Stephen — Bible person

One of the seven deacons, who became a preacher of the gospel. He was the first Christian martyr. His personal character and history are recorded in Acts 6. “He fell asleep” with a prayer for his persecutors on his lips (7:60). Devout men carried him to his grave (8:2).

It was at the feet of the young Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, that those who stoned him laid their clothes (comp. Deut. 17:5-7) before they began their cruel work. The scene which Saul then witnessed and the words he heard appear to have made a deep and lasting impression on his mind (Acts 22:19, 20).

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. It is the longest speech contained in the Acts, a place of prominence being given to it as a defence.

People and places

Selected passages

Show passage in OET: ACT 6:8-15

OET-RV ACT 6:8

8 Now Stefanos (one of the seven) was full of grace and power and was doing miracles and amazing demonstrations of God’s power among the people.

OET-RV ACT 6:9

9 But a group from the Freedmen Synagogue as well as Yehudim (Jews) from Kurainai (Cyrene), Alexandria, Kilikia, and Asia Minor rose up and started arguing against Stefanos,

OET-RV ACT 6:10

10 but they weren’t able to refute the wisdom that he spoke with the help of the pure spirit.

OET-RV ACT 6:11

11 So they got some men to falsely accuse Stefanos saying, “We heard him denigrating Mosheh (Moses) and God.”

OET-RV ACT 6:12

12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the law teachers and so they approached Stefanos and arrested him and brought him to the council chambers.

OET-RV ACT 6:13

13 There they produced the false witnesses saying, “This man won’t stop spreading messages against this holy temple and against the law

OET-RV ACT 6:14

14 because we heard him saying that that Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) from Nazaret will be tearing down this building and will be changing the traditions that Mosheh gave to us.”

OET-RV ACT 6:15

15 So then the council members looked across at Stefanos and saw that his face was shining like that of one of God’s messengers.

OET-LV ACT 6:8

8 And Stefanos full of _grace and power, was _doing wonders and great signs among the people.

OET-LV ACT 6:9

9 But some of _the of the synagogue, which being _called Freedmen, and of_ones_from _Kuraʸnaʸ, and of _Alexandrians, and of _the ones from Kilikia, and Asia rose _up, debating with _the Stefanos.

OET-LV ACT 6:10

10 And they _were _were_ not _able to _resist against _the wisdom and the spirit, by _whom he _was _speaking.

OET-LV ACT 6:11

11 Then they _instigated men saying, that We _have _heard him speaking slanderous messages against Mōsaʸs/(Mosheh) and the god.

OET-LV ACT 6:12

12 And they _stirred _up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and having _approached, they _seized him and brought him to the council,

OET-LV ACT 6:13

13 and they _set false witnesses saying:
- this man is_ not _ceasing speaking messages against this the the holy place and the law,

OET-LV ACT 6:14

14 for/because we _have _heard him saying that this Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) the from _Nazaret will _be _tearing _down the this place, and will _be _changing the customs that Mōsaʸs gave _over to _us.

OET-LV ACT 6:15

15 And having _looked _intently at him, all the ones sitting in the council saw the face of _him, as _if the_face of_a_messenger.

Show passage in OET: ACT 7:54-60

OET-RV ACT 7:54

54 When they heard that, they were raging inside and grating their teeth at him.

OET-RV ACT 7:55

55 But being full of the holy spirit, Stefanos stared up into the sky and was able to see God’s splendour, as well as seeing Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) standing there on God’s right.

OET-RV ACT 7:56

56 He said, “I can look through the sky that’s opened up and can see the son of humanity standing at God’s right side.”

OET-RV ACT 7:57

57 At that point, they blocked their ears and rushed together to grab Stefanos, yelling loudly.

OET-RV ACT 7:58

58 They drove him out of the city and then started throwing rocks at him. His accusers left their cloaks in the care of a young man named Sha’ul (Saul; Grk. Saulos /Saul).

OET-RV ACT 7:59

59 As Stefanos was being hit by the rocks, he called out, “Master Yeshua, receive my spirit.”

OET-RV ACT 7:60

60 ⇔Then falling to his knees, just before he died he called out loudly, “Master, don’t hold this sin against them.”

OET-LV ACT 7:54

54 And hearing these things, they _were _being _cut _through in _the hearts of _them, and they _were _grating their teeth at him.

OET-LV ACT 7:55

55 But being full of_the_ holy _spirit, having _looked _intently into the heaven, he _saw the_glory of_god, and Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) having _stood by the_right of_ the _god,

OET-LV ACT 7:56

56 and said:
Behold, I _am _observing the heavens having _been _opened _up, and the son of_ the _man having _stood by the_right of_ the _god.

OET-LV ACT 7:57

57 But having _cried _out with_a_ loud _voice, they _held the ears of _them, and they _rushed with _one _accord on him.

OET-LV ACT 7:58

58 And having _throw _out him out the city, they _were _stoning.
And the witnesses put _away the robes of _them, before the feet of_a_young _man being _named Saulos/(Shāʼūl).

OET-LV ACT 7:59

59 And they _were _stoning the Stefanos, who _calling and saying:
master Yaʸsous, receive the spirit of _me.

OET-LV ACT 7:60

60 And having _knelt on _his knees, he _cried _out with_a_ loud _voice:
master, you _may_ not _set this the sin to _them.
And having _said this, he _was _fallen _asleep.

Jump to OET ACT 6:8–15 section.

Jump to OET ACT 7:54–60 section.

Recorded scripture occurrences (7)

References recorded in the source data; this is not an exhaustive list of mentions.

Show passage in OET: ACT 6:5

OET-RV ACT 6:5

5 That idea pleased the group, so they went ahead and chose Stefanos (a man full of faith and of the holy spirit), Filippos (Philip), Prokoros, Nikanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nikolaos (a non-Jew from Antiokeia who had previously converted to Youdaismos).

OET-LV ACT 6:5

5 And the statement brought _pleasure before all the multitude, and they _chose Stefanos, a_man full of _faith and of_the_ holy _spirit, and Filippos, and Proⱪoros, and Nikanōr, and Timōn, and Parmenas, and Nikolaos a_ from _Antioⱪeia _convert,

Show passage in OET: ACT 6:8

OET-RV ACT 6:8

8 Now Stefanos (one of the seven) was full of grace and power and was doing miracles and amazing demonstrations of God’s power among the people.

OET-LV ACT 6:8

8 And Stefanos full of _grace and power, was _doing wonders and great signs among the people.

Show passage in OET: ACT 6:9

OET-RV ACT 6:9

9 But a group from the Freedmen Synagogue as well as Yehudim (Jews) from Kurainai (Cyrene), Alexandria, Kilikia, and Asia Minor rose up and started arguing against Stefanos,

OET-LV ACT 6:9

9 But some of _the of the synagogue, which being _called Freedmen, and of_ones_from _Kuraʸnaʸ, and of _Alexandrians, and of _the ones from Kilikia, and Asia rose _up, debating with _the Stefanos.

Jump to OET ACT 6:5 section.

Jump to OET ACT 6:8 section.

Jump to OET ACT 6:9 section.

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