Acts 6
6
Seven Leaders Are Chosen
1In those days the number of believers was growing. The Greek Jews complained about the non-Greek Jews. They said that the widows of the Greek Jews were not being taken care of. They weren’t getting their fair share of food each day. 2So the 12 apostles gathered all the believers together. They said, “It wouldn’t be right for us to give up teaching God’s word. And we’d have to stop teaching to wait on tables. 3Brothers and sisters, choose seven of your men. They must be known as men who are wise and full of the Holy Spirit. We will turn this important work over to them. 4Then we can give our attention to prayer and to teaching God’s word.”
5This plan pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen. He was full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas were chosen too. The group also chose Nicolas from Antioch. He had accepted the Jewish faith. 6The group brought them to the apostles. Then the apostles prayed and placed their hands on them.
7So God’s word spread. The number of believers in Jerusalem grew quickly. Also, a large number of priests began to obey Jesus’ teachings.
Stephen Is Arrested
8Stephen was full of God’s grace and power. He did great wonders and signs among the people. 9But members of the group called the Synagogue of the Freedmen began to oppose him. Some of them were Jews from Cyrene and Alexandria. Others were Jews from Cilicia and Asia Minor. They all began to argue with Stephen. 10But he was too wise for them. That’s because the Holy Spirit gave Stephen wisdom whenever he spoke.
11Then in secret they talked some men into lying about Stephen. They said, “We heard Stephen speak evil things against Moses and against God.”
12So the people were stirred up. The elders and the teachers of the law were stirred up too. They arrested Stephen and brought him to the Sanhedrin. 13They found witnesses who were willing to tell lies. These liars said, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place. He also speaks against the law. 14We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place. He says Jesus will change the practices that Moses handed down to us.”
15All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked right at Stephen. They saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
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Acts 6
6
The First Seven Deacons Appointed
1 Now in these days, as#*Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were increasing”) the disciples were increasing in number,#*The words “in number” are not in the Greek text but are implied a complaint arose by the Greek-speaking Jews#Literally “Hellenists” against the Hebraic Jews#Literally “Hebrews” because#Or “that” their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.#*The words “of food” are not in the Greek text but are implied 2So the twelve summoned the community of disciples and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“summoned”) has been translated as a finite verb said, “It is not desirable that we neglect the word of God to serve tables. 3So, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation,#Literally “well spoken of” full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will put in charge of this need. 4But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5And the statement pleased the whole group, 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 Nicolaus (a convert from Antioch), 6whom they stood before the apostles. And they prayed and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“prayed”) has been translated as a finite verb placed their#*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun hands on them.
7And the word of God kept spreading, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem was increasing greatly, and a large number of priests began obeying#*The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began obeying”) the faith.
Stephen Arrested
8Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9But some of those from the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called),#Literally “called” both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia,#A reference to the Roman province of Asia (modern Asia Minor) stood up and#*Here “and” is supplied because the participle (“disputed”) has been translated as a finite verb in keeping with English style disputed with Stephen. 10And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God!” 12And they incited the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came up and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came up”) has been translated as a finite verb seized him and brought him#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation to the Sanhedrin.#Or “council” 13And they put forward false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop speaking words against the holy place#Some manuscripts have “this holy place” and the law! 14For we have heard him saying that this Nazarene Jesus will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” 15And as they#*Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“looked intently”) which is understood as temporal looked intently at him, all those who were sitting in the Sanhedrin#Or “council” saw his face was like the face of an angel.
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