Acts 6

Choosing of the Seven

1NowG1161 1at thisG3778 timeG2250, as the 2disciplesG3101 were 3increasingG4129 in number, a complaintG1112 developedG1096 on the part of the 45HellenisticG1675 Jews againstG4314 the native 6HebrewsG1445, becauseG3754 their 7widowsG5503 were being overlookedG3865 in 8the dailyG2522 servingG1248 of food. 2SoG1161 the twelveG1427 summonedG4341 the 9congregationG4128 of the disciplesG3101 and saidG3004, “It is not desirableG701 for us to neglectG2641 the wordG3056 of GodG2316 in order to serveG1247 tablesG5132. 3InsteadG1161, 10brothersG80 and sisters, selectG1980 from amongG1537 you sevenG2033 menG435 of goodG3140 reputationG3140, 11fullG4134 of the SpiritG4151 and of wisdomG4678, whomG3739 we may putG2525 inG2525 chargeG2525 of thisG3778 taskG5532. 4But we will 12devoteG4342 ourselvesG4342 to prayerG4335 and to the 13ministryG1248 of the wordG3056.” 5The 14announcementG3056 foundG700 approvalG700 with the wholeG3956 15congregationG4128; and they choseG1586 16StephenG4736, a manG435 17fullG4134 of faithG4102 and of the HolyG40 SpiritG4151, and 18PhilipG5376, ProchorusG4402, NicanorG3527, TimonG5096, ParmenasG3937, and 19NicolasG3532, a 2021proselyteG4339 from 22AntiochG491. 6And they broughtG2476 theseG3739 menG3739 beforeG1799 the apostlesG652; and after 23prayingG4336, they 24laidG2007 their handsG5495 onG2007 them.

725The wordG3056 of GodG2316 kept spreadingG837; and 26the numberG706 of the disciplesG3101 continued to increaseG4129 greatlyG4970 in JerusalemG2419, and a greatG4183 manyG3793 of the priestsG2409 were becomingG5219 obedientG5219 to 27the faithG4102.

8And StephenG4736, fullG4134 of graceG5485 and powerG1411, was performingG4160 greatG3173 28wondersG5059 and 29signsG4592 amongG1722 the peopleG2992. 9But someG5100 menG5100 from what was calledG3004 the SynagogueG4864 of the FreedmenG3032, including bothG2532 30CyreniansG2956 and 31AlexandriansG221, and someG3588 from 32CiliciaG2791 and 3334AsiaG773, roseG450 upG450 and arguedG4802 with StephenG4736. 10But they were unableG3756G2480 to 35copeG436 with his wisdomG4678 and the SpiritG4151 by whomG3739 he was speakingG2980. 11ThenG5119 they secretlyG5260 inducedG5260 menG435 to sayG3004, “We have heardG191 him speakG2980 blasphemousG989 wordsG4487 againstG1519 MosesG3475 and GodG2316.” 12And they stirredG4787 upG4787 the peopleG2992, the eldersG4245, and the scribesG1122, and they 36cameG2186 upG2186 to him and draggedG4884 him awayG4884, and broughtG71 him 37beforeG1519 38the 39CouncilG4892. 13They putG2476 forwardG2476 40falseG5571 witnessesG3144 who saidG3004, “ThisG3778 manG444 does notG3756 stopG3973 41speakingG2980 againstG2596 thisG3778 42holyG40 placeG5117 and the LawG3551; 14for we have heardG191 him sayG3004 that 43thisG3778 NazareneG3480, JesusG2424, will destroyG2647 thisG3778 placeG5117 and changeG236 44the customsG1485 whichG3739 MosesG3475 handedG3860 downG3860 to us.” 15And allG3956 who were sittingG2516 in the 4546CouncilG4892 staredG816 at him, and they sawG3708 his faceG4383, which was likeG5616 the faceG4383 of an angelG32.