock, Samuel Clarke, Nathaniel ...
/.../watson/a body of divinity/brief memoir of thomas watson.htm

The Boy Hugh
... Yet a hundred and fifteen English houses were founded in Stephen's reign, and a
hundred and thirteen in the reign of Henry II., and the power of the monastic ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/marson/hugh bishop of lincoln/chapter i the boy hugh.htm

The Epistles which Dionysius Wrote on this Subject.
... 2 Eusebius says that Dionysius' first epistle on baptism was addressed to Stephen,
and in chap. 5 informs us that his second was addressed to Xystus. ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter iv the epistles which dionysius.htm

Stephen's (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Stephen's (1 Occurrence). Acts 8:2 And God-fearing men
put Stephen's body in its last resting-place, making great weeping over him. ...
/s/stephen's.htm - 6k

Bethesda (1 Occurrence)
...Stephen's Gate." Others again identify it with the twin pools called the "Souterrains,"
under the convent of the Sisters of Zion, situated in what must have ...
/b/bethesda.htm - 11k

Stephen (13 Occurrences)
... The speech of Stephen before the Jewish ruler is the first apology for the universalism
of the gospel as a message to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. ...STEPHEN. ...
/s/stephen.htm - 33k

Law (670 Occurrences)
... Parts II. LAW IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1. Stephen's Witness 2. Practice
of Peter and Paul 3. Allusions to the Roman Law III. LAW ...
/l/law.htm - 101k

Libertines (1 Occurrence)
... lib'-er-tinz, li-bur'-tinz (Libertinoi): These were among Stephen's opponents:
"There arose certain of them that were of the synagogue called (the synagogue ...
/l/libertines.htm - 11k

God-fearing (24 Occurrences)
... heaven. (BBE NIV). Acts 8:2 And God-fearing men put Stephen's body in its
last resting-place, making great weeping over him. (BBE). ...
/g/god-fearing.htm - 13k

Resting-place (211 Occurrences)
... of rest? (BBE). Acts 8:2 And God-fearing men put Stephen's body in its last
resting-place, making great weeping over him. (BBE). 1 ...
/r/resting-place.htm - 39k

Alexandria (4 Occurrences)
... 24). Many Jews from Alexandria were in Jerusalem, where they had a synagogue
(Acts 6:9), at the time of Stephen's martyrdom. At ...
/a/alexandria.htm - 31k

Steppe (2 Occurrences)

/s/steppe.htm - 7k

Sychem (1 Occurrence)
... SYCHEM. si'-kem (Suchem): In this form the name of Shechem appears in Acts
7:16 the King James Version, in the report of Stephen's speech. ...
/s/sychem.htm - 7k

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