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选出七位执事

门徒不断增加的时候,讲希腊话的犹太人,埋怨本地的希伯来人,因为在日常的供给上,忽略了他们的寡妇。 于是十二使徒召集了众门徒,说:“要我们放下 神的道,去管理伙食,是不合适的。 所以弟兄们,应当从你们中间选出七个有好见证、满有圣灵和智慧的人,我们就派他们负责这事。 至于我们,我们要专心祈祷、传道。” 这个意见全会众都很满意,于是选出司提反,他是一位满有信心和圣灵的人,还有腓利、伯罗哥罗、尼加挪、提门、巴米拿,以及归信犹太教的安提阿人尼哥拉, 叫他们站在使徒面前。使徒祷告后,就为他们按手。  神的道传开了;在耶路撒冷,门徒人数大大增加,有很多祭司也信从了真道。

司提反被捕

司提反满有恩惠能力,在民间施行大奇事和神迹。 当时有几个称为“自由人”会堂的人,就是从古利奈和亚历山太来的人,另外还有基利家人和亚西亚人,他们出面与司提反辩论, 10 但司提反靠着圣灵和智慧说话,他们就抵挡不住。 11 于是他们唆使众人,说:“我们听过他说谤渎摩西和 神的话。” 12 又煽动民众、长老、经学家,这些人就来捉拿他,把他带到公议会, 13 并且造了假的证供说:“这人不断抨击圣地和律法。 14 我们听他说过:‘这拿撒勒人耶稣要毁坏这地方,改变摩西传给我们的规例。’” 15 当时,坐在公议会里的人,都注视他,见他的面貌像天使一样。

選立執事

那時,門徒的人數與日俱增。當中有些講希臘話的猶太人埋怨講希伯來話的猶太人,說對方在日常分配食物的事上怠慢了他們的寡婦。 於是,十二使徒召集所有的門徒,對他們說:「我們不應該忽略傳上帝的道,去管理膳食。 弟兄姊妹,請從你們中間選出七位聲譽良好、被聖靈充滿、有智慧的人來負責膳食, 而我們要專心祈禱和傳道。」

大家一致同意,便選出充滿信心、被聖靈充滿的司提凡,此外還有腓利、伯羅哥羅、尼迦挪、提門、巴米拿,以及曾信過猶太教、來自安提阿的外族人尼哥拉。 大家將這七個人帶到使徒面前。使徒把手按在他們身上,為他們禱告。

上帝的道興旺起來,耶路撒冷的門徒大大增多,連許多祭司也皈信了。

司提凡被捕

司提凡得到極大的恩典和能力,在百姓中間行了驚人的神蹟奇事。 但有些來自古利奈、亞歷山大、基利迦和亞細亞、屬於「自由人[a]會堂」的猶太人聯合起來與司提凡辯論。 10 他們無法駁倒司提凡,因為他靠著智慧和聖靈說話。

11 於是,他們暗中唆使一些人誣告司提凡說:「我們聽見他說褻瀆摩西和上帝的話!」 12 又煽動百姓、長老和律法教師抓住司提凡,把他押到公會。 13 他們還派人作偽證說:「司提凡常常講侮辱聖地[b]和律法的話。 14 我們聽見他說那個拿撒勒人耶穌要毀壞聖殿,還要摒棄摩西傳給我們的規矩。」 15 在場的人都盯著司提凡,只見他的容貌好像天使一樣。

Footnotes

  1. 6·9 自由人」指的是原為奴隸,後來獲得自由的人。
  2. 6·13 聖地」指「聖殿」。

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

The Word of God Prospered

1-4 During this time, as the disciples were increasing in numbers by leaps and bounds, hard feelings developed among the Greek-speaking believers—“Hellenists”—toward the Hebrew-speaking believers because their widows were being discriminated against in the daily food lines. So the Twelve called a meeting of the disciples. They said, “It wouldn’t be right for us to abandon our responsibilities for preaching and teaching the Word of God to help with the care of the poor. So, friends, choose seven men from among you whom everyone trusts, men full of the Holy Spirit and good sense, and we’ll assign them this task. Meanwhile, we’ll stick to our assigned tasks of prayer and speaking God’s Word.”

5-6 The congregation thought this was a great idea. They went ahead and chose—

Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,

Philip,

Procorus,

Nicanor,

Timon,

Parmenas,

Nicolas, a convert from Antioch.

Then they presented them to the apostles. Praying, the apostles laid on hands and commissioned them for their task.

The Word of God prospered. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased dramatically. Not least, a great many priests submitted themselves to the faith.

* * *

8-10 Stephen, brimming with God’s grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them. But then some men from the meeting place whose membership was made up of freed slaves, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and some others from Cilicia and Asia, went up against him trying to argue him down. But they were no match for his wisdom and spirit when he spoke.

11 So in secret they bribed men to lie: “We heard him cursing Moses and God.”

12-14 That stirred up the people, the religious leaders, and religion scholars. They grabbed Stephen and took him before the High Council. They put forward their bribed witnesses to testify: “This man talks nonstop against this Holy Place and God’s Law. We even heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth would tear this place down and throw out all the customs Moses gave us.”

15 As all those who sat on the High Council looked at Stephen, they found they couldn’t take their eyes off him—his face was like the face of an angel!

These emissaries of Jesus inspire us with their passion to serve Jesus and advance the gospel in the face of torture and abuse. After a night in prison and a public flogging, they moved forward with smiles on their faces. Believers in the Western church often enjoy the benefits of social and political power and are unwilling to suffer persecution for their faith as these men did. At the same time, many believers throughout the world face daily pressure to renounce their faith but choose boldly to remain faithful despite social, economic, and even physical persecution. These believers follow closely the path trodden by the Anointed One and His early followers.

Things were going well, and the number of disciples was growing. But a problem arose. The Greek-speaking believers became frustrated with the Hebrew-speaking believers. The Greeks complained that the Greek-speaking widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. The twelve convened the entire community of disciples.

The Twelve: We could solve this problem ourselves, but that wouldn’t be right. We need to focus on proclaiming God’s message, not on distributing food. So, friends, find seven respected men from the community of faith. These men should be full of the Holy Spirit and full of wisdom. Whomever you select we will commission to resolve this matter so we can maintain our focus on praying and serving—not meals—but the message.

Life in the new community isn’t perfect. However, the believers don’t allow their linguistic and social barriers to divide the church; instead, the emissaries seize this opportunity to create greater unity between disparate groups. They appoint seven leaders, mostly Greek-speaking (based on their names), to oversee the distribution of food. This movement toward unity will be a challenge to the future church that will so easily be divided by any problem, real or perceived.

The whole community—Greek-speaking and Hebrew-speaking—was very pleased with this plan, so they chose seven men: Stephen (a man full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit), Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (a Greek-speaking convert from Antioch). These men were presented to the apostles, who then prayed for them and commissioned them by laying their hands on them. The message of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples continued to increase significantly there in Jerusalem. Even priests in large numbers became obedient to the faith.

Stephen continually overflowed with extraordinary grace and power, and he was able to perform a number of miraculous signs and wonders in public view. But eventually a group arose to oppose Stephen and the message to which his signs and wonders pointed. (These men were from a group called the Free Synagogue and included Cyrenians, Alexandrians, Cilicians, and Asians.) 10 The Holy Spirit gave Stephen such wisdom in responding to their arguments that they were humiliated; 11 in retaliation, they spread a vicious rumor: “We heard Stephen speak blasphemies against Moses and God.”

12 Their rumor prompted an uprising that included common people, religious officials, and scholars. They surprised Stephen, grabbed him, and hauled him before the council. 13 They convinced some witnesses to give false testimony.

False Witnesses: This fellow constantly degrades the holy temple and mocks our holy law. 14 With our own ears, we’ve heard him say this Jesus fellow, this Nazarene he’s always talking about, will actually destroy the holy temple and will try to change the sacred customs we received from Moses.

15 The entire council turned its gaze on Stephen to see how he would respond. They were shocked to see his face radiant with peace—as if he were a heavenly messenger.