Actuum Apostolorum 6
1 in diebus autem illis crescente numero discipulorum factus est murmur Graecorum adversus Hebraeos eo quod dispicerentur in ministerio cotidiano viduae eorum
During that time, many more people were becoming believers. [Some of them were from other countries and spoke only the Greek language, but most of them had always lived in Israel and spoke the Hebrew language]. Those who spoke Greek began to complain about those who spoke Hebrew. They were saying. “When [you Hebrew-speaking believers] distribute [food or money] to widows every day, you are not giving fair amounts to the widows who speak Greek!”
2 convocantes autem duodecim multitudinem discipulorum dixerunt non est aequum nos derelinquere verbum Dei et ministrare mensis
So, [after the] twelve [apostles had heard what they were complaining about], they summoned all the [other] believers [in Jerusalem to meet] together. Then the apostles said [to those other believers], “We [(exc)] would not be doing right if we stopped [preaching and teaching] God’s message [about Jesus] in order to distribute food [MTY] [and money to the widows]!
3 considerate ergo fratres viros ex vobis boni testimonii septem plenos Spiritu et sapientia quos constituamus super hoc opus
So, fellow believers, carefully choose seven men from among you, men whom [you] know that the Spirit [of God] controls completely and who are very wise. Then we [(exc)] will appoint them to do this work,
4 nos vero orationi et ministerio verbi instantes erimus
and we [(exc)] will devote our time to pray and to preach and teach the message [about Jesus].”
5 et placuit sermo coram omni multitudine et elegerunt Stephanum virum plenum fide et Spiritu Sancto et Philippum et Prochorum et Nicanorem et Timonem et Parmenam et Nicolaum advenam Antiochenum
What the apostles recommended pleased all of the [other] believers. So they group chose Stephen. He was a man who strongly believed [in God] and whom the Holy Spirit controlled completely. [They also chose] Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas who was from Antioch [city]. Nicolas had accepted the Jewish religion [before he had believed in Jesus].
6 hos statuerunt ante conspectum apostolorum et orantes inposuerunt eis manus
They brought these [seven] men to the apostles. Then after the apostles prayed [for those men], they placed their hands on [the heads of each one of] them [to appoint them to do that work].
7 et verbum Dei crescebat et multiplicabatur numerus discipulorum in Hierusalem valde multa etiam turba sacerdotum oboediebat fidei
So [the believers] continued to tell many people the message from God. (The number of people in Jerusalem who believed [in Jesus] was increasing greatly./More and more people in Jerusalem were believing in Jesus.) [Among them] were many [Jewish] priests who were believing the message [about Jesus].
8 Stephanus autem plenus gratia et fortitudine faciebat prodigia et signa magna in populo
God was enabling Stephen to do many things by God’s power. He was doing many amazing miracles among the [Jewish] people.
9 surrexerunt autem quidam de synagoga quae appellatur Libertinorum et Cyrenensium et Alexandrinorum et eorum qui erant a Cilicia et Asia disputantes cum Stephano
However, some people opposed Stephen. They were Jews from a group [that regularly met together in a Jewish meeting place that was] {[that people]} called the Freedmen’s Meeting Place. [Those people were from] Cyrene and Alexandria [cities] and [also] from Cilicia and Asia [provinces]. They all began to argue with Stephen.
10 et non poterant resistere sapientiae et Spiritui quo loquebatur
But they were not able (to refute [what he said/to prove that what he said was wrong]), [because God’s] Spirit enabled him to speak very wisely.
11 tunc submiserunt viros qui dicerent se audisse eum dicentem verba blasphemiae in Mosen et Deum
Then that group secretly persuaded [some] men to [falsely accuse Stephen. saying], “We [(exc)] heard him say bad things about Moses and God.”
12 commoverunt itaque plebem et seniores et scribas et concurrentes rapuerunt eum et adduxerunt in concilium
So, [by saying that], they made the [other Jewish] people angry [at Stephen, including] the elders and the teachers of the [Jewish] laws. Then [they all] seized Stephen and took him to the Jewish Council.
13 et statuerunt testes falsos dicentes homo iste non cessat loqui verba adversus locum sanctum et legem
They [also] brought in some other men who accused Stephen falsely [about several things]. They said, “This fellow continually says bad things about this holy Temple and about the laws [that Moses received from God].
14 audivimus enim eum dicentem quoniam Iesus Nazarenus hic destruet locum istum et mutabit traditiones quas tradidit nobis Moses
Specifically, we [(exc)] have heard him say that this Jesus from Nazareth [town] will destroy this Temple and will tell us to obey different customs than Moses [taught our ancestors].”
15 et intuentes eum omnes qui sedebant in concilio viderunt faciem eius tamquam faciem angeli
When all [the people] who were sitting in the Council [room heard that, and as they] all stared at Stephen, they saw that his face was [shining] [SIM] like the face of an angel.
