Saint Stephen, the First Martyr

And Stephen, full of grace and fortitude, did great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹Now there arose some of that which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them that were of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. ¹⁰And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit that spoke. ⁵⁴Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed with their teeth at him. ⁵⁵But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And he said: Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. ⁵⁷And they crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and with one accord ran violently upon him. ⁵⁸And casting him forth without the city, they stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul. ⁵⁹And they stoned Stephen, invoking, and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. ⁶⁰And falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord. And Saul was consenting to his death.

³Bow down thy ear to me: make haste to deliver me. Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a house of refuge, to save me. ⁴For thou art my strength and my refuge; and for thy name’s sake thou wilt lead me, and nourish me. ⁶Into thy hands I commend my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth. ⁷Thou hast hated them that regard vanities, to no purpose. But I have hoped in the Lord: ⁸I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy. For thou best regarded my humility, thou hast saved my soul out of distresses. ¹⁷Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; save me in thy mercy. ²¹Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy face, from the disturbance of men. Thou shalt protect them in thy tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues.

℟ Into thy hands I commend my spirit.

But beware of men. For they will deliver you up in councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues. ¹⁸And you shall be brought before governors, and before kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles: ¹⁹But when they shall deliver you up, take no thought how or what to speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what to speak. ²⁰For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. ²¹The brother also shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the son: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and shall put them to death. ²²And you shall be hated by all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved.