6:1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
6:2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
6:3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them
6:4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
6:5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
6:6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
6:7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
6:8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.
6:9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)–Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen,
6:10 but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
6:11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.”
6:12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
6:13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.
6:14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”
6:15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
6:1 And in these days, as the disciples were multiplying in number, a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews occurred, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily dispensing.
6:2 And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them and said, It is not fitting for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables.
6:3 But brothers, look for seven well-attested men from among you, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint over this need.
6:4 But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.
6:5 And the word pleased all the multitude; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch,
6:6 Whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
6:7 And the word of God grew, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly; and a large number of the priests obeyed the faith.
6:8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.
6:9 But some of those of the synagogue which is called the synagogue of the Libertines and of the Cyrenians and of the Alexandrians and of those from Cilicia and Asia rose up and disputed with Stephen;
6:10 Yet they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
6:11 Then they instigated some men to say, We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.
6:12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and led him to the Sanhedrin.
6:13 And they set up false witnesses, saying, This man does not cease speaking words against this holy place and the law,
6:14 For we have heard him saying that this Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.
6:15 And all those sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw his face as though it were the face of an angel.