The document describes a situation in the early Christian church where Greek-speaking widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The twelve disciples appointed seven men, including Stephen, to oversee the distribution so that the disciples could focus on preaching. Stephen performed great signs and wonders but also encountered opposition from religious leaders. He was eventually falsely accused of blasphemy and brought before the Jewish high council, where he gave a speech defending his faith before being martyred.

2. 1 Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a
complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native
Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily
serving of food. 2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the
disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God
in order to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, select from among you
seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom
we may put in charge of this task.
- Acts 6:1-3 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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3. The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they
chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip,
Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from
Antioch.
- Acts 6:5 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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4. 8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders
and signs among the people. 9 But some men from what was called
the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and
Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with
Stephen. 10 But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the
Spirit with which he was speaking.
- Acts 6:8-10 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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5. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak
blasphemous words against Moses and against God." 12 And they
stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to
him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council. 13
They put forward false witnesses who said, "This man incessantly
speaks against this holy place and the Law; 14 for we have heard him
say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the
customs which Moses handed down to us." 15 And fixing their gaze on
him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an
angel.
- Acts 6:11-15 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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6. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain
false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. 60
They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came
forward. But later on two came forward, 61 and said, "This man stated,
' I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.
'"
- Matthew 26:59-61 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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7. 1 Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His
disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He
said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not
one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down."
3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him
privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will
be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"
- Matthew 24:1-3 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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8. 41 When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it,
42 saying, "If you had known in this day, even you, the things which
make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. 43
For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a
barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every
side, 44 and they will level you to the ground and your children within
you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because
you did not recognize the time of your visitation."
- Luke 19:41-44 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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9. 9 Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at
Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. 10 The king of
Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also
slaughtered all the princes of Judah in Riblah. 11 Then he blinded the eyes of
Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him with bronze fetters and brought
him to Babylon and put him in prison until the day of his death. 12 Now on the
tenth day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the
bodyguard, who was in the service of the king of Babylon, came to
Jerusalem. 13 He burned the house of the Lord, the king's house and all the
houses of Jerusalem; even every large house he burned with fire. 14 So all
the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke
down all the walls around Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 52:9-14 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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10. Titus held the decisive council to determine the Temple's fate on the Ninth of Av, and
the fire began the next day, the Tenth. The Tenth corresponding exactly to the date of
the destruction of the First Temple by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon
Chronology of the War According to Josephus Part 7: The Siege and Destruction of
Jerusalem
Emperor Nero then sent Vespasian, a decorated general, to quell the Judean
rebellion. Vespasian put down the opposition in Galilee, then in Transjordan, then
in Idumea. He circled in on Jerusalem. But before the coup de grace, Nero died.
Vespasian became embroiled in a leadership struggle that concluded with the
eastern armies calling for him to be emperor. One of his first imperial acts was to
appoint his son Titus to conduct the Jewish War.
Christianity Today - A.D. 70 Titus Destroys Jerusalem
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11. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for
baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee
from the wrath to come? 8 “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with
repentance; 9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We
have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones
God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 10 “The axe is already laid
at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good
fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
- Matthew 3:7-10 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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12. 44 "Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just
as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the
pattern which he had seen. 45 And having received it in their turn, our
fathers brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the nations whom
God drove out before our fathers, until the time of David. 46 David
found favor in God's sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling
place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house
for Him. 48 However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by
human hands; as the prophet says: 49 ' Heaven is MY throne,
And earth is the footstool of MY feet; What kind of house will you build
for ME? ' says the Lord, ' OR what place is there for MY repose?
50 ' Was it not MY hand which made all these things? '
- Acts 7:44-50 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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13. 51 "You men who are stiff- necked and uncircumcised in heart and
ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your
fathers did. 52 Which one of the prophets did your fathers not
persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the
coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you
have now become; 53 you who received the law as ordained by
angels, and yet did not keep it."
- Acts 7:51-53 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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14. Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is
better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams
- 1 Samuel 15:22 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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15. 10Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the
house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining
with Jesus and His disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they
said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax
collectors and sinners?” 12But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is
not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are
sick. 13“But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION,
AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but
sinners.”
- Matthew 9:51-53 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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16. You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a
holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 2:5 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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17. 19The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.
20“Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in
Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” 21Jesus said to
her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this
mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22“You worship
what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from
the Jews. 23“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true
worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people
the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
- John 4:5 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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18. 15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
“Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to
Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My
lambs.” 16He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do
you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17He said to him the third time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He
said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord,
You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him,
“Tend My sheep.
- John 21:15-17 NASB
THE LESSON OF STEPHEN
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