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”。

εν δε ταις ημεραις ταυταις πληθυνοντων των μαθητων εγενετο γογγυσμος των ελληνιστων προς τους εβραιους οτι παρεθεωρουντο εν τη διακονια τη καθημερινη αι χηραι αυτων

προσκαλεσαμενοι δε οι δωδεκα το πληθος των μαθητων ειπαν ουκ αρεστον εστιν ημας καταλειψαντας τον λογον του θεου διακονειν τραπεζαις

επισκεψασθε δε αδελφοι ανδρας εξ υμων μαρτυρουμενους επτα πληρεις πνευματος και σοφιας ους καταστησομεν επι της χρειας ταυτης

ημεις δε τη προσευχη και τη διακονια του λογου προσκαρτερησομεν

και ηρεσεν ο λογος ενωπιον παντος του πληθους και εξελεξαντο στεφανον ανδρα πληρη πιστεως και πνευματος αγιου και φιλιππον και προχορον και νικανορα και τιμωνα και παρμεναν και νικολαον προσηλυτον αντιοχεα

ους εστησαν ενωπιον των αποστολων και προσευξαμενοι επεθηκαν αυτοις τας χειρας

και ο λογος του θεου ηυξανεν και επληθυνετο ο αριθμος των μαθητων εν ιερουσαλημ σφοδρα πολυς τε οχλος των ιερεων υπηκουον τη πιστει

στεφανος δε πληρης χαριτος και δυναμεως εποιει τερατα και σημεια μεγαλα εν τω λαω

ανεστησαν δε τινες των εκ της συναγωγης της λεγομενης λιβερτινων και κυρηναιων και αλεξανδρεων και των απο κιλικιας και ασιας συζητουντες τω στεφανω

10 και ουκ ισχυον αντιστηναι τη σοφια και τω πνευματι ω ελαλει

11 τοτε υπεβαλον ανδρας λεγοντας οτι ακηκοαμεν αυτου λαλουντος ρηματα βλασφημα εις μωυσην και τον θεον

12 συνεκινησαν τε τον λαον και τους πρεσβυτερους και τους γραμματεις και επισταντες συνηρπασαν αυτον και ηγαγον εις το συνεδριον

13 εστησαν τε μαρτυρας ψευδεις λεγοντας ο ανθρωπος ουτος ου παυεται λαλων ρηματα κατα του τοπου του αγιου [τουτου] και του νομου

14 ακηκοαμεν γαρ αυτου λεγοντος οτι ιησους ο ναζωραιος ουτος καταλυσει τον τοπον τουτον και αλλαξει τα εθη α παρεδωκεν ημιν μωυσης

15 και ατενισαντες εις αυτον παντες οι καθεζομενοι εν τω συνεδριω ειδον το προσωπον αυτου ωσει προσωπον αγγελου

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

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

And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,

13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

Seven Men Chosen to Serve

But as the believers[a] rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.

So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

Stephen Is Arrested

Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10 None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.

11 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” 12 This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council.[b]

13 The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. 14 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth[c] will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

15 At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s.

Footnotes

  1. 6:1 Greek disciples; also in 6:2, 7.
  2. 6:12 Greek Sanhedrin; also in 6:15.
  3. 6:14 Or Jesus the Nazarene.