选立执事

那时,门徒的人数与日俱增。当中有些讲希腊话的犹太人埋怨讲希伯来话的犹太人,说对方在日常分配食物的事上怠慢了他们的寡妇。 于是,十二使徒召集所有的门徒,对他们说:“我们不应该忽略传上帝的道,去管理膳食。 弟兄姊妹,请从你们中间选出七位声誉良好、被圣灵充满、有智慧的人来负责膳食, 而我们要专心祈祷和传道。”

大家一致同意,便选出充满信心、被圣灵充满的司提凡,此外还有腓利、伯罗哥罗、尼迦挪、提门、巴米拿,以及曾信过犹太教、来自安提阿的外族人尼哥拉。 大家将这七个人带到使徒面前。使徒把手按在他们身上,为他们祷告。

上帝的道兴旺起来,耶路撒冷的门徒大大增多,连许多祭司也皈信了。

司提凡被捕

司提凡得到极大的恩典和能力,在百姓中间行了惊人的神迹奇事。 但有些来自古利奈、亚历山大、基利迦和亚细亚、属于“自由人[a]会堂”的犹太人联合起来与司提凡辩论。 10 他们无法驳倒司提凡,因为他靠着智慧和圣灵说话。

11 于是,他们暗中唆使一些人诬告司提凡说:“我们听见他说亵渎摩西和上帝的话!” 12 又煽动百姓、长老和律法教师抓住司提凡,把他押到公会。 13 他们还派人作伪证说:“司提凡常常讲侮辱圣地[b]和律法的话。 14 我们听见他说那个拿撒勒人耶稣要毁坏圣殿,还要摒弃摩西传给我们的规矩。” 15 在场的人都盯着司提凡,只见他的容貌好像天使一样。

Footnotes

  1. 6:9 自由人”指的是原为奴隶,后来获得自由的人。
  2. 6:13 圣地”指“圣殿”。

Church Leaders Are Chosen

In those days the group of followers was getting larger. Greek-speaking Jews in the group complained against the Jews living in the country around Jerusalem. The Greek-speaking Jews said that their women whose husbands had died were not taken care of when the food was given out each day. So the twelve missionaries called a meeting of the many followers and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God to hand out food. Brothers, choose from among you seven men who are respected and who are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will have them take care of this work. Then we will use all of our time to pray and to teach the Word of God.”

These words pleased all of them. They chose Stephen who was a man full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. They also chose Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas of Antioch who had become a Jew. These men were taken to the missionaries. After praying, the missionaries laid their hands on them.

The Word of God spread further. The group of followers became much larger in Jerusalem. Many of the religious leaders believed in the faith of the Christians.

Stephen Is Brought in Front of the Religious Leaders’ Court

Stephen was a man full of faith and power. He did many great things among the people. But some men came from their place of worship who were known as the Free people. They started to argue with Stephen. These men were from the countries of Cyrene and Alexandria and Cilicia and Asia. 10 Stephen spoke with wisdom and power given by the Holy Spirit. They were not able to say anything against what he said. 11 So they told other men to say, “We have heard him say things against Moses and God.” 12 In this way they got the people talking against Stephen. The leaders of the people and the teachers of the Law came and took him to the religious leaders’ court. 13 The people were told to lie and say, “This man keeps on talking against this place of worship and the Law of Moses. 14 We have heard him say, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is going to pull down this place. He is going to change what Moses taught us.’”

15 The men sitting in the religious leaders’ court were looking at Stephen. They all saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.

The Choosing of the Seven

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing,(A) the Hellenistic Jews[a](B) among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows(C) were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.(D) So the Twelve gathered all the disciples(E) together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God(F) in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters,(G) choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit(H) and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them(I) and will give our attention to prayer(J) and the ministry of the word.”

This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen,(K) a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit;(L) also Philip,(M) Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed(N) and laid their hands on them.(O)

So the word of God spread.(P) The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly,(Q) and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen Seized

Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs(R) among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene(S) and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia(T) and Asia(U)—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.(V)

11 Then they secretly(W) persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”(X)

12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.(Y) 13 They produced false witnesses,(Z) who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place(AA) and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place(AB) and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”(AC)

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

Footnotes

  1. Acts 6:1 That is, Jews who had adopted the Greek language and culture