Acts 8 "And Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death."  Saul was a "young man" at the time of Stephen's death.  He did not participate in the actual stoning.. but he was there, looking on with approval.  It inspired in him a spirit of anger... and he "began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison."  No wonder the church scattered.. leaving Jerusalem, where a "great persecution arose against the church." 

These verses in Acts 8 introduce us to Saul.. at his worst. He testified about this himself.. 

Acts 22:4  "And I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prison."

Acts 26:9-11 "So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities." 

Paul wrote to Timothy about this also, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service; even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor... "   In I Timothy 1:15 he wrote, "It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all." 

Saul/Paul never tried to deny his former life.. he never forgot the evil things that he had done.  But.. he knew the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ who became his Savior and Lord.. It is Jesus who made him a new creation.. who gave him a new Spirit.. who completely changed his life and calling. 

Saul had listened to the words of Stephen and had watched him die. He only felt anger and hatred for those who believed.  Yet, God chose to call him into a intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.. filling him with the Holy