Acts 6

1

(1 Timothy 3:8–13)

InG1722 thoseG3778 daysG2250 when theG3588 disciplesG3101 were increasing in numberG4129, theG3588 GrecianG1675 Jews among them beganG1096 to grumbleG1112 againstG4314 theG3588 HebraicG1445 Jews1 becauseG3754 theirG846 widowsG5503 were being overlookedG3865 inG1722 theG3588 dailyG2522 distributionG1248 of food.

2SoG1161 theG3588 TwelveG1427 summonedG4341 allG4128 theG3588 disciplesG3101 and saidG2036, “It isG1510 unacceptableG3756G701 for usG1473 to neglectG2641 theG3588 wordG3056 of GodG2316 in order to wait onG1247 tablesG5132. 3ThereforeG1161, brothersG80, selectG1980 fromG1537 among youG4771 sevenG2033 menG435 confirmed to beG3140 fullG4134 of the SpiritG4151 andG2532 wisdomG4678. We will assignG2525 thisG3778 responsibilityG5532 to them 4andG1161 will devote ourselvesG4342 toG3588 prayerG4335 andG2532 to theG3588 ministryG1248 of theG3588 wordG3056.”

5

This proposalG3056 pleasedG700G1799 theG3588 wholeG3956 groupG4128. They choseG1586 StephenG4736, a manG435 fullG4134 of faithG4102 andG2532 of the HolyG40 SpiritG4151, as well asG2532 PhilipG5376, ProchorusG4402, NicanorG3527, TimonG5096, ParmenasG3937, andG2532 NicolasG3532 from AntiochG491, a convertG4339 to Judaism.2 6They presentedG2476 these seven toG1799 theG3588 apostlesG652,3 who prayedG4336 and laidG2007 their handsG5495 on themG846.

7So theG3588 wordG3056 of GodG2316 continued to spreadG837. TheG3588 numberG706 ofG3588 disciplesG3101 inG1722 JerusalemG2419 grewG4129 rapidlyG4970, andG5037 a greatG4183 numberG3793 ofG3588 priestsG2409 became obedientG5219 to theG3588 faithG4102.

The Arrest of Stephen

8NowG1161 StephenG4736, who was fullG4134 of graceG5485 andG2532 powerG1411, was performingG4160 greatG3173 wondersG5059 andG2532 signsG4592 amongG1722 theG3588 peopleG2992. 9ButG1161 resistance aroseG450 fromG1537 whatG3588 was calledG3004 the SynagogueG4864 of theG3588 FreedmenG3032, includingG2532 CyreniansG2956, AlexandriansG221, andG2532 menG3588 fromG575 the provinces of CiliciaG2791 andG2532 AsiaG773.4 They disputedG4802 withG3588 StephenG4736, 10but they could notG3756G2480 stand up toG436 his wisdomG4678 or theG3588 SpiritG4151 by whomG3739 he spokeG2980.

11ThenG5119 they promptedG5260 some menG435 to sayG3004, “We heardG191 Stephen speakG2980 wordsG4487 of blasphemyG989 againstG1519 MosesG3475 andG2532 against GodG2316.”

12So they stirred upG4787 theG3588 peopleG2992, eldersG4245, andG2532 scribesG1122 andG2532 confrontedG2186 Stephen. They seizedG4884 himG846 andG2532 broughtG71 him beforeG1519 theG3588 SanhedrinG4892,5 13where they presentedG2476 falseG5571 witnessesG3144 who saidG3004, “ThisG3778 manG444 never stopsG3756G3973 speakingG2980G4487 againstG2596 thisG3778 holyG40 placeG5117 andG2532 against theG3588 lawG3551. 14ForG1063 we have heardG191 himG846 sayG3004 thatG3754 JesusG2424 ofG3588 NazarethG3480 will destroyG2647 thisG3778 placeG5117 andG2532 changeG236 theG3588 customsG1485 thatG3739 MosesG3475 handed downG3860 to usG1473.”

15AllG3956 whoG3588 were sittingG2516 inG1722 theG3588 SanhedrinG4892 looked intentlyG816 atG1519 Stephen, and they saw thatG3708 hisG846 faceG4383 was likeG5616 the faceG4383 of an angelG32.