Acts 6
6
Servant Leaders
1During those days the number of Jesus’ followers kept multiplying greatly. But a complaint was brought against those who spoke Aramaic # 6:1 Or “the Hebrews” (converts from orthodox Judaism). There was one dominant language in Israel: Aramaic. However, the issue between the two groups was more than merely a language difference. Those who spoke Aramaic were natives, while the Greek-speaking minority were most likely Jews from other nations. by the Greek-speaking Jews, # 6:1 Or “Hellenists.” These were Jewish converts who sought to maintain a Greek language and culture and were predominantly Alexandrian Jews. These may have been Jews who were scattered throughout the Roman Empire, including Greece and Alexandria, Egypt. who felt their widows were being overlooked during the daily distribution of food.
2The twelve apostles called a meeting of all the believers and told them, “It is not advantageous for us to be pulled away from the word of God to wait on tables. 3We want you to carefully select # 6:3 The Aramaic is “select with awe,” that is, in the presence of the Lord. from among yourselves seven godly men. Make sure they are honorable, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and we will give them the responsibility of this crucial ministry of serving. 4That will enable us to give our full attention to prayer and preaching the word of God.”
5Everyone in the church loved this idea. # 6:5 The Aramaic can be translated “This proposal appeared beautiful.” So they chose seven men. One of them was Stephen, # 6:5 It is most likely that Stephen was not a gentile but a Jewish believer. His Hebrew name, Tzephania, is transliterated into Greek as Astaphanos (Stephen in English). Tzephania is the name of the prophet Zephaniah. Zephaniah means “Yah has treasured [him].” Stephen was not a gentile proselyte to Judaism but a Greek-speaking Hebrew. He spoke in Acts 7 and addressed his hearers as “fellow Jews and fathers.” Although he was a powerful minister of the Word, Stephen was humble to accept the task of serving. who was known as a man full of faith and overflowing with the Holy Spirit. Along with him they chose Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas from Antioch, # 6:5 The Aramaic can be translated “Nicholas, the hero of Antioch.” who had converted to Judaism. 6All seven stood before the apostles, who laid their hands on them and prayed for them, commissioning them to this ministry. # 6:6 The practice of laying on of hands indicates approval, impartation of authority, commissioning, and ordaining. As the Old Testament priest laid hands on a sacrifice and transferred the guilt of sins upon the animal, the New Testament apostles laid their hands on men and appointed them to ministry. See Lev. 16:21–22; Num. 27:18–20; Heb. 6:2.
7God’s word reigned supreme # 6:7 As translated from the Aramaic. and kept spreading. The number of Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem quickly grew and increased by the day. Even a great number of Jewish priests became believers and were obedient to the faith!
8Stephen, who was a man full of grace and supernatural power, performed many astonishing signs and wonders and mighty miracles among the people. # 6:8 Stephen was not an apostle, yet he worked miracles of power through his ministry. The miraculous is not for the few, but for the many. 9This upset some men belonging to a sect who called themselves the Men Set Free. # 6:9 Or “the Synagogue of the Freedmen.” Although most expositors view these as former Hebrew slaves, the Aramaic is “Libertines.” It is possible that these were pagan cult members who followed a Roman mythical hero named Liber. From this word we get the English word liberty. They emphasized drunkenness and promiscuity. They boasted in their freedom from all moral laws as the Men Set Free to do whatever they desired. They were so hedonistic that even other pagans viewed them as wicked. These Libertines were the antithesis to the true freedom that comes through Christ (John 8:36). They were Libyans, # 6:9 Or “Cyrene,” a region of eastern Libya. Egyptians, # 6:9 Or “Alexandria,” a large Egyptian city on the Mediterranean. and Turks. # 6:9 Or “Cilicia” (southeastern coastal area of Turkey) and “the province of Asia” (that is, Asia Minor, comprised of western and southwestern Turkey). Both regions are included in the word Turks.
They all confronted Stephen to argue # 6:9 The Aramaic is “word wrestle.” with him. 10But the Holy Spirit gave Stephen remarkable wisdom to answer them. His words were prompted by the Holy Spirit, and they could not refute what he said. 11So the Men Set Free conspired in secret to find those who would bring false accusations against Stephen and lie about him by saying, “We heard this man speak blasphemy against Moses and God.”
12The Men Set Free agitated the crowd, the elders, and the religious scholars, # 6:12 Or “scribes.” These were considered the experts in the law of Moses. then seized Stephen and forcefully took him before the supreme council. 13One after another, false witnesses stepped forward and accused Stephen, saying, “This man never stops denigrating our temple and our Jewish law. 14For we have heard him teach that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the temple and change the traditions and customs that Moses handed down to us.” # 6:14 The Aramaic is “We heard him teach that Jesus the Nazarene is the one who freed our nation and changed the feasts that Moses observed.”
15Every member of the supreme council focused his gaze on Stephen, for right in front of their eyes, while being falsely accused, his face glowed as though he had the face of an angel! # 6:15 As he faced persecution and martyrdom, Stephen’s face lit up with heaven’s light, shining as an angelic messenger. What manifests in your life when you are opposed and falsely accused?
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Acts 6: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationActs 6
6
The Word of God Prospered
1-4During this time, as the disciples were increasing in numbers by leaps and bounds, hard feelings developed among the Greek-speaking believers—“Hellenists”—toward the Hebrew-speaking believers because their widows were being discriminated against in the daily food lines. So the Twelve called a meeting of the disciples. They said, “It wouldn’t be right for us to abandon our responsibilities for preaching and teaching the Word of God to help with the care of the poor. So, friends, choose seven men from among you whom everyone trusts, men full of the Holy Spirit and good sense, and we’ll assign them this task. Meanwhile, we’ll stick to our assigned tasks of prayer and speaking God’s Word.”
5-6The congregation thought this was a great idea. They went ahead and chose—
Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,
Philip,
Procorus,
Nicanor,
Timon,
Parmenas,
Nicolas, a convert from Antioch.
Then they presented them to the apostles. Praying, the apostles laid on hands and commissioned them for their task.
7The Word of God prospered. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased dramatically. Not least, a great many priests submitted themselves to the faith.
* * *
8-10Stephen, brimming with God’s grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them. But then some men from the meeting place whose membership was made up of freed slaves, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and some others from Cilicia and Asia, went up against him trying to argue him down. But they were no match for his wisdom and spirit when he spoke.
11So in secret they bribed men to lie: “We heard him cursing Moses and God.”
12-14That stirred up the people, the religious leaders, and religion scholars. They grabbed Stephen and took him before the High Council. They put forward their bribed witnesses to testify: “This man talks nonstop against this Holy Place and God’s Law. We even heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth would tear this place down and throw out all the customs Moses gave us.”
15As all those who sat on the High Council looked at Stephen, they found they couldn’t take their eyes off him—his face was like the face of an angel!
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.