EasyBible Trivia
The first of Jesus's followers to be martyred was a man named Stephen. How was he killed?
AHe was crucified.
BHe was burned at the stake.
CHe was beheaded.
DHe was stoned to death.✓ Correct Answer
Answer & Explanation
✓ He was stoned to death.
Stephen first appeared in Acts 6:5, when he was named to help administrate the church - freeing the original apostles to spend their time in prayer. "Full of faith and power, [he] did great wonders and miracles among the people" (Acts 6:8) - but he was accused of blasphemy against Moses and the holy city of Jerusalem. He was stoned in the presence of Saul - who would, of course, later convert to Christianity and become Paul - and his last words, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:60), echo one of Christ's last statements: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). We are told that Stephen's martyrdom initiated "a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem" (Acts 8:1), during the course of which Paul was converted.