Stephen
With the expansion of the church comes specialization in labor. Several men were prayed for and chosen by the apostles to help distribute food to the needy. Stephen would go on to give a powerful speech in defense of Christianity to the government. His subsequent execution could be considered a catalyst for the expansion of the church outside Jerusalem.

Philip
Not to be confused with Philip the Apostle, Philip the Evangelist was one of the men chosen alongside Stephen to assist with the church's expanding ministries and distribution of food. Philip would later go on to help spread Christianity throughout Samaria and many Gentile towns.

Saul
A Jewish Pharisee with Roman citizenship, Saul is highly educated, literate, and very motivated. He was certainly part of the social elite of his time. Later referred to by the Greek version of his name, Paul.

Samaria
This region between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea was described by the historian Josephus as agriculturally rich in fruit trees and pasture land for animals. Despite being a part of the Roman empire, the divisions between citizens of Judea and Samaritan remained as antagonistic as ever.

Damascus
The capital city of Syria. Damascus is about a week's travel by foot, north from Jerusalem. The city has an extremely long history but at the time of the New Testament, it was part of the Roman empire. Much Roman architecture can be seen in the city to this day. See below for a photo of modern-day “Straight Street” referenced in this week's text.