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拣选七人办理供给之事

那些日子,门徒增多,有说希腊话的犹太人向希伯来人发怨言,因为在日常的供给上忽略了他们的寡妇。 十二使徒叫众门徒来,说:“我们撇下 神的道去管理饭食,是不合宜的。 所以弟兄们,当从你们中间选出七个有好名声、满有圣灵和智慧,我们派他们管理这事。 至于我们,我们要专注于祈祷和传道的事奉。” 这话使全会众都喜悦,就拣选了司提反—他是一个满有信心和圣灵的人;他们又拣选了腓利伯罗哥罗尼迦挪提门巴米拿,并皈依犹太教的安提阿尼哥拉 叫他们站在使徒面前,使徒祷告后,就为他们按手。

 神的道兴旺起来;在耶路撒冷门徒数目增加得很多,也有许多祭司听从了这信仰。

司提反被捕

司提反满有恩惠和能力,在民间行了大奇事和神迹。 当时有从称为“自由人”会堂,并古利奈亚历山大会堂来的人,还有些从基利家亚细亚来的人,起来和司提反辩论。 10 司提反是以智慧和圣灵说话,众人抵挡不住, 11 就收买人来说:“我们听见他说亵渎摩西和 神的话。” 12 他们又煽动百姓、长老和文士,就突然来捉拿他,把他带到议会去, 13 设下假见证,说:“这个人不断地说话,侮辱神圣的地方和律法。 14 我们曾听见他说,这拿撒勒人耶稣要毁坏这地方,也要改变摩西所交给我们的规矩。” 15 在议会里坐着的人都定睛看他,见他的面貌好像天使的面貌。

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”。

Problems of family living

Around that time, as the number of disciples increased, the “Hellenists” raised a dispute with the “Hebrews” because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve called the whole crowd of disciples together.

“Listen,” they said. “It wouldn’t be right for us to leave the word of God to wait on tables. So, brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among yourselves who are well spoken of and filled with the spirit and wisdom. We will put them in charge of what needs to be done in this matter. We will continue to pay attention to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

The whole gathering was pleased with what they said. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the holy spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolaus (a proselyte from Antioch). They presented them before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

The word of God increased, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem grew by leaps and bounds. This included a large crowd of priests who became obedient to the faith.

Stephen becomes a target

Stephen was filled with grace and power, and performed great signs and wonders among the people. But some from the “Freemen’s Synagogue,” as it was named, and from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia, stood up and disputed with Stephen. 10 They could not, however, resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

11 Then they put up men to say, “We heard this man speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God!” 12 They aroused the people, the elders and the scribes. They set upon him, seized him, and took him in front of the Assembly. 13 They set up false witnesses to say, “This man never stops speaking words against this holy place and the law! 14 We heard him say that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place, and change the customs which Moses handed down to us!”

15 Everyone who was sitting in the Assembly looked hard at Stephen. They all saw that his face was like the face of an angel.