ed all the disciples; so they
chose Stephen, a man of strong faith and spiritual power, Philip,
Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, who came from Antioch
but had become a Jew. These men they brought before the apostles, who
after praying laid their hands upon them.

And the message of the Lord continued to spread, and the number of
disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased. A large number of the
priests also accepted the faith.

Stephen, who had personal charm and power, did great wonders and
miracles among the people. Some belonging to the Synagogue of the
Libyans, and Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of
Asia began to argue with Stephen; but they were unable to get the better
of him because of the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke.

Then secretly they bribed certain men to say, "We have heard him
speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God." In this way they
stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, so that they seized
Stephen and took him before the council. They also brought in false
witnesses who said, "This man is always talking against this holy place
and the law. We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will
destroy this place and change the customs which Moses handed down to
us!"

Then all who were sitting in the council fixed their eyes on Stephen and
saw that his face shone like the face of an angel. But the high priest
said, "Are these charges true?" Stephen answered, "Brothers and fathers,
listen. The Most High God does not live in houses made by men.

"You stubborn and evil-minded people! you always resist the Holy Spirit,
as did your fathers before you. Which of the prophets did they not
persecute? They also killed those who foretold the coming of the Just
One, whose betrayers and murderers you have become--you who received the
law given through angels, and have not kept it!"

When they heard these words, they were furious and gnashed their teeth
at him. But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up into heaven
and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
"Look, I see heaven open," he said, "and the Son of Man standing at the
right hand of God." But they stopped their ears and with a howl rushed
at him all together. Then they threw him out of the city and stoned him.
The witnesses who threw the first stones, laid their clothes at the
feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned Stephen, he prayed,
"