Jeremy Hoover

This is an outline of Stephen's speech. I identify the main person or thing in each block of his speech and why that person or thing is important to Stephen's speech.

Follow this link to read the bible study guide for Acts 7.

You may download this outline at the link below.

These are the main points and progression of Stephen's speech in Acts. I've organized his speech around the important person or thing in each block.

1. God (2). It all begins with God. God revealed himself to his people and called them to him.

2. Abraham (2-8). Abraham is their spiritual father and the inheritor of God's promise about God's people. He received God's covenant of circumcision, which was the mark of God's people.

3. The patriarchs (9-10). They partially fulfilled God's promise to Abraham (6-7, 17) by selling Joseph into slavery.

4. Joseph (9-16). Joseph ended up in Egypt, where he rose to prominence and later brought God's people (his family) into Egypt.

5. Moses (17-38). With God's people in Egypt, God fulfilled his promise to Abraham. God punished Egypt through Moses and used Moses to take God's people out of Egypt in order to worship God (see 7:7).

6. The ancestors (39-43). They were charged with obeying Moses and the "living words" Moses passed on (the law). But they disobeyed.

7. The tabernacle and the temple (44-50). Despite disobedience, the people still had access to God whenever and wherever they wanted. Not only was the tabernacle always with them in the land but the temple was also built. The greatest truth, however, is that God does not live in buildings made by human hands. Sadly, the access to God was ignored.

8. The people (51-53). They ought to have responded to God in humility but instead they responded in anger and resistance.