Acts 6
Choosing of the Seven
1 Now ▼▼Lit in these days
at this time, as the bdisciples were cincreasing in number, a complaint developed on the part of the ▼▼Jews who adopted the Gr language and much of Gr culture through acculturation
eHellenistic Jews against the native fHebrews, because their gwidows were being overlooked in hthe daily serving of food. 2So the twelve summoned the ▼▼Lit multitude
congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3Instead, jbrothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, kfull of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4But we will ldevote ourselves to prayer and to the ▼▼Or service
ministry of the word.” 5The ▼▼Lit word
announcement found approval with the whole ▼▼Lit multitude
congregation; and they chose pStephen, a man qfull of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and rPhilip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and ▼▼Gr Nikolaos
Nicolas, a ▼▼I.e., a Gentile convert to Judaism
uproselyte from vAntioch. 6And they brought these men before the apostles; and after wpraying, they xlaid their hands on them. 7 yThe word of God kept spreading; and zthe number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to aathe faith. 8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great abwonders and ▼▼I.e., confirming miracles
signs among the people. 9But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both adCyrenians and aeAlexandrians, and some from afCilicia and ▼▼I.e., west coast province of Asia Minor
ahAsia, rose up and argued with Stephen. 10But they were unable to ▼▼Lit oppose
cope with his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking. 11Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and they ajcame up to him and dragged him away, and brought him ▼▼Lit into
before althe ▼▼Or Sanhedrin
Council. 13They put forward anfalse witnesses who said, “This man does not stop ▼▼Lit speaking words
speaking against this apholy place and the Law; 14for we have heard him say that aqthis Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and change arthe customs which Moses handed down to us.” 15And all who were sitting in the ▼▼Or Sanhedrin
atCouncil stared at him, and they saw his face, which was like the face of an angel.
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