Act 6 | ESV | STEP | Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution .

‏ Acts 6

Seven Chosen to Serve

1 Now in these days ^awhen the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists ^{▼▼That is, Greek-speaking Jews} arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in ^cthe daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 ^dTherefore, brothers, ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters} pick out from among you seven men ^fof good repute, ^gfull of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But ^hwe will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, ⁱa man full of faith and ^jof the Holy Spirit, and ^kPhilip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, ^la proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and ^mthey prayed and ⁿlaid their hands on them.

7 And ^othe word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests ^pbecame obedient to ^qthe faith.

Stephen Is Seized

8 And Stephen, full of grace and ^rpower, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But ^sthey could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then ^tthey secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they ^uset up false ^vwitnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against ^wthis holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth ^xwill destroy this place and will ^ychange ^zthe customs that Moses delivered to us.” 15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face ^aawas like the face of an angel.