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
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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