The Acts 6
6
Seven Men Are Chosen
1More and more people were becoming followers of Jesus. But during this same time, the Greek-speaking followers had an argument with the other Jewish followers. The Greek-speaking Jews said that their widows were not getting their share of the food that was given out every day. 2The 12 apostles called the whole group of followers together. They said, “It is not right for us to stop our work of teaching God’s word in order to serve tables. 3So, brothers, choose seven of your own men. They must be men who are good. They must be full of wisdom and full of the Spirit. We will put them in charge of this work. 4Then we can use all our time to pray and to teach the word of God.”
5The whole group liked the idea. So they chose these seven men: Stephen (a man with great faith and full of the Holy Spirit), Philip,# Not the apostle named Philip. Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (a man from Antioch who had become a Jew). 6Then they put these men before the apostles. The apostles prayed and laid their hands on# Here, doing this showed that these men were given a special work of God. the men.
7The word of God was reaching more and more people. The group of followers in Jerusalem became larger and larger. A great number of the Jewish priests believed and obeyed.
Stephen Is Arrested
8Stephen was richly blessed by God. God gave him the power to do great miracles and signs among the people. 9But some Jews were against him. They belonged to a synagogue of Free Men# Jews who had been slaves or whose fathers had been slaves, but were now free. (as it was called). (This synagogue was also for Jews from Cyrene and from Alexandria.) Jews from Cilicia and Asia were also with them. They all came and argued with Stephen.
10But the Spirit was helping him to speak with wisdom. His words were so strong that they could not argue with him. 11So they paid some men to say, “We heard him say things against Moses and against God!”
12This upset the people, the Jewish elders, and the teachers of the law. They came to Stephen, grabbed him and brought him to a meeting of the Jewish leaders. 13They brought in some men to tell lies about Stephen. They said, “This man is always saying things against this holy place and the law of Moses. 14We heard him say that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy this place. He also said that Jesus will change the things that Moses told us to do.” 15All the people in the meeting were watching Stephen closely. His face looked like the face of an angel.
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Acts 6
6
1But in those days, the disciples multiplying in number, there arose a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews because their widows were overlooked in the daily ministration. 2And the twelve, having called the multitude of the disciples to them, said, It is not right that we, leaving the word of God, should serve tables. 3Look out therefore, brethren, from among yourselves seven men, well reported of, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we will establish over this business: 4but we will give ourselves up to prayer and the ministry of the word. 5And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch, 6whom they set before the apostles; and, having prayed, they laid their hands on them. 7And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem was very greatly multiplied, and a great crowd of the priests obeyed the faith.
8And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought wonders and great signs among the people. 9And there arose up certain of those of the synagogue called of freedmen, and of Cyrenians, and of Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. 10And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 11Then they suborned men, saying, We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God. 12And they roused the people, and the elders, and the scribes. And coming upon him they seized him and brought him to the council. 13And they set false witnesses, saying, This man does not cease speaking words against the holy place and the law; 14for we have heard him saying, This Jesus the Nazaraean shall destroy this place, and change the customs which Moses taught us. 15And all who sat in the council, looking fixedly on him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.