Who was Stephen in Acts 7?

Les explains that Acts chapter 7 is Stephen's sermon. Stephen was one of the six deacons appointed in Acts chapter 6, a man full of the Holy Spirit. As Peter and the eleven had been doing for several years—about seven years after Pentecost—Stephen was appealing to Israel, presenting the one they had crucified as still able to be their king because God had raised Him from the dead. Stephen tried to convince the nation that the one they killed was their Messiah. He reviewed Israel's history, including Joseph: the patriarchs moved with envy—the ten brothers, since Benjamin was at home—and sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him, delivered him from all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, who made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Les notes that this pattern of a Jew in a Gentile land rising to a top government position has happened often, as with Daniel.