Stephen, a man of God, preaches constantly in the city and tells of great wonders of God. After a while of doing this people began to question Stephen. For example, the opposition consisted mostly of men that were Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria, as well as provinces of Cilicia and Asia. But they could not stand against Stephen because of the wisdom that the Holy Spirit and God gave him. Some of the people against him and what he was saying started talking in secret and persuaded men to say to other people that Stephen was speaking blasphemous about Moses and against God. This concerned the leaders and teachers of the law when they heard this blasphemy.
They went to where Stephen was and captured him and took him to the Sanhedrin (who were the leaders and council of the place) and held a trial for Stephen. They created false witnesses who testified against him and said “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 of the Sanhedrin looked at him intently and said that his face was like that of an angel.
The Sanhedrin then asked Stephen “Are these charges true?”
Stephen responded by saying “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran. ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you. He told of the story of Moses to them. When the Sanhedrin heard all of this they had become furious. Then Stephen looked up and said “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” At saying this all the Sanhedrin covered their ears and yelled at the top of their voices and rushed at him. They dragged him out of the city and stoned him. He prayed this prayer “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Then he died and went to finally be with the Lord in heaven.