ACT 6

The Choosing of the Seven Deacons

1 As the community of disciples grew larger during this period, a complaint arose from the Greek-speaking Jewish believers against those who spoke Hebrew, because the Greek-speaking widows were being passed over when food was distributed each day.

2 The twelve called together the full community of disciples and addressed them: "Abandoning our calling to proclaim God's message in order to supervise food distribution would not be appropriate for us.

3 Brothers and sisters, identify seven men from your own group who have solid reputations and are fully characterised by the Spirit and sound judgment. We will assign this duty to them.

4 But we will devote ourselves fully and without distraction to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

5 Everyone in the assembly approved of this plan. They selected Stephen, a man fully marked by faith and the Holy Spirit's presence and power, along with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch who had converted to Judaism.

6 These seven were brought to stand before the apostles, who prayed and placed their hands on them in commissioning.

7 God's message continued expanding its reach. In Jerusalem, the disciple community grew substantially in size, and a considerable number of priests yielded to the faith.

The Persecution of Stephen

8 Stephen, who was filled with divine grace and supernatural power, began doing extraordinary miracles and powerful signs before the people.

9 Opposition emerged, however, from people who belonged to the synagogue community known as the Freedmen—this included Jewish people from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. They initiated arguments with Stephen.

10 Yet they found themselves unable to counter the wisdom and the Spirit that characterised his speech.

11 Then they covertly persuaded some men to make accusations: "We heard him utter blasphemous statements about Moses and about God."

12 They agitated the common people, the council of elders, and the religious scholars. Then they seized Stephen forcibly and hauled him before the Sanhedrin.

13 They arranged for false witnesses who declared, "This individual never stops making statements against the holy temple and against the Law.

14 We have heard him assert that this Jesus from Nazareth will tear down the temple and change the traditions Moses gave us."

15 Everyone seated in the Sanhedrin council focused their attention on Stephen, and they observed that his face had taken on the appearance of an angel's face.

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ACT 6: AFINT

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