Stephen — the protomartyr
One of the seven chosen to oversee the distribution of food to the widows of the Jerusalem church, described as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. He did great signs among the people and debated in the synagogues, and when his opponents could not withstand his wisdom they brought false witnesses against him. Before the council he gave the longest speech in Acts, retelling Israel's history and charging his hearers with resisting the Spirit as their fathers had. He was stoned outside the city — the first Christian martyr — praying that the sin would not be held against them, while a young man named Saul stood guarding the coats.
What we know — and how we know it
Where in scripture
ActsThese words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch;
Acts 6:5 — Chosen as a deacon
Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.
Acts 6:8
But some of those who were of the synagogue called “The Libertines”, and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen.
Acts 6:9
They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
Acts 7:59 — Stoned, forgiving his killers
Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him.
Acts 8:2
They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only.
Acts 11:19
When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’
Acts 22:20
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
In their own words — 3 recorded sayings
“And he said, My brothers and fathers, give hearing. The God of glory came to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he was living in Haran, And said to him, Go out of your land, and away from your family, and come into the land to which I will be your guide. Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and went into Haran; and from there, when his father was dead, he was guided by God into this land, where you are living now: And God gave him no heritage in it, not even enough to put his foot on: but he gave him an undertaking that he would give it to him and to his…” — Acts 7:2-53
“And he said, Now I see heaven open, and the Son of man at the right hand of God.” — Acts 7:56
“And Stephen, while he was being stoned, made prayer to God, saying, Lord Jesus, take my spirit. And going down on his knees, he said in a loud voice, Lord, do not make them responsible for this sin. And when he had said this, he went to his rest.” — Acts 7:59-60
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).
Events
Places in their life
Photo: Godot13 — CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
In art
