Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.”

So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Then the high priest asked him, “Are these charges true?”

To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! Moses told the Israelites, ‘GOD WILL SEND YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR OWN PEOPLE.’

“You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it.”

When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.

82
BERNARDO DADDI
"Storie di Santo Stefano"

83
BERNARDO DADDI
"The Martyrdom of St Stephen"

84
MICHAEL WILLMAN
"The Stoning of St Stephen"

85
SANTE PIATTI
"The Stoning of St. Stephen"

86
JANEZ MIHAEL REINWALDT
"The Stoning of Stephen"

87
CHARLES THÉVENIN
"La Lapidation de Saint Etienne"

88
JAN VAN TIEGHEM
"Stoning of St. Stephen"

89
Source

90
Source

91
MASTER OF JEAN ROLIN II
"The Martyrdom of St. Stephen"

92
MASTER JACQUES DE BESANÇON
"Stoning of St Stephen"

93
G FELLOWES PRYNNE & HARRY HEMS
Source

94
Detail

95
GIULIO ROMANO
"Martyrdom of Saint Stephen"

96
GIOVANNI ANDREA DE FERRARI
"Martyrdom of Saint Stephen"

97
GABRIEL-JULES THOMAS
"The Stoning of St. Stephen"

98
JEAN LEFEVRE
"St. Stephen"

99
English School
"The Stoning of Stephen"

100
ORAZIO SAMMACCHINI
"The Stoning of St Stephen"

101
LUDOVICO CARDI CIGOLI
"The Martyrdom of St. Stephen"

102
ORAZIO SAMACCHINI
"The Stoning of Saint Stephen"

103
ANDREA DI GIUSTO
"Stoning of St Stephen"

104
Mosan School
"The Stoning of St. Stephen"

105
DON SIMONE CAMALDOLESE
"The Stoning of St. Stephen"

106
JEAN BAPTISTE MARIE PIERRE
"Martyrdom of St. Stephen"

107
JAMES TISSOT
"Paul"

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

108
JOHN EVERETT MILLAIS
"Saint Stephen"

109
WILLIAM HATHERELL
"The Stoning of Stephen"

110
ADAM BRENNER
"The Funeral of St. Stephen"

111
SÉBASTIEN NICOLAS FROSTÉ
"La Mort de Saint Etienne"

112
MARIOTTO DI NARDO
Source

113
MARIOTTO DI NARDO
"The Burial of St. Stephen"

114
FRA FILIPPO LIPPI
"The Funeral of Saint Stephen"

115
PHILIP GALLE
"Devout Men Carrying Saint Stephen to his Burial"

116
JUAN DE JUANES
"The Burial of Saint Stephen"

117
PENSIONANTE DEL SARACENI
"Saint Stephen Mourned by Sts Gamaliel and Nicodemus"

118
Source

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119
ANNIBALE CARRACCI
"The Coronation of St Stephen"