This plan was pleasing to all the church, and they chose seven men to take charge of the gifts of the people, and to see that they were sent to those who were in need.  The first man chosen was Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Spirit of God; and with him was Philip and five other good men.  These seven men they brought before the apostles; and the apostles laid their hands on their heads, setting them apart for their work of caring for the poor.

But Stephen did more than to look after the needy ones.  He began to preach the gospel of Christ, and to preach with such power as made every one who heard him feel the truth.  Stephen saw before any other man in the church saw, that the gospel of Christ was not for Jews only, but was for all men; that all men might be saved if they would believe in Jesus; and this great truth Stephen began to preach with all his power.  Such preaching as this, that men who were not Jews might be saved by believing in Christ, made many of the Jews very angry.  They called all the people who were not Jews “Gentiles,” and they looked upon them with hate and scorn; but they could not answer the words that Stephen spoke.  They roused up the people and the rulers, and set them against Stephen, and at last they seized Stephen, and brought him before the great council of the rulers.  They said to the rulers: 

“This man is always speaking evil words against the Temple and against the law of Moses.  We have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the laws that Moses gave to us!”

This was partly true and partly false; but no lie is so harmful as that which has a little truth with it.  Then the high-priest said to Stephen: 

“Are these things so?”

And as Stephen stood up to answer the high-priest, all fixed their eyes upon him; and they saw that his face was shining, as though it was the face of an angel.  Then Stephen began to speak of the great things that God had done for his people Israel in the past; how he had called Abraham, their father, to go forth into a new land; how he had given them great men, as Joseph, and Moses, and the prophets.  He showed them how the Israelites had not been faithful to God, who had given them such wonderful blessings.

Then Stephen said: 

“You are a people with hard hearts and stiff necks, who will not obey the words of God and his Spirit.  As your fathers did, so you do, also.  Your fathers killed the prophets whom God sent to them; and you have slain Jesus, the Righteous One!”

As they heard these things, they became so angry against Stephen, that they gnashed on him with their teeth, like wild beasts.  But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up toward heaven with his shining face; and he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on God’s right hand, and he said: 

“I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God!”