Die Well: Lessons from Stephen’s Martyrdom

We talk a lot about living well. We have countless books, sermons, and podcasts dedicated to helping us live with purpose, productivity, and faithfulness. We talk about the way we should conduct ourselves in this world. We encourage one another to work hard as unto the Lord. We remind each other to be good stewards of the time God has given us. We prepare our children for the future by teaching them to save, to invest, to develop character, and to live by biblical principles.

But how often do we talk about dying well?

It is a strange question in our culture, because life is easier now than at any other point in history. We have more comforts, more wealth, and more to lose than any generation before us. And these blessings—if we are not careful—can anchor us to this world in an unhealthy way. We can become so rooted in the soil of this life that we suppress thoughts of the inevitable: death.

The apostle Paul could say, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” But for many of us, those words are difficult to relate to. Paul was not anchored to this soil. He knew his true citizenship was in heaven. His time on earth was a mission assignment, not the main event. He saw life here as a temporary work for the sake of the kingdom, while we often view it as the goal itself.

Our materialistic obsession can fog our vision of the spiritual reality. Like a young woman praying that Jesus will not return until she has had the chance to marry and raise children, we often delay our longing for eternity. Marriage and family are natural, God-given desires, but they are not ultimate. Eternity in perfect communion with the triune God is infinitely more satisfying than anything this world can offer.

So yes - while we are in this life, we should live well to the glory of Christ. But we must also be prepared to die well to the glory of Christ. That is the lesson we see so vividly in the life and death of Stephen in Acts 7:54–60.

Stephen’s Boldness in Life and Death

Stephen was a man who lived well. He served the early church as a deacon, performed signs and wonders, and proclaimed Christ with boldness. But his faithfulness eventually brought him into direct conflict with the religious leaders. Arrested on false charges of blasphemy, Stephen had the opportunity to defend himself and possibly save his life. Instead, he spoke the truth without compromise.

In verses 51–53, he declared to the Sanhedrin:

“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

Before this point in his sermon, many in the room may have been nodding in agreement as he recounted the history of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and the temple. But as his argument unfolded, the pieces began to connect, and the full weight of his words landed squarely on them. The faces that once showed agreement now turned crimson with rage.

Luke tells us, “When they heard these things they were enraged.” The Greek word used here paints a graphic picture—it literally means “to saw in half.” Stephen’s words, empowered by the Holy Spirit, cut them open and exposed them for who they truly were. Outwardly they had the appearance of piety and wisdom, but inwardly they were resisting the God they claimed to serve.

Stephen’s boldness was not the result of personal courage alone. He was full of the Spirit, simply serving as the mouthpiece for God’s Word. Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, exposing the thoughts and intentions of the heart. That is exactly what happened in that council chamber—the Word exposed them. And when God’s Word exposes the heart, there are only two possible responses: repentance or rage.

These leaders chose rage. Luke says they “ground their teeth at him,” an expression used in Scripture to describe intense hatred and anger. Psalm 37:12 says, “The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him.” In Matthew 13:42, Jesus warns of the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth—eternal rebellion and hatred toward God. That same spirit was on display here.

Eyes on the Greater Reality

In the face of their fury, Stephen’s focus was elsewhere. Verse 55 says, “But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”

While the Sanhedrin was consumed with rage, Stephen’s attention was captured by the glory of Christ. He saw the spiritual reality more clearly than the physical one. This is the great challenge for us—where are we fixing our gaze? Are we looking to the glory of Christ, or are we consumed by the lesser realities of life—our circumstances, our families, our jobs, our comfort, our political situation?

Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Normally, Scripture describes Jesus as seated at the right hand of the Father, but here He is standing. The picture is one of Christ actively receiving His servant, ready to welcome him home. What a comfort this vision must have been to Stephen in that moment.

The World’s Fury and God’s Peace

Stephen’s declaration only inflamed their anger. Verse 57 says, “They cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.” Like the herd of demon-possessed pigs in Mark 5, they were driven into a frenzy. To them, Stephen’s words were the height of blasphemy, just as they had judged Jesus’ words in Mark 14:61–64. They could not bear to hear the truth because it condemned them, so they tried to silence it by silencing Stephen.

They dragged him out of the city, in partial obedience to Leviticus 24’s command to execute blasphemers outside the camp. But their legalistic obedience was blind—they thought they were serving God even as they murdered His servant.

As stones began to strike him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” His words echo Jesus’ own prayer from the cross in Luke 23:46, except Stephen prays directly to Jesus rather than to the Father. Even in death, Stephen’s eyes were fixed on Christ.

Then he prayed again: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” In the midst of unimaginable pain, he interceded for his murderers, just as Jesus had prayed for those who crucified Him. Among those Stephen prayed for was a young man named Saul, who would later become the apostle Paul. Stephen could not have known what God would do through this act of faithfulness, but his role was not to know the outcome—it was to obey.

Verse 60 concludes, “When he had said this, he fell asleep.” Death, for the believer, is not an end but a doorway. Stephen closed his eyes to this world and opened them to see the face of His Savior. The sting of death was gone, replaced with the embrace of the One who stood ready to welcome him.

How to Die Well

So how do we die well? Stephen’s life gives us several lessons.

1. Live filled with the Spirit now. Dying well is not about a single moment of heroism—it is the culmination of a life lived in submission to the Spirit. Stephen’s courage was forged in a life of service and faithfulness.

2. Keep your eyes on Christ. In life and in death, what we gaze upon will determine our peace. Stephen saw the glory of God and the standing Christ, and it steadied him in the storm.

3. Speak the truth in love. Stephen’s words cut because they were true and Spirit-led. He did not water them down to save himself. Truth without love is harsh; love without truth is hollow. Stephen had both.

4. Forgive your enemies. Even as his body was being crushed, Stephen prayed for those who were killing him. This is not natural—it is supernatural, the work of God in the heart.

5. Trust God with the results. Stephen did not live to see the fruit of his faithfulness. He could not know that Paul would be saved and become the greatest missionary in history. Our role is obedience; God handles the harvest.

The Call to the Church

The modern church often focuses on living well but says little about dying well. In a world obsessed with comfort and security, we must remember that our true hope is not in avoiding death but in meeting it with faith in Christ. For the believer, death has lost its sting because Jesus has defeated it.

Stephen’s ministry, by worldly standards, was a failure. His bold sermon ended in his execution, and he left no record of great accomplishments or lasting institutions. But from heaven’s perspective, his death was precious. Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Through Stephen’s witness, the gospel reached Saul, and through Saul, it reached the Gentile world.

Our afflictions are light and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits us. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17–18:

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Living well and dying well are both acts of worship. Let us prepare for both.