Stephen
The First Martyr
Stephen was one of the seven first deacons, full of faith, grace, and power. He performed great signs among the people and defended the faith so strongly that no one could stand against him. He became the first Christian martyr when he was stoned after a speech in which he accused the council of killing the Messiah.
Schlüsselereignisse
Chosen as Deacon
Stephen was chosen as one of seven men to serve at the tables, full of the Spirit and wisdom.
3Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are well respected and full of the Spirit and of wisdom, and we will put them in charge of this task,
ἐπισκέψασθε ⸀δέ, ἀδελφοί, ἄνδρας ἐξ ὑμῶν μαρτυρουμένους ἑπτὰ πλήρεις ⸀πνεύματος καὶ σοφίας, οὓς ⸀καταστήσομεν ἐπὶ τῆς χρείας ταύτης·
5This proposal pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, along with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert from Antioch.
καὶ ἤρεσεν ὁ λόγος ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ πλήθους, καὶ ἐξελέξαντο Στέφανον, ἄνδρα ⸀πλήρης πίστεως καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου, καὶ Φίλιππον καὶ Πρόχορον καὶ Νικάνορα καὶ Τίμωνα καὶ Παρμενᾶν καὶ Νικόλαον προσήλυτον Ἀντιοχέα,
6They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
οὓς ἔστησαν ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ προσευξάμενοι ἐπέθηκαν αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας.
8Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
Στέφανος δὲ πλήρης ⸀χάριτος καὶ δυνάμεως ἐποίει τέρατα καὶ σημεῖα μεγάλα ἐν τῷ λαῷ.
The Debates
Stephen debated with Jews from several synagogues, and no one could resist his wisdom.
9But some men from the synagogue called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians and Alexandrians and others from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and began to argue with Stephen.
ἀνέστησαν δέ τινες τῶν ἐκ τῆς συναγωγῆς τῆς λεγομένης Λιβερτίνων καὶ Κυρηναίων καὶ Ἀλεξανδρέων καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ Κιλικίας καὶ Ἀσίας συζητοῦντες τῷ Στεφάνῳ,
10But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυον ἀντιστῆναι τῇ σοφίᾳ καὶ τῷ πνεύματι ᾧ ἐλάλει.
11So they secretly instigated men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God."
τότε ὑπέβαλον ἄνδρας λέγοντας ὅτι Ἀκηκόαμεν αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος ῥήματα βλάσφημα εἰς Μωϋσῆν καὶ τὸν θεόν·
13They also produced false witnesses who said, "This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.
ἔστησάν τε μάρτυρας ψευδεῖς λέγοντας· Ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος οὐ παύεται ⸂λαλῶν ῥήματα⸃ κατὰ τοῦ τόπου τοῦ ⸀ἁγίου καὶ τοῦ νόμου,
14For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us."
ἀκηκόαμεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ λέγοντος ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος οὗτος καταλύσει τὸν τόπον τοῦτον καὶ ἀλλάξει τὰ ἔθη ἃ παρέδωκεν ἡμῖν Μωϋσῆς.
Speech Before the Council
Stephen delivered a long speech about Israel's history and accused them of resisting the Spirit.
2And Stephen said: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,
ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες, ἀκούσατε· Ὁ θεὸς τῆς δόξης ὤφθη τῷ πατρὶ ἡμῶν Ἀβραὰμ ὄντι ἐν τῇ Μεσοποταμίᾳ πρὶν ἢ κατοικῆσαι αὐτὸν ἐν Χαρράν,
51"You stubborn people, uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit—just as your fathers did, so do you.
Σκληροτράχηλοι καὶ ἀπερίτμητοι ⸀καρδίαις καὶ τοῖς ὠσίν, ὑμεῖς ἀεὶ τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ ἀντιπίπτετε, ὡς οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ ὑμεῖς.
52Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have betrayed and murdered him—
τίνα τῶν προφητῶν οὐκ ἐδίωξαν οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν; καὶ ἀπέκτειναν τοὺς προκαταγγείλαντας περὶ τῆς ἐλεύσεως τοῦ δικαίου οὗ νῦν ὑμεῖς προδόται καὶ φονεῖς ⸀ἐγένεσθε,
53you who received the law delivered by angels, and did not keep it."
οἵτινες ἐλάβετε τὸν νόμον εἰς διαταγὰς ἀγγέλων, καὶ οὐκ ἐφυλάξατε.
54When they heard this, they were enraged in their hearts and ground their teeth at him.
Ἀκούοντες δὲ ταῦτα διεπρίοντο ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν καὶ ἔβρυχον τοὺς ὀδόντας ἐπʼ αὐτόν.
55But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand.
ὑπάρχων δὲ πλήρης πνεύματος ἁγίου ἀτενίσας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἶδεν δόξαν θεοῦ καὶ Ἰησοῦν ἑστῶτα ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ θεοῦ,
56"Look," he said, "I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
καὶ εἶπεν· Ἰδοὺ θεωρῶ τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ⸀διηνοιγμένους καὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ δεξιῶν ἑστῶτα τοῦ θεοῦ.
The Stoning
Stephen was stoned while he prayed for his enemies, and Saul watched and agreed.
57But they screamed at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and rushed at him with one accord.
κράξαντες δὲ φωνῇ μεγάλῃ συνέσχον τὰ ὦτα αὐτῶν, καὶ ὥρμησαν ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐπʼ αὐτόν,
58They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.
καὶ ἐκβαλόντες ἔξω τῆς πόλεως ἐλιθοβόλουν. καὶ οἱ μάρτυρες ἀπέθεντο τὰ ἱμάτια ⸀αὐτῶν παρὰ τοὺς πόδας νεανίου καλουμένου Σαύλου.
59And as they stoned him, Stephen called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
καὶ ἐλιθοβόλουν τὸν Στέφανον ἐπικαλούμενον καὶ λέγοντα· Κύριε Ἰησοῦ, δέξαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου·
60Then he fell to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And with these words he fell asleep.[^1]
[^1]: "Fell asleep" is a gentle way of saying he died.
θεὶς δὲ τὰ γόνατα ἔκραξεν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ· Κύριε, μὴ στήσῃς αὐτοῖς ⸂ταύτην τὴν ἁμαρτίαν⸃· καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐκοιμήθη.
1Saul approved of Stephen's execution. That same day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.
Σαῦλος δὲ ἦν συνευδοκῶν τῇ ἀναιρέσει αὐτοῦ. Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ διωγμὸς μέγας ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τὴν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις· πάντες δὲ διεσπάρησαν κατὰ τὰς χώρας τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας πλὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων.