Acts 6
6
1And in these days, the disciples multiplying, there came a murmuring of the Hellenists at the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily ministration,
2and the twelve, having called near the multitude of the disciples, said, ‘It is not pleasing that we, having left the word of God, do minister at tables;
3look out, therefore, brethren, seven men of you who are well testified of, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may set over this necessity,
4and we to prayer, and to the ministration of the word, will give ourselves continually.’
5And the thing was pleasing before all the multitude, and they did choose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch,
6whom they did set before the apostles, and they, having prayed, laid on them [their] hands.
7And the word of God did increase, and the number of the disciples did multiply in Jerusalem exceedingly; a great multitude also of the priests were obedient to the faith.
8And Stephen, full of faith and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people,
9and there arose certain of those of the synagogue, called of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia, and Asia, disputing with Stephen,
10and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking;
11then they suborned men, saying — ‘We have heard him speaking evil sayings in regard to Moses and God.’
12They did stir up also the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and having come upon [him], they caught him, and brought [him] to the sanhedrim;
13they set up also false witnesses, saying, ‘This one doth not cease to speak evil sayings against this holy place and the law,
14for we have heard him saying, That this Jesus the Nazarean shall overthrow this place, and shall change the customs that Moses delivered to us;’
15and gazing at him, all those sitting in the sanhedrim saw his face as it were the face of a messenger.
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Acts 6: YLT98
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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Acts 6
6
Seven Leaders Are Chosen
1In those days the number of believers was growing. The Greek Jews complained about the non-Greek Jews. They said that the widows of the Greek Jews were not being taken care of. They weren’t getting their fair share of food each day. 2So the 12 apostles gathered all the believers together. They said, “It wouldn’t be right for us to give up teaching God’s word. And we’d have to stop teaching to wait on tables. 3Brothers and sisters, choose seven of your men. They must be known as men who are wise and full of the Holy Spirit. We will turn this important work over to them. 4Then we can give our attention to prayer and to teaching God’s word.”
5This plan pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen. He was full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas were chosen too. The group also chose Nicolas from Antioch. He had accepted the Jewish faith. 6The group brought them to the apostles. Then the apostles prayed and placed their hands on them.
7So God’s word spread. The number of believers in Jerusalem grew quickly. Also, a large number of priests began to obey Jesus’ teachings.
Stephen Is Arrested
8Stephen was full of God’s grace and power. He did great wonders and signs among the people. 9But members of the group called the Synagogue of the Freedmen began to oppose him. Some of them were Jews from Cyrene and Alexandria. Others were Jews from Cilicia and Asia Minor. They all began to argue with Stephen. 10But he was too wise for them. That’s because the Holy Spirit gave Stephen wisdom whenever he spoke.
11Then in secret they talked some men into lying about Stephen. They said, “We heard Stephen speak evil things against Moses and against God.”
12So the people were stirred up. The elders and the teachers of the law were stirred up too. They arrested Stephen and brought him to the Sanhedrin. 13They found witnesses who were willing to tell lies. These liars said, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place. He also speaks against the law. 14We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place. He says Jesus will change the practices that Moses handed down to us.”
15All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked right at Stephen. They saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
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