It’s the same narrative on repeat.

1. God does amazing things through his people.
2. The religious leaders get jealous.
3. They find false excuses and lies to eventually take their life.

Over and over and over and over.  This is the story on repeat even today.  Even in matters that aren’t religious.

Perhaps it’s why not allowing ourselves to be jealousy, envious or covetousness is one the Ten Commandments.  Because it leads to bad things.

Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

Considering the greater context throughout the Scriptures, I believe this is why Stephen also had trouble.  Because what he was doing was walking in grace and power and it was the religious leaders that didn’t like it (Acts 8:8-15).

Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.  Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”

So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 

That was step one.  Here’s step two.  Because they have to justify themselves and justify their actions before the people.  So they produce exaggerations of truth or all out lies.

They produced false witnesses, who testified, “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.”

But Stephen had the truth.  It says his face was like that of an angel.  Perhaps because even heaven knew he was coming home.

All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

There are many things to glean from this part of the story.

1) If we are not careful, we also can fall into the trap of jealousy and envy.  None of us are immune.  We must be wise so that we do not fall into temptation.

2) We cannot fight in our own power.  We can win arguments in our own power.  What they could not stand up against with Stephen was that he spoke with wisdom and by the Spirit.  These come from God.  We are even encouraged to pray for both of them (wisdom – James 1:5, the Spirit – Luke 11:13).

3) Evil will not go directly as an attack against you because if you live well and do what is right,  they can’t.  Don’t be surprised when you are falsely accused.  You will be.  God sees whether you are walking in righteous or not.  Man is just trying to look for an excuse to condemn you.

4) God is with you.  Stephen was not being stoned at the beginning of his speech.  They wre giving him a chance.  And yet his face glowed like an angel.  God is with you in your defense.