Lives of Scripture

Stephen was one of seven men chosen by the early Jerusalem church to oversee the daily distribution of food to widows, freeing the apostles for prayer and teaching; he is described as "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit," who performed "great wonders and signs among the people" (Acts 6:1-8). Members of a synagogue opposed him in debate but "were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking," so they instigated false witnesses to accuse him of blasphemy against Moses and the temple before the Sanhedrin (6:9-14). Facing the council, whose members saw his face like an angel's, Stephen delivered a sweeping speech tracing Israel's history from Abraham through Moses and the prophets, arguing Israel had repeatedly resisted God's messengers and now, in rejecting Jesus, had resisted the Holy Spirit just as their ancestors persecuted the prophets (7:1-53). Enraged, the council rushed at him; Stephen, full of the Spirit, looked into heaven and declared he saw "the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God" (7:54-56). They dragged him outside the city and stoned him while a young man named Saul approved and guarded the stone-throwers' coats (7:57-58; 8:1). As he died, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," then cried, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" -- echoing Jesus's words from the cross (7:59-60). His martyrdom, the first in church history, triggered persecution that scattered believers and spread the gospel further (8:1-4).