Acts 6
The Voice
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.
6 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. 2 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. 3 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 4 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.
5 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). 6 These men were presented to the apostles, who then prayed for them and commissioned them by laying their hands on them. 7 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.
8 Stephen continually overflowed with extraordinary grace and power, and he was able to perform a number of miraculous signs and wonders in public view. 9 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.
Acts 6
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
Seven Chosen to Serve
6 Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. 2 And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait at tables.[a] 3 Therefore, friends,[b] select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, 4 while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.’ 5 What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
The Arrest of Stephen
8 Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit[c] with which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly instigated some men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.’ 12 They stirred up the people as well as the elders and the scribes; then they suddenly confronted him, seized him, and brought him before the council. 13 They set up false witnesses who said, ‘This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law; 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth[d] will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed on to us.’ 15 And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Travay 6
Nouvo Testaman: Vèsyon Kreyòl Fasil
Yo chwazi sèt moun pou yon travay espesyal
6 Kantite kwayan yo te kontinye ap ogmante chak jou pi plis. Nan menm tan sa tou, Jwif ki te fèt nan lòt peyi epi ki te pale grèk yo te tonbe plenyen kont Jwif ki te fèt nan Izrayèl epi ki te pale ebre yo. Yo t ap plenyen dèske vèv pa yo pa t jwenn anyen nan manje ki t ap separe chak jou a. 2 Konsa, douz apot yo rasanble tout gwoup kwayan yo ansanm, epi yo di yo: “Li pa ta nòmal pou nou ta neglije travay anseye Bòn Nouvèl Bondye a pou n al okipe afè separe manje.
3 Kidonk, frè nou yo, se pou nou chwazi sèt (7) frè pami nou ki gen bon repitasyon, ki anba pouvwa Sentespri a epi ki gen anpil sajès. Nou menm apot yo, n a mete moun nou chwazi yo responsab sèvis sa a. 4 Konsa, nou menm, n ap kapab itilize tout tan nou pou n lapriyè epi anseye mesaj Bondye a.”
5 Tout foul la te dakò nèt ak sa Apot yo te di a. Konsa, yo chwazi Etyèn, yon nonm ki te gen anpil lafwa nan Bondye epi ki te anba pouvwa Sentespri a. Anplis, yo te chwazi Filip,[a] Pwokò, Nikanò, Timon, Pamenas, ak Nikola. Nikola sa a se te yon moun lavil Antyòch ki te konvèti nan relijyon Jwif yo, anvan menm li te kwè nan Jezikris. 6 Yo prezante mesye yo devan apot yo. Apot yo lapriyè epi yo mete men sou tèt[b] mesye yo.
7 Ansèyman mesaj Bòn Nouvèl la te kontinye gaye toupatou. Epi gwoup kwayan nan Jerizalèm yo pa t sispann ogmante. Ata sakrifikatè yo te vin mete konfyans yo nan Kris la pa ban ak pa pakèt.
Kèk nan Jwif yo tonbe fè diskisyon ak Etyèn
8 Bondye te beni Etyèn anpil. Bondye te ba li anpil puisans, konsa, li t ap fè anpil bèl bagay ak anpil mirak nan mitan pèp la. 9 Malgre sa, te gen yon gwoup moun ki leve kont li. Se yon gwoup moun ki soti nan sinagòg yo te rele sinagòg ansyen esklav yo.[c] Ladan yo, te gen Jwif ki soti lavil Sirèn, sa k soti Aleksandri, sa k soti nan peyi Silisa ak lòt ki soti nan Lazi. Yo tout te tonbe fè diskisyon ak Etyèn. 10 Mesye yo pa t gen agiman pou kenbe tèt ak Etyèn, paske se Sentespri a ki te ba l sajès pou l di sa l t ap di yo.
11 Lè Jwif yo wè yo pa t ka gen rezon sou Etyèn, yo peye kèk moun anba anba pou y al fè fo temwanyaj kont Etyèn, pou y al di: “Nou tande l ap pale Moyiz ak Bondye mal!” 12 Konsa, Jwif yo resi monte tèt ni pèp la, ni chèf fanmi yo, ni doktè lalwa kont Etyèn. Yo vin fache kont li. Y al kote Etyèn te ye a, yo poze lapat sou li epi yo mennen l vin devan Gran Konsèy la.
13 Yo mennen fo temwen tou ki vin di: “Nonm sa a pa sispann pale Tanp sa ki apa pou Bondye a ak lalwa nou an mal. 14 Nou tande l ap di Jezi, nonm Nazarèt la, gen pou l kraze Tanp sa a epi l ap chanje tout koutim Moyiz te kite pou nou yo.” 15 Tout manm Gran Konsèy la te gen je yo fikse sou Etyèn. Pandan y ap gade l konsa, yo wè figi l sanble ak figi yon anj Bondye.
Footnotes
- 6:5 Filip Sa a se pa menm Filip ki te apot la.
- 6:6 mete men sou tèt Se te yon fason pou mande Bondye beni moun yon fason espesyal pou l geri yo, pou l fè Sentespri a desann sou yo oubyen pou l ba yo pouvwa pou fè yon travay espesyal.
- 6:9 ansyen esklav yo Jwif ki te esklav osinon papa yo ki te esklav, men kounye a yo lib.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2017 by Bible League International