Acts 6
Selection of the Seven
6Now in those days, while the adisciples were bmultiplying in number, there was grumbling from the 1,cHellenists against the dHebrews, because their ewidows were being overlooked in fthe daily serving of food. 2So the twelve summoned the 1congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not pleasing to God for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3“Therefore, abrothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, bfull of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this need. 4“But we will adevote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.” 5And this word pleased the whole 1congregation, and they chose aStephen, a man bfull of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and cPhilip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a 2,dproselyte from eAntioch. 6And these they stood before the apostles, and after apraying, they blaid their hands on them.
7aAnd the word of God kept on spreading, and bthe number of the disciples continued to multiply greatly in Jerusalem, and a great 1many of the priests were becoming obedient to cthe faith.
Stephen Accused of Blasphemy
8And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great awonders and 1signs among the people. 9But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both aCyrenians and bAlexandrians, and some from cCilicia and 1,dAsia, rose up and were arguing with Stephen. 10But they were unable to oppose the wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking. 11Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and they acame up to him, dragged him away, and brought him to bthe Sanhedrin. 13And they put forward afalse witnesses who said, “This man never ceases speaking words against this bholy place and the Law; 14for we have heard him say that athis Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and alter bthe customs which Moses handed down to us.” 15And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the aSanhedrin saw his face like the face of an angel.