The first martyr among the disciples was Stephen. Stephen was one of the seven men chosen by the apostles to serve as deacons to take care of the needs of the poor in the early Christian church. He was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, who performed many miracles and preached the Gospel boldly. However, some members of the Jewish community, who were opposed to the message of Jesus, falsely accused Stephen of blasphemy and brought him before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. Stephen boldly defended his faith in Jesus and spoke of the history of Israel, but his words angered his accusers, who stoned him to death. As he was dying, Stephen prayed for his killers and asked God to forgive them. His death marked the beginning of a wave of persecution against the early Christians, but it also inspired many believers to stand firm in their faith in Jesus, even in the face of persecution and death.