Acts 6
6
Seven Chosen to Serve
1In those days, as the disciples#Mt 9:10; Mk 10:10; Lk 6:1; Jn 6:3; Ac 9:1,10,19,25–26; 21:4,16 were increasing in number, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.#Ac 2:41; 4:4,35; 5:14; 9:29,39; 11:20 2The Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching the word of God to wait on tables. 3Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation,#Dt 1:13; 1Tm 3:7 full of the Spirit#Lk 4:1; Ac 7:55; 11:19,24 and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. 4But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5This proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen,#Ac 6:8–9; 11:19; 22:20 a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert from Antioch.#Mt 23:15; Ac 8:5,26; 21:8 6They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed#Ac 1:24; 8:17; 13:3; 2Tm 1:6 and laid their hands on#Nm 8:10; Ac 9:17; 1Tm 4:14 them.
7So the word of God spread, the disciples in Jerusalem increased#Ac 12:24; 19:20; Col 1:6 greatly in number, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.
Stephen Accused of Blasphemy
8Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9Opposition arose, however, from some members of the Freedmen’s Synagogue, composed of both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, and they began to argue with Stephen. 10But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.
11Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.”#1Kg 21:10,13; Mt 26:59–60 12They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came, seized him, and took him to the Sanhedrin. 13They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and the law.#Mt 24:15; Ac 7:58; 21:28; 25:8 14For we heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”#Dn 9:26; Ac 15:1; 21:21; 26:3; 28:17 15And all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
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Acts 6: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
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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