Acts 6
6
Seven Chosen to Serve
1In those days, as the number of the disciples # Mt 9:10; Mk 10:10; Lk 6:1; Jn 6:3; Ac 9:1,10,19,25-26; 21:4,16 was multiplying, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews # Jews of Gk language and culture against the Hebraic Jews # Jews of Aram or Hb language and culture that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. # Ac 2:41; 4:4,35; 5:14; 9:29,39; 11:20 2Then the Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching about God to handle financial matters. # Or to serve tables 3Therefore, brothers, 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 preaching ministry.” 5The 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 proselyte 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. # The laying on of hands signified the prayer of blessing for the beginning of a new ministry.
7So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied # Ac 12:24; 19:20; Col 1:6 greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.
Stephen Accused of Blasphemy
8Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9Then some from what is called the Freedmen’s Synagogue, composed of both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and disputed with Stephen. 10But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.
11Then they 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, dragged him off, and took him to the Sanhedrin. 13They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. # Mt 24:15; Ac 7:58; 21:28; 25:8 14For we heard him say that Jesus, this Nazarene, 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: HCSB
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Acts 6
6
Seven Men Chosen for a Special Work
1More and more people were becoming followers of Jesus. But during this same time, the Greek-speaking followers began to complain against the other Jewish followers. They said that their widows were not getting their share of what the followers received every day. 2The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together.
The apostles said to them, “It would not be right for us to give up our work of teaching God’s word in order to be in charge of getting food to people. 3So, brothers and sisters, choose seven of your men who have a good reputation. They must be full of wisdom and the Spirit. We will give them this work to do. 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,#6:5 Philip Not the apostle named Philip. Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus (a man from Antioch who had become a Jew). 6Then they put these men before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.#6:6 laid their hands on them This act was a way of asking God to bless people in a special way—to heal them, to cause the Holy Spirit to come into them, or to give them power for a special work.
7The word of God was reaching more and more people. The group of followers in Jerusalem became larger and larger. Even a big group of Jewish priests believed and obeyed.
Some Jews Against Stephen
8Stephen received a great blessing. God gave him power to do great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. 9But some of the Jews there were from the synagogue of Free Men, as it was called. The group included Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia. They started arguing with Stephen. 10But the Spirit was helping him speak with wisdom. His words were so strong that these Jews could not argue with him.
11So they told some men to say, “We heard Stephen say bad things against Moses and against God!” 12By doing this, these Jews upset the people, the older Jewish leaders, and the teachers of the law. They became so angry that they came and grabbed Stephen and took him to a meeting of the high council.
13The Jews brought some men into the meeting to tell lies about Stephen. These men said, “This man is always saying things against this holy place and against the Law of Moses. 14We heard him say that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy this place and change what Moses told us to do.” 15Everyone there in the council meeting was staring at Stephen. They saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.
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