Who was stephen in the new testament
There are several individuals named Stephen in the New Testament of the Bible. Here are a few:
- Stephen, the deacon (Acts 6:5, 8:1-3, 11:19-26): Stephen was one of the seven deacons appointed by the apostles to serve the early Christian church in Jerusalem. He was a Hellenistic Jew, meaning he was a Jew who spoke Greek as his native language. Stephen was known for his wisdom, faithfulness, and miracles, but he was also accused of blasphemy by the Jewish leaders and was stoned to death.
- Stephen, the apostle (1 Corinthians 15:5, Galatians 1:19): Some scholars believe that Stephen, the apostle, is the same person as Stephen, the deacon. However, this is not universally accepted. The apostle Stephen is mentioned as one of the twelve apostles who saw Jesus after his resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:5) and as one of the apostles who preached to the Gentiles (Galatians 1:19).
- Stephen, the companion of Paul (Romans 16:21, 1 Corinthians 16:21): Stephen is mentioned as a companion of the apostle Paul in his letters to the Romans and Corinthians. He is likely a different person from the deacon Stephen, as he is not mentioned in the same context.
It's worth noting that the name "Stephen" (Greek: Στέφανος, Stephano) was a common name in the ancient Mediterranean world, so it's possible that there were other individuals with this name mentioned in the New Testament who are not as well-known.