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for he beholds the Savior not sitting, but standing. Oh how great is the grace of his worth! The Master stands while the martyr contends. For his posture, that of a president of the games, signifies the greatness of the contest. For the presidents of the games rise from their thrones then, when the heat of the contest is kindled; then the steadfastness of the contenders is tested, when the debt of honor is paid.

And this is the honor from the Savior, that the martyr was preferred even before the angels. For having gazed, it says, into heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He saw not only the invisible place and glory, but also him who is longed for, where even the host of angels fears to peer. There the martyr fixes his gaze, where the Cherubim cover their pure faces, the Seraphim do not dare to look up with their eyes to the boundless height. He was seen, therefore, in this to be superior to the angels, higher than the authorities, beyond the thrones and the dominions. For the voice of the Master drew him, having previously promised and saying: Where I am, there my servant will be also. This man was the first deacon of the Savior, as also the first martyr of the contest. And the strange thing about the events is that the martyrdom of this just man is fulfilled not by fire, not by iron, not by beasts, not by other terrors, but only by the casting of stones. It was fitting for Stephen to be adorned with stones alone, and to receive the grace of truth from the addition of stones. For as in gold the casting of stones was set into the body, and especially in the head, which was drenched with blood on all sides. Therefore, seeing this, many became martyrs.

For Stephen is much desired by those who contend, both procuring the honor and teaching the contest; for he leads by his own struggles, and he exhorts by his own name. Wherefore also, by his deeds, he cries out before Paul: Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ. For I have followed, he says, in word, and in life, and in death the Master of all. Come, you also imitate me in accomplishing each of these things; for it is possible and advantageous for those who are willing. And I am a witness, who was the first to contend after the Master, and the first to behold the hidden things in heaven. For I saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father, and I was contemplating that which had come to pass: The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. to him be the glory and the power for ever and ever Amen.

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γὰρ καθεζόμενον, ἀλλ' ἑστῶτα θεωρεῖ τὸν Σωτῆρα. Ὢ πόση τῆς ἀξίας ἡ χάρις! ἕστηκεν ὁ ∆εσπότης ἀθλοῦντος τοῦ μάρτυρος. Εἶδος γὰρ ἀγωνοθέτου καὶ τὸ σχῆμα σημαίνει τῶν ἀγώνων τὸ μέγεθος. Τότε γὰρ οἱ ἀγωνοθέται τῶν θρόνων ἀνίστανται, ὅτε τὸ θερμὸν τῶν ἀγώνων ἀνάπτεται· τότε τὸ στεῤῥὸν τῶν ἀθλούντων ἐλέγχεται, ὅτε τὸ χρέος τῆς τιμῆς ἀποδίδοται.

Ἡ δὲ τιμὴ τοῦ Σωτῆρος αὕτη, ὡς καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων προτιμηθῆναι τὸν μάρτυρα. Ἀτενίσας γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, εἶδε δόξαν Θεοῦ, καὶ Ἰησοῦν ἑστῶτα ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἶδε τὸν ἀόρατον οὐ μόνον τόπον καὶ δόξαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν ποθούμενον, ὅπου φοβεῖται καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων στρατιὰ παρακύψαι. Ἐκεῖ ὁ μάρτυς ἀτενίζει τὸ βλέμμα, ὅπου τὰ Χερουβὶμ καλύπτει τὰ πρόσωπα ἐκεῖνα καθαρὰ, ἀναβλέψαι τὰ Σεραφὶμ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς οὐ τολμᾷ εἰς τὸ ἀπέραντον ὕψος. Ὤφθη οὖν κατὰ τοῦτο τῶν ἀγγέλων ἀνώτερος, τῶν ἐξουσιῶν ὑψηλότερος, τῶν θρόνων καὶ τῶν κυριοτήτων ἐπέκεινα. Εἷλκε γὰρ αὐτὸν ἡ τοῦ ∆εσπότου φωνὴ, προεπαγγειλαμένη καὶ λέγουσα· Ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγὼ, ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ διάκονος ὁ ἐμὸς ἔσται. Πρῶτος οὗτος τοῦ Σωτῆρος διάκονος, ὡς καὶ πρῶτος τῆς ἀθλήσεως μάρτυς. Καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων τὸ ξένον, ὅτι οὐ πυρὶ, οὐ σιδήρῳ, οὐ θηρίοις, οὐχ ἑτέροις δεινοῖς τὸ τοῦ δικαίου τούτου πληροῦται μαρτύριον, ἀλλὰ μόνῃ τῇ τῶν λίθων βολῇ. Ἔδει λίθοις κοσμηθῆναι μόνοις τὸν Στέφανον, καὶ δέξασθαι τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν χάριν ἐκ τῆς τῶν λίθων προσθήκης. Ὡς γὰρ ἐν χρυσῷ τῷ σώματι ἡ τῶν λίθων ἐνετέθη βολὴ, καὶ μάλιστα ἐν τῇ πανταχόθεν περιῤῥεομένῃ τῷ αἵματι τῇ κεφαλῇ. Ὁρῶντες οὖν πολλοὶ γεγόνασι μάρτυρες.

Περιπόθητος γὰρ τοῖς ἀθλοῦσιν ὁ Στέφανος, τήν τε τιμὴν προξενῶν, καὶ ἐκδιδάσκων τὴν ἄθλησιν· ὁδηγεῖ γὰρ τοῖς ἰδίοις παλαίσμασι, καὶ προτρέπεται τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀνόματι. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων τῶν αὐτοῦ πρὸ τοῦ Παύλου βοᾷ· Μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε, καθὼς κἀγὼ Χριστοῦ. Ἠκολούθησα γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ λόγῳ, καὶ βίῳ, καὶ τελευτῇ τῷ τῶν ἁπάντων ∆εσπότῃ. ∆εῦτε, μιμήσασθε καὶ ὑμεῖς ἕκαστα τούτων σὺν ἐμοὶ κατορθοῦντες· δυνατὸν γὰρ καὶ συμφέρον τοῖς θέλουσι. Καὶ μάρτυς ἐγὼ, ὁ καὶ πρῶτος μετὰ τὸν ∆εσπότην ἀθλήσας, καὶ πρῶτος ἐν οὐρανῷ τὰ κρυπτὰ θεωρήσας. Εἶδον γὰρ ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἑστῶτα, κἀκεῖνο περιεσκόπουν γενόμενον· Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου, Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων Ἀμήν.