USTEFANU wayephambi kwequlu lamadoda anonya. Njengoba ayengamalungu enkantolo ephakeme kwa-Israyeli, iSanhedrini, lawo majaji angu-71 ayephakathi kwamadoda anamandla kakhulu kuleso sizwe. Ayebizwe uMpristi Ophakeme uKayafase, owayengamele inkantolo ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ezidlule lapho uJesu egwetshelwa ukufa. (Math. 26:57, 59; IzE. 6:8-12) Njengoba ofakazi bamanga besina bededelana, baqaphela into engavamile ngoStefanu—ubuso bakhe “babunjengobuso bengelosi.”—IzE. 6:13-15.

Yini eyasiza uStefanu wahlala ezolile yize ayebhekene nesimo esithusayo? Ngaphambi kokuba ahudulelwe phambi kweSanhedrini, uStefanu wayegxile emsebenzini wakhe wokushumayela, eholwa umoya kaNkulunkulu onamandla. (IzE. 6:3-7) Phakathi nokuqulwa kwecala, lowo moya wawusebenza kuye umduduza futhi umkhumbuza izinto ayezifundile. (Joh. 14:16) Njengoba uStefanu ezivikela ngesibindi, umoya ongcwele wamkhumbuza imibhalo engaba ngu-20 noma ngaphezulu emiBhalweni YesiHebheru, njengoba kulotshiwe encwadini yezEnzo isahluko 7. (Joh. 14:26) Kodwa, ukholo lukaStefanu lwaqina nakakhulu lapho ebona umbono kaJesu emi ngakwesokudla sikaNkulunkulu.—IzE. 7:54-56, 59, 60.

Kungenzeka nathi sesatshiswe noma sishushiswe. (Joh. 15:20) Ngokufunda njalo iZwi likaNkulunkulu nangokukhuthalela ukushumayela, sivumela umoya kaJehova ukuba usebenze kithi. Siyothola namandla okumelana noshushiso kuyilapho sinokuthula kwangaphakathi.—1 Pet. 4:12-14.