Acts 6

1 About this time, as the number of disciples was increasing, complaints were made by the Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebrews because their widows were habitually overlooked in the daily ministration.

And 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 ministry,

2 So the Twelve called together the general body of the disciples and said, "It does not seem fitting that we Apostles should neglect the delivery of God's Message and minister at tables.

and the Twelve, having called near the multitude of the disciples, said, “It is not pleasing that we, having left the word of God, minister at tables;

3 Therefore, brethren, pick out from among yourselves seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, and we will appoint them to undertake this duty.

look out, therefore, brothers, seven men of you who are testified well of, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may set over this necessity,

4 But, as for us, we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the delivery of the Message."

and we to prayer, and to the ministry of the word, will give ourselves continually.”

5 The suggestion met with general approval, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch.

And the thing was pleasing before all the multitude, and they chose 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,

6 These men they brought to the Apostles, and, after prayer, they laid their hands upon them.

whom they set before the apostles, and they, having prayed, laid [their] hands on them.

7 Meanwhile God's Message continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem very greatly increased, and very many priests obeyed the faith.

And the word of God increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; a great multitude of the priests were also obedient to the faith.

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, performed great marvels and signs among the people.

And Stephen, full of faith and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people,

9 But some members of the so-called 'Synagogue of the Freed-men,' together with some Cyrenaeans, Alexandrians, Cilicians and men from Roman Asia, were roused to encounter Stephen in debate.

and there arose certain of those of the synagogue, the [one] called Libertines (and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia, and Asia), disputing with Stephen,

10 They were quite unable, however, to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking;

11 Then they privately put forward men who declared, "We have heard him speak blasphemous things against Moses and against God."

then they suborned men, saying, “We have heard him speaking slanderous sayings in regard to Moses and God.”

12 In this way they excited the people, the Elders, and the Scribes. At length they came upon him, seized him with violence, and took him before the Sanhedrin.

They also stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and having come on [him], they caught him, and brought [him] to the Sanhedrin;

13 Here they brought forward false witnesses who declared, "This fellow is incessantly speaking against the Holy Place and the Law.

they also set up false witnesses, saying, “This one does not cease to speak evil sayings against this holy place and the Law,

14 For we have heard him say that Jesus, the Nazarene, will pull this place down to the ground and will change the customs which Moses handed down to us."

for we have heard him saying that this Jesus the Nazarean will overthrow this place, and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us”;

15 At once the eyes of all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin were fastened on him, and they saw his face looking just like the face of an angel.

and gazing at him, all those sitting in the Sanhedrin saw his face as it were the face of a messenger.