Who Was Stephen in the Bible?
This complete study will help you understand who Stephen was, what he preached, why he was killed, and how his life reveals the powerful presence of God.
Take a deep breath and open your heart ❤️
👤 WHO WAS STEPHEN?
Stephen first appears in Acts chapter 6. He was not one of the twelve apostles, yet he became one of the most spiritually impactful figures in the New Testament.
📖 Acts 6:5
“They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit…”
Right from the beginning, the Bible highlights two spiritual qualities that defined his life:
✔ Full of faith
✔ Full of the Holy Spirit
Stephen wasn’t just a helper — he was a deeply spiritual man with a heart fully surrendered to God.
🍞 WHY WAS STEPHEN CHOSEN?
As the early church grew, a problem arose. Some widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The apostles needed trustworthy men to take care of this practical ministry.
📖 Acts 6:3
“Select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom…”
Stephen was one of the seven chosen.
💡 Spiritual lesson: Serving in practical needs is just as spiritual as preaching. God looks at the heart, not the platform.
🔥 STEPHEN’S POWERFUL MINISTRY
Even though he was chosen to serve tables, Stephen began to move in extraordinary spiritual power.
📖 Acts 6:8
“Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.”
His life was marked by:
✨ Grace
✨ Power
✨ Miracles
✨ Spiritual wisdom
Religious leaders tried to argue with him — but they couldn’t win.
📖 Acts 6:10
“They were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.”
💡 When someone is filled with the Holy Spirit, their words carry heavenly authority.
⚖️ FALSE ACCUSATIONS
Since they couldn’t defeat him with arguments, they used lies.
📖 Acts 6:11
“They secretly induced men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words…’”
Stephen was accused of speaking against:
• Moses
• The Law
• The Temple
• God
These were the same kinds of accusations made against Jesus.
📖 Acts 6:15
“All who sat in the council… saw his face as the face of an angel.”
Even under false judgment, Stephen’s face reflected the peace and presence of God 😇
📖 STEPHEN’S GREAT SERMON (ACTS 7)
Acts 7 contains the longest sermon recorded in the book of Acts. It is rich in theology and Old Testament history.
Stephen walks through Israel’s history:
🧔 Abraham
God called him by faith, outside the promised land.
🧔♂️ Joseph
Rejected by his brothers, later became their deliverer — a prophetic picture of Jesus.
🔥 Moses
Also rejected at first before becoming Israel’s leader.
💡 Main point of the sermon: Israel had a pattern of rejecting God’s messengers — and now they had rejected the Messiah.
📖 Acts 7:51
“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart… You always resist the Holy Spirit.”
Stephen didn’t just teach history — he delivered a prophetic confrontation.
🏛️ STEPHEN’S DEEP THEOLOGY
Stephen reveals a powerful truth:
📖 Acts 7:48
“However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands…”
This shocked the religious leaders. He was declaring:
👉 God is greater than buildings
👉 God cannot be limited to religious systems
👉 True worship is spiritual, not just ceremonial
This message prepared the way for the Gospel to reach the Gentiles. 🌍
👁️ THE VISION OF GOD’S GLORY
As the leaders became furious, Stephen had a supernatural vision.
📖 Acts 7:55
“Being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”
This is amazing.
Jesus is usually described as seated at God’s right hand. Here, He is standing — as if honoring His faithful servant. 👑
🪨 THE MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN
They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. But listen to his final words:
📖 Acts 7:59
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
📖 Acts 7:60
“Lord, do not charge them with this sin.”
Just like Jesus, Stephen:
✔ Committed his spirit to God
✔ Forgave his killers
This shows that the Spirit of Christ truly lived in him.
👤 SAUL WAS THERE
📖 Acts 7:58
“They laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.”
Yes — the future Apostle Paul witnessed Stephen’s death and approved of it.
But Stephen’s prayer echoed in heaven… and later Saul would become Paul, one of the greatest missionaries in history. 🙌
💡 Your faithfulness may impact lives you cannot yet see.
🌍 THE IMPACT OF STEPHEN’S DEATH
After Stephen died:
📖 Acts 8:1
“A great persecution arose… and they were all scattered.”
What looked like defeat became missionary expansion.
🔥 The Gospel began spreading beyond Jerusalem.
God turned tragedy into movement.
✝️ SPIRITUAL LESSONS FROM STEPHEN’S LIFE
1️⃣ Being filled with the Spirit matters most
Power comes from God’s presence, not a position.
2️⃣ Serving is holy
Stephen started with food distribution and ended preaching to leaders.
3️⃣ God’s presence changes your countenance
His face shone like an angel 😇
4️⃣ Truth may bring opposition
Faithfulness is not always applauded.
5️⃣ Forgiveness reveals spiritual maturity
He forgave while dying.
6️⃣ God is not limited to buildings
He lives in surrendered hearts ❤️
7️⃣ Your faithfulness can transform others
Saul was watching.
🙏 THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN STEPHEN’S STORY
Stephen’s story is not mainly about death — it is about glory.
He saw:
✨ The glory of God
✨ Jesus standing
✨ Heaven opened
While stones fell on Earth, heaven opened above him.
This teaches us:
👉 When Earth rejects you, Heaven receives you
👉 When people condemn, God honors
👉 When life ends here, eternity begins
📌 CONCLUSION
Stephen’s life shows us:
🔥 It is worth living full of the Holy Spirit
🔥 It is worth speaking truth
🔥 It is worth remaining faithful until the end
His story proves that God’s presence is more real than pain, persecution, or death.
May our prayer be:
“Lord, fill me with Your Spirit like You filled Stephen. Give me courage, love, and forgiveness in every trial.” 🙏✨