The story of stoning of stephen – स्टीफन को पत्थर मारने की कहानी
The stoning of Stephen is a significant event recorded in the New Testament of the Bible, in the Book of Acts, chapter 7.
Stephen was one of the early Christian disciples chosen to serve the community in Jerusalem. He was known for his wisdom and his powerful preaching of the Gospel. However, he was also opposed by certain Jewish religious leaders who disputed with him.
Some members of the synagogue accused Stephen of speaking blasphemy against Moses and God. They stirred up the people and the elders and brought Stephen before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council.
In response to the accusations, Stephen delivered a lengthy speech before the Sanhedrin, recounting the history of Israel from the time of Abraham to the present day. He emphasized God’s faithfulness to His people despite their disobedience and rebellion.
As Stephen’s speech reached its climax, he rebuked the Jewish leaders for their resistance to the Holy Spirit and their role in betraying and murdering Jesus, the Righteous One. This enraged the members of the Sanhedrin, and they gnashed their teeth at him. Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, with Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He declared this vision to the council. At this, they covered their ears and rushed at him, dragging him out of the city to stone him.
As Stephen was being stoned, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” and then he fell to his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” With these words, he demonstrated forgiveness and love for his persecutors, following the example of Jesus.
Despite his prayer for forgiveness, Stephen was stoned to death by the angry mob. His death marked the first martyrdom of a Christian disciple for his faith in Jesus Christ.
The martyrdom of Stephen had a profound impact on the early Christian community. It led to increased persecution against the believers in Jerusalem, causing many to scatter and spread the Gospel to other regions, fulfilling Jesus’ command to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
The story of Stephen’s stoning underscores the cost of discipleship and the willingness of believers to endure persecution and even death for the sake of their faith in Jesus Christ.
The story of stoning of stephen – स्टीफन को पत्थर मारने की कहानी
