--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Feast of Stephen, Deacon, First Martyr…" description: "\"Feast of Stephen, Deacon, First Martyr, the man who will not act until he knows all will never act at all.\" — Jim Elliot" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c34/jim-elliot-7510_knows_feast-of-stephen-deacon-first-martyr-the_2215633.jpg" --- # Feast of Stephen, Deacon, First Martyr, the man who will… ![“Feast of Stephen, Deacon, First Martyr, the man who will not act until he knows all will never act at all.” quote by Jim Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c34/jim-elliot-7510_knows_feast-of-stephen-deacon-first-martyr-the_2215633.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c34/jim-elliot-7510_knows_feast-of-stephen-deacon-first-martyr-the_2215633.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c34/jim-elliot-7510_knows_feast-of-stephen-deacon-first-martyr-the_2215633.jpg) > “Feast of Stephen, Deacon, First Martyr, the man who will not act until he knows all will never act at all.” [Jim Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-elliot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A martyr's hesitation leads to inaction; true commitment requires decisive action despite uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Indecision leads to inaction; act now. Key Takeaway Act decisively despite unknowns. Themes faith martyrdom action commitment Mood reflective serious Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - Mission work - personal decision-making - leadership training Key Concepts Moral courage existential risk spiritual resolve Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back from acting? - Is waiting ever justified? A Different Perspective Some may argue patience is necessary before action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martyr/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) ## Related quotes > [“A martyr is a man who cares so much for something outside him, that he forgets his own personal life. A suicide is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/a-martyr-is-a-man-who-cares-so-much-for-something-outside-him-that-he/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [All of us have a secret desire to be seen as saints, heroes, martyrs. We are afraid to be children, to be ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/all-of-us-have-a-secret-desire-to-be-seen-as-saints-heroes-martyrs-we/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [“Adolf Hitler was a Jeanne d'Arc, a saint. He was a martyr.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/adolf-hitler-was-a-jeanne-d-arc-a-saint-he-was-a-martyr/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [She could never be a saint, but she thought she could be a martyr if they killed her quick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/she-could-never-be-a-saint-but-she-thought-she-could-be-a-martyr-if/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [... we commemorate each of the saints with hymns and appropriate songs of praise, how much more should we celebrate the memory of Peter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-palamas/we-commemorate-each-of-the-saints-with-hymns-and-appropriate-songs-of/) [Gregory Palamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-palamas/) > [“He would have said Stephen was a sort of human tire iron;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-b-cooney/he-would-have-said-stephen-was-a-sort-of-human-tire-iron/) [Caroline B. Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-b-cooney/) > [Something like Stephen A. Smith - I love what he does. I'd love to do something like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/something-like-stephen-a-smith-i-love-what-he-does-i-d-love-to-do/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [“Stephen is not a problem. He is a person. Invisibility is not a problem, it is a curse. Our mission is to help Stephen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/stephen-is-not-a-problem-he-is-a-person-invisibility-is-not-a-problem/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [“Pain is the biggest power of love." That's what Wireman says.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/pain-is-the-biggest-power-of-love-that-s-what-wireman-says/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [There are many dimensions to Stephen A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-smith/there-are-many-dimensions-to-stephen-a/) [Stephen A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-smith/) > [When Stephen was first diagnosed, we weren't actually going out together, but I was already falling in love with him. He had beautiful eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-hawking/when-stephen-was-first-diagnosed-we-weren-t-actually-going-out/) [Jane Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-hawking/) > [I admired Stephen Fleming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/i-admired-stephen-fleming/) [Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/) > [“How terrifyingly efficient she sounds," said Stephen. "I think I should faint in her presence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-p-hartley/how-terrifyingly-efficient-she-sounds-said-stephen-i-think-i-should/) [L.P. Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-p-hartley/) > [ “\[Prison Break is\] one of the craziest, most unpredictable roller-coaster rides on TV today.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/prison-break-is-one-of-the-craziest-most-unpredictable-roller-coaster/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“George's hand lifted and fell away again. It seemed an insult to imply that anything so small as a touch could stop the raw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mette-ivie-harrison/george-s-hand-lifted-and-fell-away-again-it-seemed-an-insult-to-imply/) [Mette Ivie Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mette-ivie-harrison/) ## More by Jim Elliot > [Children are arrows in a quiver, and they are to be trained as missionaries and shot at the Devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-elliot/children-are-arrows-in-a-quiver-and-they-are-to-be-trained-as/) [Jim Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-elliot/) > [I couldn’t have asked for more than God in deliberate grace has surprised me with!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-elliot/i-couldn-t-have-asked-for-more-than-god-in-deliberate-grace-has/) [Jim Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-elliot/) > [Rest in this-it is His business to lead, command, impel, send, call, or whatever you want to call it. It is your business to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-elliot/rest-in-this-it-is-his-business-to-lead-command-impel-send-call-or/) [Jim Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-elliot/) > [No one warns young people to follow Adam's example. He waited till God saw his need. Then God made Adam sleep, prepared for his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-elliot/no-one-warns-young-people-to-follow-adam-s-example-he-waited-till-god/) [Jim Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-elliot/) > [Father, take my life, yea, my blood if Thou wilt, and consume it with Thine enveloping fire. 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Bring those I contact to decision. 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