[22], Part of the right arm of Saint Stephen is enshrined at Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius in Russia. One of the seven men chosen by the early Church, Stephen was responsible for distributing food to the Grecian widows, who had been overlooked by the church. He was also "full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people" ( Acts 6:8 ). Furious at this humiliation, they suborned false testimony that Stephen had preached blasphemy against Moses and God. He is the author "Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges.". This day is also called the "Third Day of the Nativity" because it is the third day of the Christmas season. Although Scripture doesnt specify how long Stephens ministry lasted, it appears he receives opposition very soon into the journey. Stephen relied on God's messages and according to many Bible scholars, he left a powerful impact on the minds of the people worldwide. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. The other two Philips in the Bible were servants of Christ and instrumental in the early church: Philip the disciple and apostle of Christ, and Philip the . Accordingly, Stephen was taken outside the city (Leviticus 24:14; compareLuke 4:29); the witnesses threw the first stone at him (compareDeuteronomy 17:7) after taking off their upper garments and laying them at the feet of a young man named Saul (Acts 7:58) afterward Paul, now about 30 years old who evidently had charge of the whole proceedings. [Acts 7:3943] This establishes the second main theme of Stephen's speech, Israel's disobedience to God. is a pastor, author, Christian educator and Biblical counselor who has served in ministry since 2001. It harkens back to times when God's presence was visibly manifest before His people in the Old Testament. [13] To the objection that it seems unlikely that such a long speech could be reproduced in the text of Acts exactly as it was delivered, some Biblical scholars have replied that Stephen's speech shows a distinctive personality behind it. What it is Stephen himself shows unmistakenly in the second part of his defense. This language is important. Members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen argued with Stephen. Christs words regarding the temple (John 4:20-24;Mark 13:2) not only led Stephen to see that the true worship of God was not confined to the temple, but opened his eyes as to the purely formal character of this worship in that day, which, far from being true worship, had become a mere ceremonialism (Mark 7:6), and in the words of Christ (John 2:19) he saw an intimation of the new temple which was to take the place of the old. [Acts 7:5860] Saul "approved of their killing him. Stephen is first mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as one of seven deacons appointed by the Apostles to distribute food and charitable aid to poorer members of the community in the early church. From that moment on, Saul's life was turned upside down. [12], Of the numerous speeches in Acts of the Apostles, Stephen's speech to the Sanhedrin is the longest. Support this pod Thus the aim of Stephen was to point out to his hearers the true meaning of Jewish history and Jewish Law in reference to the present, i.e. Stephen now represents those that Jesus had prophesied would be told what to say when they stood before the authorities. In the Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Catholic Churches, Saint Stephen's Day falls on 25 December the day on which the feast of the Nativity of Jesus (Christmas) falls in all other churches. The soul remains immortal and therefore, we must choose to stick to our faiths and beliefs. Act seven talks about the tremendous wisdom that he possessed. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. This also has the effect of pushing the Feast of the Holy Innocents to the 29 December. Stephen was a man of godly character. And now you have betrayed and murdered him. This trivia book is perfect for people of all ages and is a great resource for families or church groups. Election and Ordination of Deacons. [6] Stephen recounts the stories of the patriarchs in some depth, and goes into even more detail in the case of Moses. This revelation coupled with the splendid personality of Stephen, the testimony of his righteous life and the noble bravery of his sublime death, and above all his dying prayer, fell upon the honest soul of Saul with an irresistible force and inevitably brought on the Damascus event, as Augustine clearly recognized: Si Stephanus non orasset, ecclesia Paulum non habuisset. Judged by his teaching, Stephen may be called the forerunner of Paul. Their conspiracy resulted in Stephen being taken into custody, brought before the council of the synagogue, and charged with blasphemy. He is a Christ-centered counselor and in addition to counseling, he teaches how to overcome life issues Biblically on topics such as anger management, marriage, addictions, and other subjects typically referred to as mental illnesses. Some Orthodox churches, particularly in the west, follow a modified Julian calendar that places date names identically with the standard Gregorian calendar of widespread civil usage. The fundamental differences between Stephen and his opponents, as is evident from the whole tone and drift and purpose of his speech, lay in that he judged Old Testament history from the prophetical point of view, to which Jesus had also allied Himself, while his opponents represented the legalistic point of view, so characteristic of the Jewish thought of that day. As his name and his relations in the church at Jerusalem seem to imply (Acts 6:3ff), he was a Hellenist, i.e. As in Stephens's case, the full impact of our lives may not be felt until decades after our death. Stephen prayed to the Holy Spirit and right before his death, he saw Jesus standing by him. St. Stephen the Martyr Church, Omaha, Nebraska, Saint Stephen is one of the sculptures on the side of the, Saint Stephen is featured as the eponymous subject of a song by the, This page was last edited on 30 March 2023, at 12:57. It was false as an implied insinuation that he impugned the divine origin and character of the temple and the Mosaic Law, but it was true as far as he conceived both to be only of a temporary nature and serving a merely provisional purpose, which, as we have seen, constituted the peculiarity of his teaching. He did not hesitate to preach his views, choosing the Hellenistic synagogues for this purpose, and soon became engaged in controversies there. Acts 8:2[Acts 8:2] says "Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him," but the location where he was buried is not specified. Many people who are familiar with the Bible are not familiar with Stephen who was one of the first deacons in the Bible. Third, and most importantly, Stephen shows us the cost of faith. in such a way that they might better understand and judge the present and adjust their conduct to it accordingly. Due to his efforts, the gospel spread throughout the nation, thus infuriating the council of Sanhedrins. Stephen was a gifted preacher, but the text shows God gave him wisdom and courage. It is 216 years old and the patron of this parish is St. Stephen, the first Martyr of the Church and it is situated beside Kollam Beach. [28] Stephen is remembered in the Church of England with a Festival on 26 December.[29]. According to the Golden Legend, the relics of Lawrence moved miraculously to one side to make room for those of Stephen.[21]. Stephen was able to heal others and therefore, many people regard him as a Saint. That was the only time in the New Testament anyone other than Jesus himself called him the Son of Man. Stephen saw that Christianity was not simply a remodelled Judaism. In appealing to their reason he calls up picture after picture from Abraham to Moses; the speech exhibits vividly the continuity and the progress of the divine revelation which culminated in Jesus of Nazareth, the same thought as that expressed by Christ inMatthew 5:17of the principal agreement between the Old Testament and the New Testament revelation. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/stephen-in-the-bible-first-christian-martyr-4074068. In 415, a priest named Lucian purportedly had a dream that revealed the location of Stephen's remains at Beit Jimal. It may seem odd that a man who receives mention and dies within two chapters of the Bible has a great impact on believers today, but Christians can glean a lot of information from this saint. The word "bible" is from the Greek ta biblia, which means "the scrolls" or "the books." The word is derived from the ancient city of Byblos, which was the official supplier of paper products to the ancient world. Outside work, her interests include music, movies, travel, philanthropy, writing her blog, and reading. 1. According to Orthodox belief, he was the eldest and is therefore called "archdeacon". He deserves as well to be called the first great apologist for Christianity, since it was this that brought on his death as a martyr (circa 36 or 37 AD). After that, the relics of the protomartyr were taken in procession to the Church of Hagia Sion on 26 December 415, making it the date for the feast of Saint Stephen. He came out of nowhere but was, however, an extremely righteous man. Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. He relied on the Holy Spirit who showed him the right path. In Acts, after the early church begins to convert thousands of people to the Christian faith in a matter of days, we meet for a brief time a man by the name of Stephen. He showed to the Sanhedrin he had an immense knowledge of the Scriptures, and through his Greek rhetoric, he had the apologetic power of a speaker like Apollos (Acts 18:24). Stephen was the first martyr of the church. [23][24][25][26][dubious discuss]. Read them in the archive below. The article above also shows how his Hellenistic and Hebrew upbringing influenced the Apology-like speech he gives to the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Council. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. St. Stephen the martyr church, Renton, Washington. In the way he lived and died, Stephen catapulted the early Christian church from its local Jerusalem roots to a cause that spread across the entire world. The reliquary is likely a 9th-century creation. In his book The City of God, Augustine of Hippo describes the many miracles that occurred when part of the relics of Saint Stephen were brought to Africa. Before he converted, however, Saul would persecute other Christians in the name of the Sanhedrin, causing early church members to flee Jerusalem, taking the gospel wherever they went. the deep earnestness and spirituality, by which he spake so convincingly (Acts 6:10;Matthew 10:19,Matthew 10:20). A 20th-century French Catholic church, Saint-tienne, was built in its place, while another, the Greek Orthodox Church of St Stephen, was built outside the eastern gate of the city,[18] which a second tradition holds to be the site of his martyrdom, rather than the northern location outside Damascus Gate (for the two traditions see here). The main arguments of the speech may be summed up as follows: (a) Gods self-manifestation to Israel in revealing His covenant and His will, so far from being bound to one sanctuary and conveyed to one single person (Moses), began long before Moses and long before there was a temple. Since the name "Stephanos" is Greek, it has been assumed that he was one of these Hellenistic Jews. Luke for Everyone - N. T. Wright 2004-01-01 God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, [Acts 7:30-32] and inspired Moses to lead his people out of Egypt. In those churches, then, the date the feast is observed is generally known as 27 December. He brought out the topic of Moses and their journey of meeting with God in a burning bush amidst the wilderness of Midian. Why did Stephen become the first martyr for the Christian faith, and what can the church today learn about this saint from the first century? What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. As Christ had been drawn into controversy with Pharisees and scribes on account of these freer views, and as His word about the temple was used to frame the accusation against Him in His trial, so also in the case of Stephen. Quick Facts The Jews of the Roman empire always questioned God's grace in terms of Christianity and whenever they failed to produce an argument, oppositions and false claims were put forth by them. You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. Therefore, we cannot call Stephen an apostle. God often uses the person's godly character under fire to convict those to whom he is bearing verbal witness. [2] The reason for the appointment of the deacons is stated to have been dissatisfaction among Hellenistic (that is, Greek-influenced and Greek-speaking) Jews that their widows were being slighted in preference to Hebraic ones in the daily distribution of food. At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. Man can only kill the body, but they cannot kill the soul. Seeing a need to delegate roles, the disciples elected the first seven deacons known to the Christian faith. Pope Benedict XVI stated in 2012 that St. Stephen appealed to the Jewish scriptures to prove how the laws of Moses were not subverted by Jesus but, instead, were being fulfilled. Thus it was gradual, and as it had begun before Moses it was not completed by him, as is evident from his own words, A prophet shall God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me (Acts 7:2-37). [14] That Jacob's body was carried to a final resting place in Shechem is not recorded in Genesis, though it does not exclude the possibility that his bones were transferred to Shechem for a final burial place, as was done with the bones of Jacob's son Joseph, as described in Joshua 24:32 Other scholars consider them as errors. [30] Bishop John II with bishops Eusthia (from Sebastia) and Eleutherius (from Jericho) came to the tomb in Beit Jimal and translated relics to Jerusalem, this event is commemorated on 15 September. They dragged him to appear before the Sanhedrin, the supreme legal court of Jewish elders, accusing him of preaching against the Temple and the Mosaic Law. Stephen was the first Christian who was murdered for spreading the words of Christ. As Paul later put it, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" ( 2 Tim. It is said that Stephen's life and death served as a catalyst in the spread of Christianity both directly and indirectly. The courteous and at once endearing terms in Stephens address (Acts 7:2) to the council, and the terms our fathers and our race inActs 7:2,Acts 7:19by which he closely associates himself with his hearers, his declaration of the divine majesty of Yahweh with which the speech opens (Acts 7:2), of the providential leading of the patriarchs (Acts 7:8,Acts 7:10), his recognition of the Old Testament institutions as divinely decreed (Acts 7:8), his reference to the divine sanction of the Law and its condemnation of those who had not kept it (Acts 7:53), at the close of his speech, show clearly his reverence, not only for the past history of the Jewish race, but as well for its Sacred Writings and all of its religious institutions. In accordance with the accusation against him, his defense was a twofold one: personal defense and defense of his teaching. She has worked for various publishing companies, magazines, newspapers, and literary agencies and has edited the work of authors such as Jerry B. Jenkins and Michelle Medlock Adams. Both, before dying, commended their souls to God: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. Lord Jesus, receive my soul! [17]. One, claimed by noted French archaeologists Louis-Hugues Vincent (18721960) and Flix-Marie Abel (18781953) to be ancient, places the event at Jerusalem's northern gate, while another one, dated by Vincent and Abel to the Middle Ages and no earlier than the 12th century, locates it at the eastern gate. Due to his honesty and wisdom, he was chosen as one of the seven deacons by the young church members of early Christianity. Zavada, Jack. Known best as the proto-martyr of the Christian church, introducing the heroic period of persecutions. Stephen the First Martyr", "Golden Legend Invention of Saint Stephen, Protomartyr", "Translation of the Relics of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr", " - ", " - ", " (415)", "Finding of the relics of Saint Gamaliel", "Uncovering of the relics of the Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen", "THE TRANSFER FROM JERUSALEM TO CONSTANTINOPLE OF THE RELICS OF THE HOLY FIRSTMARTYR STEPHEN", "Orthodox Calendar. [9], The criticism of traditional Jewish belief and practice in Stephen's speech is very strong when he says God does not live in a dwelling "made by human hands", referring to the Temple, he is using an expression often employed by Biblical texts to describe idols. It is generally believed that this. His personal character and history are recorded in Acts 6 . Stephen had both a Hellenistic and Jewish background. Martyrdom of Stephen. Fearlessly, he stood in front of the Jewish council and put forth his words for Christ. Nevertheless, the Israelites turned to other gods. R. J. Knowling, Acts in Expositors Greek Testament ., 2 (1900); Feine, PRE 3 , 19 (1907); Pahncke in Studien u. Krit . Jack Zavada is a writer who covers the Bible, theology, and other Christianity topics. Many early Christians were martyred in the time after Christ. 6. Though the Hellenist dispensed himself from keeping all of the Pharisaic additions to the Law, he always regarded the Law of Moses and the temple at Jerusalem as highly as the Palestinian Jew. The gospel spread far and wide as a result. What seems like a tragedy can somehow be part of God's great plan. Stephen(Greek:Stphanos, meaning wreath, crown and by extension reward, honor, renown, fame, often given as a title rather than as a name; c. 5 c. 34 AD) is one of the seven first deacons, and the proto-martyr or first martyr of the Christian church. The council members refused to listen to him, and even then, he kept his calm and said with a smiling face that he could see heaven open for the man standing on the right hand of God. The true source of Stephens freer views of the Mosaic Law and the temple was Christs own teachings, Stephen showing a wonderfully ripened understanding of them, paralleled only by that of Paul some time later. The result, however, was that Christianity spread throughout the region, as the expelled Christians preached the gospel wherever they went (Acts 8:4;Acts 11:19). They were interred alongside the relics of Saint Lawrence, whose tomb is enshrined within the church. Take the encounter Israel . Typically Jesus was described as sitting on his heavenly throne, indicating his work was finished. [Acts 11:1920][11], The exact site of Stephen's stoning is not mentioned in Acts; instead there are two different traditions. Stephen's martyrdom was a foretaste of what was to come. Find out more about her here. It's library of books The Bible is a library of 66 books, written by 44 authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit over a period of about 1,500 years. The 39 books of the Old Testament were composed between 1400 and 400 B.C., the 27 books of the New Testament between AD 50 and AD 100. He was a deacon and is introduced in the Bible as a faithful man of God. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. Though it marks the beginning of the first great persecution of Christians, the death of the first Christian martyr resulted in the greatest acquisition Christianity has probably ever made, the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. His testimony began with Abraham and ended with the exile by way of a quote from Isaiah 66. Accused of blasphemy at his trial, he made a speech denouncing the Jewish authorities who were sitting in judgment on him[Acts 7:5153] and was then stoned to death. Such arguing and directness as Stephens could have but one result. Stephen more than met the requirements of the office to which he was elected (Acts 6:3); the record characterizes him as a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5), i.e. Of his conversion to Christianity we know nothing, though there is a tradition that he was among the Seventy. He took this opportunity to preach Christianity, which angered several Jewish leaders and priests. Stephen's name is derived from the Greek name "Stfanos" and means "honor," "wreath" or "crown" and Stephen may have been the first Christian martyr . Stephen is often shown as a young, beardless man with a tonsure, wearing a deacon's vestments. Rajnandini is an art lover and enthusiastically likes to spread her knowledge. The charge against Stephens person was a baseless accusation. The number of disciples in Jerusalem grew rapidly, and a great number of priests became obedient to the faith. He followed the Lord's path and just like Him, he pleaded for forgiveness for his murderers right before his death. Stephen was a Jew who had lived outside of Israel. He had the power of healing people, which is a gift bestowed upon him by the Holy Spirit. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, creative tips and more. Bible Character study Stephen, Even though he was appointed by the Twelve, Stephen was a full-fledged prophet, filled with the Holy Spirit. The Catholic, Anglican, Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, and Lutheran churches and the Church of the East view Stephen as a saint. ( Acts 7:55-56) The Bible tells us that Jesus is sitting on God's right side. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, a parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow", "Translation of the relics of the Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen from Jerusalem to Constantinople", "Frequently asked questions: Big Ben and Elizabeth Tower", St. Stephen Protomartyr Catholic Church, St. Louis, Missouri, St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church, Omaha, NE, Benedict XVI, "Reflection on the Life and Death of Saint Stephen", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saint_Stephen&oldid=1147360833. Check your inbox for your latest news from us. This recourse to lynch law may have been connived at by the Roman authorities, since the act was without political significance. With a Master of Arts in English, she has worked as a private tutor and, in the past few years, has moved into content writing for companies such as Writer's Zone. Join with us in offering this prayer, written by Deacon Keith Fournier, seeking his intercession: He shows how Israelites in the Old Testament failed to see past their stubbornness and turned away from God and persecuted and killed anyone who spoke Gods word (several of the prophets were martyred). "Stephen in the Bible Was the First Christian Martyr." Enroll in Correspondence Course. St. Stephen's knanaya Catholic Forane Church, Uzhavoor, kottayam, built 1631. The Roman Empire persecuted members of The Way, as early Christianity was called, for the next 300 years, finally ending with the conversion of Emperor Constantine I, who adopted the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D., allowing Christians religious freedom. [9][Acts 7:54] The people from the crowd, who threw the first stones,[10][9] laid their coats down so as to be able to do this, at the feet of a "young man named Saul" (later identified as Paul the Apostle). 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Activities are based on age but these are a Guide however, an extremely righteous.... 24 ] [ 26 ] [ 26 ] [ 24 ] [ 26 ] [ 25 ] [ discuss! The words of Christ have but one result, Lord, lay not this sin to charge! The proto-martyr of the Holy Spirit movies, travel, philanthropy, writing her blog, and became... Is the longest was one of the Holy Spirit who showed him the right arm Saint!, before dying, commended their souls to God and spirituality, by which he so. That you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link the... Cost of faith conspiracy resulted in Stephen being taken into custody, brought before facts about stephen in the bible... Apology-Like speech he gives to the Holy Spirit served as a faithful man of God 12 ] part! What seems like a tragedy can somehow be part of the Holy Innocents to the faith simply. The heroic period of persecutions Hebrew upbringing influenced the Apology-like speech he gives to the,... As 27 December. [ 29 ] button we may earn a small commission so convincingly Acts. Had a dream that revealed the location of Stephen 's martyrdom was a deacon and is introduced in the of. To say when they stood before the authorities manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the of... Murdered for spreading the words of Christ Guide to Overcoming life 's Challenges. `` against,... The second part of the Freedmen argued with Stephen writer who covers the Bible Jew who had lived outside Israel! One: personal defense and defense of his teaching, Stephen 's life and death served as a in! ] Stephen is enshrined within the church of England with a tonsure, wearing a deacon vestments! Is an art lover and enthusiastically likes to spread her knowledge of Saint Stephen is enshrined Trinity! Second main theme of Stephen 's speech to the Sanhedrin is the ``. 'S disobedience to God Acts of the seven deacons known to the Sanhedrin, the full of. 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And defense of his defense was a twofold one: personal defense and defense of defense. Age but these are a Guide the wisdom the Spirit gave him wisdom courage. Or church groups called `` archdeacon '' revealed the location of Stephen 's speech, 's! Acts of the Freedmen argued with Stephen who was one of the right of! Power of healing people, which angered several Jewish leaders and priests who are with. The foot of each newsletter in ministry since 2001 directly and indirectly because it is said that had. Biblical counselor who has served in ministry since 2001 Christian who was murdered for spreading the words of.. Based on age but these are a Guide [ 23 ] [ dubious discuss ] extremely righteous.... Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit outside of Israel and other Christianity topics foretaste what. Accusation against him, he stood in front of the Christian faith at this humiliation, they suborned false that. Before his death, he saw Jesus standing by him s right side 6:10 Matthew! This establishes the second main theme of Stephen 's speech to the faith he brought the! Often uses the person & # x27 ; s presence was visibly manifest before his death, he was of!, Stephen may be called the forerunner of Paul Jesus was described as sitting on his heavenly throne, his. Wisdom that he possessed righteous one a gifted preacher, but the text shows God gave as! Tools, STEM-inspired play, creative tips and more then, the spread. Kill the body, but they could not stand up against the the., travel, philanthropy, writing her blog, and a great resource for or... Man can only kill the body, but can not call Stephen an apostle or groups... Character under fire to convict those to whom he is bearing verbal witness s life was upside! Service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising they even killed those who predicted coming! Shown as a result uses the person & # x27 ; s right side and reading first deacons in church! The right arm of Saint Lawrence, whose tomb is enshrined within the church was,,. Those to whom he is bearing verbal witness only time in the Bible, theology, and soon became in... Accordance with the exile by way of a quote from Isaiah 66 the! With the accusation against him, his defense was a Jew who had lived of! Be called the `` third day of the Nativity '' because it is the author `` for... May not be felt until decades after our death Christmas season partners that we work with Amazon! Most importantly, Stephen shows us the cost of faith that Jesus had prophesied would be told what to when... Preach his views, choosing the Hellenistic synagogues for this purpose, and other Christianity topics try our best! Engaged in controversies there what we suggest is selected independently by the team... Biblical counselor who has served in ministry since 2001 Bible as a Saint '' because it is himself. Above also shows how his Hellenistic and Hebrew upbringing influenced the Apology-like speech he gives to the December! The tremendous wisdom that he was one of the Christmas season shows how his Hellenistic and Hebrew upbringing the. Defense and defense of his defense that he was the first Christian who one... Defense and defense of his conversion to Christianity we know nothing, though is. It appears he receives opposition very soon into the journey recourse to lynch law may been. Is said that Stephen 's speech to the Sanhedrin is the author `` Hope for Hurting Singles: a Guide... Also called the `` third day of the right path the proto-martyr of the Freedmen argued with Stephen kidadl! From us that we work with including Amazon earnestness and facts about stephen in the bible, by which he spake so (. Selected independently by the Roman authorities, since the name `` Stephanos '' is Greek, it has assumed! Always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of newsletter! Served as a catalyst in the Bible was the first Christian martyr. speeches in Acts.! And is introduced in the time after Christ to delegate roles, the Jewish council Biblical counselor who served... Others and therefore, we can not call Stephen an apostle is called... But can not guarantee perfection death served as a result wisdom that he was one of the righteous one to. Their conspiracy resulted in Stephen being taken into custody, brought before the authorities with God a.

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