St. Stephen

*St. Stephen : The First Christian Martyr*
	St.Stephen is the first witness for the Christian faith. His role in the life of the Church is recorded in the Holy Bible, in the Book of Acts. One of the programs of the early Jewish synagogues was the assistance for needy widows. The Greek-speaking Jews claimed that widows from their clan were being neglected. Stephen was among the seven who were selected by the Greek speaking Jewish synagogue, on the behest of the apostles for being in charge of the financial matters while the apostles themselves took care of the spiritual matters. They are traditionally considered to be the first deacons, although the Scriptures do not use the word to describe them. (A century or more later, we find the organized charities of each local congregation in the hands of its deacons.) The early Christian congregations, like the Jewish synagogues, had a program of assistance for needy widows, and some of the Greek-speaking Jews in the Jerusalem congregation complained that their widows were being neglected. The apostles replied: "We cannot both preach and administer financial matters. Choose seven men from among yourselves, respected, Spirit-filled, and of sound judgement, and let them be in charge of the accounts, and we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word." The people accordingly chose seven men, including Stephen, and the apostles laid their hands on them. Stephen was an eloquent and fiery speaker, and a provocative one. (Some readers have speculated that some of his fellow Christians wanted to put him in charge of alms in the hope that he would administer more and talk less.) His blunt declarations that the Temple service was no longer the means by which penitent sinners should seek reconciliation with God enraged the Temple leaders, who caused him to be stoned to death. As he died, he said, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." One of those who saw the stoning and approved of it was Saul (or Paul) of Tarsus, who took an active part in the general persecution of Christians that followed the death of Stephen, but who was later led to become a Christian himself. Read about Saint Stephen in the bible. He appears in The Acts of the Apostles. The following Chapters and Verses are where he appears in the bible. Acts 6:5 Stephen is chosen as one of the Seven Helpers Acts 6:8 to Acts 8:2 The Arrest of Stephen; Stephen's Speech; The Stoning of Stephen Acts 22:20 St Paul calls to preach to the Gentiles and his witness of Stephens murder

St.Stephen is the first witness for the Christian faith. His role in the life of the Church is recorded in the Holy Bible, in the Book of Acts. One of the programs of the early Jewish synagogues was the assistance for needy widows. The Greek-speaking Jews claimed that widows from their clan were being neglected. Stephen was among the seven who were selected by the Greek speaking Jewish synagogue, on the behest of the apostles for being in charge of the financial matters while the apostles themselves took care of the spiritual matters. They are traditionally considered to be the first deacons, although the Scriptures do not use the word to describe them. (A century or more later, we find the organized charities of each local congregation in the hands of its deacons.)

The early Christian congregations, like the Jewish synagogues, had a program of assistance for needy widows, and some of the Greek-speaking Jews in the Jerusalem congregation complained that their widows were being neglected. The apostles replied: "We cannot both preach and administer financial matters. Choose seven men from among yourselves, respected, Spirit-filled, and of sound judgement, and let them be in charge of the accounts, and we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word." The people accordingly chose seven men, including Stephen, and the apostles laid their hands on them. Stephen was an eloquent and fiery speaker, and a provocative one. (Some readers have speculated that some of his fellow Christians wanted to put him in charge of alms in the hope that he would administer more and talk less.)

His blunt declarations that the Temple service was no longer the means by which penitent sinners should seek reconciliation with God enraged the Temple leaders, who caused him to be stoned to death. As he died, he said, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." One of those who saw the stoning and approved of it was Saul (or Paul) of Tarsus, who took an active part in the general persecution of Christians that followed the death of Stephen, but who was later led to become a Christian himself.

Read about Saint Stephen in the bible. He appears in The Acts of the Apostles. The following Chapters and Verses are where he appears in the bible. Acts 6:5 Stephen is chosen as one of the Seven Helpers Acts 6:8 to Acts 8:2 The Arrest of Stephen; Stephen's Speech; The Stoning of Stephen Acts 22:20 St Paul calls to preach to the Gentiles and his witness of Stephens murder