Acts 6

Evangelical Heritage Version

Choosing the Seven

6 In those days, as the number of disciples was increasing, a complaint arose from the Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebrew-speaking Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

² So the Twelve called together the whole group of disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. ³ Brothers, carefully select from among you seven men with good reputations, who are full of the Holy^[a] Spirit and wisdom. We will put them in charge of this service. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

⁵ This proposal pleased the entire group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch.

⁶ They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

⁷ The word of God kept on spreading, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly. Also a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen Is Arrested

⁸ Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. ⁹ Some men who were from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia) rose up and disputed with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they were unable to stand up against the wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

¹¹ Then they secretly induced some men to say, “We heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” ¹² They stirred up the people, the elders, and the experts in the law. They came, dragged Stephen away, and brought him before the Sanhedrin. ¹³ They presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops making threats against this holy place and the law. ¹⁴ In fact, we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

¹⁵ All those who were sitting in the Sanhedrin were looking intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.