Stephen is introduced as the primary protagonist in Season 1, depicted as an earnest and soft-spoken mama’s boy who eventually becomes a deacon and the first Christian martyr. His stoning, which likely serves as the season's climax, initiates the first widespread persecution of Christians. The series focuses on his involvement in the early church and his interactions with other key characters like Saul of Tarsus (Acts 6:5, Acts 7, Acts 8:1).

Saul of Tarsus is portrayed as a cocky young rabbi with ambitions to join the Sanhedrin. He is shown approving of Stephen’s murder and is a significant figure whose story includes his famous conversion on the road to Damascus. His character arc is central to the narrative, highlighting his initial opposition to the early church and eventual transformation (Acts 8:1, Acts 9).

The series depicts several key events from Acts, including the coming of the Holy Spirit and Peter’s preaching at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-41), the fellowship of early believers (Acts 2:42-47), Peter and John healing a lame beggar named Caleb outside the Temple, their subsequent arrest (Acts 3:1-4:4), and the imprisonment and questioning of Peter and John by Temple leaders (Acts 4:1-31). These events are adapted into a dystopian, modernized setting. (Acts 2-4).

Caleb is a lame beggar who is healed by Peter and John outside the Temple. Despite his healing, Caleb struggles with addiction to a stimulant drug and is unwilling to join the early church due to intimidation from the Sanhedrin. His character adds complexity to the narrative by showing the challenges faced by early believers and the presence of personal struggles within the community. (Acts 3:1-26, Plugged In review).

Testament modernizes the biblical story by setting it in a dystopian world with technology and culture similar to the present day. It introduces elements like a stimulant drug to symbolize darkness in the world, advanced weapons used by Temple guards, and undercover operations within the Sanhedrin. These creative choices aim to engage viewers with contemporary themes while staying largely faithful to the biblical narrative. The show also includes subtle details and jokes that require substantial biblical knowledge to fully appreciate. (Angel Studios show recap, The Bible Artist reviews).