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Acts 6
New International Version

The Choosing of the Seven

6 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) 2 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. 3 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) 4 and will give our attention to prayer(J) and the ministry of the word.”

5 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. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed(N) and laid their hands on them.(O)

7 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

8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs(R) among the people. 9 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
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Acts 6
New English Translation

The Appointment of the First Seven Deacons

6 Now in those[a] days, when the disciples were growing in number,[b] a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews[c] against the native Hebraic Jews,[d] because their widows[e] were being overlooked[f] in the daily distribution of food.[g] 2 So the twelve[h] called[i] the whole group[j] of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables.[k] 3 But carefully select from among you, brothers,[l] seven[m] men who are well-attested,[n] full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge[o] of this necessary task.[p] 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 The[q] proposal pleased the entire group, so[r] they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with[s] Philip,[t] Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism[u] from Antioch. 6 They stood these men before the apostles, who prayed[v] and placed[w] their hands on them. 7 The word of God continued to spread,[x] the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly, and a large group[y] of priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen is Arrested

8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs[z] among the people. 9 But some men from the Synagogue[aa] of the Freedmen (as it was called),[ab] both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia,[ac] stood up and argued with Stephen. 10 Yet[ad] they were not able to resist[ae] the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly instigated[af] some men to say, “We have heard this man[ag] speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 They incited the people, the[ah] elders, and the experts in the law;[ai] then they approached Stephen,[aj] seized him, and brought him before the council.[ak] 13 They brought forward false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop saying things against this holy place[al] and the law.[am] 14 For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs[an] that Moses handed down to us.” 15 All[ao] who were sitting in the council[ap] looked intently at Stephen[aq] and saw his face was like the face of an angel.[ar]

Footnotes

  1. Acts 6:1 tn Grk “these.” The translation uses “those” for stylistic reasons.
  2. Acts 6:1 tn Grk “were multiplying.”
  3. Acts 6:1 tn Grk “the Hellenists,” but this descriptive term is largely unknown to the modern English reader. The translation “Greek-speaking Jews” attempts to convey something of who these were, but it was more than a matter of language spoken; it involved a degree of adoption of Greek culture as well.sn The Greek-speaking Jews were the Hellenists, Jews who to a greater or lesser extent had adopted Greek thought, customs, and lifestyle, as well as the Greek language. The city of Alexandria in Egypt was a focal point for them, but they were scattered throughout the Roman Empire.
  4. Acts 6:1 tn Grk “against the Hebrews,” but as with “Hellenists” this needs further explanation for the modern reader.
  5. Acts 6:1 sn The care of widows is a major biblical theme: Deut 10:18; 16:11, 14; 24:17, 19-21; 26:12-13; 27:19; Isa 1:17-23; Jer 7:6; Mal 3:5.
  6. Acts 6:1 tn Or “neglected.”
  7. Acts 6:1 tn Grk “in the daily serving.”sn The daily distribution of food. The early church saw it as a responsibility to meet the basic needs of people in their group.
  8. Acts 6:2 sn The twelve refers to the twelve apostles.
  9. Acts 6:2 tn Grk “calling the whole group…together, said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενοι (proskalesamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  10. Acts 6:2 tn Or “the multitude.”
  11. Acts 6:2 tn Grk “to serve tables.”
  12. Acts 6:3 tn It is not clear from a historical standpoint (but it is unlikely) that women would have been involved in the selection process too. For this reason the translation “brothers” has been retained, rather than “brothers and sisters” (used in contexts where both male and female believers are clearly addressed).
  13. Acts 6:3 sn Seven. Jewish town councils often had seven members (Josephus, Ant. 4.18.14 [4.214]).
  14. Acts 6:3 tn Or “are of good reputation” (BDAG 618 s.v. μαρτυρέω 2.b).
  15. Acts 6:3 tn The translation “put in charge” is given by BDAG 492 s.v. καθίστημι 2.
  16. Acts 6:3 tn Grk “of this need”; translated “necessary work” or “needed task” by L&N 42.22.
  17. Acts 6:5 tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
  18. Acts 6:5 tn The translation “so” has been used to indicate the logical sequence in English.
  19. Acts 6:5 tn “With” is smoother English style for an addition like this. Because of differences between Greek and English style, καί (kai), which occurs between each name in the list, has not been translated except preceding the last element.
  20. Acts 6:5 sn Philip. Note how many of the names in this list are Greek. This suggests that Hellenists were chosen to solve the problem they had been so sensitive about fixing (cf. 6:1).
  21. Acts 6:5 tn Or “a proselyte.”
  22. Acts 6:6 tn Literally this is a participle in the Greek text (προσευξάμενοι, proseuxamenoi). It could be translated as a finite verb (“and they prayed and placed their hands on them”) but much smoother English results if the entire coordinate clause is converted to a relative clause that refers back to the apostles.sn Who prayed. The prayer indicates their acceptance and commissioning for ministry (cf. Deut 34:9).
  23. Acts 6:6 tn Or “laid.”
  24. Acts 6:7 tn Grk “kept on spreading”; the verb has been translated as a progressive imperfect.
  25. Acts 6:7 tn Grk “a great multitude.”sn A large group. Many Jews, even some religious leaders, were responding.
  26. Acts 6:8 tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context. Here the work of miracles extends beyond the Twelve for the first time.
  27. Acts 6:9 sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).
  28. Acts 6:9 tn Grk “the so-called Synagogue of the Freedmen.” The translation of the participle λεγομένης (legomenēs) by the phrase “as it was called” is given by L&N 87.86. “Freedmen” would be slaves who had gained their freedom, or the descendants of such people (BDAG 594-95 s.v. Λιβερτῖνος).
  29. Acts 6:9 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia. The Roman province of Asia made up about one-third of modern Asia Minor and was on the western side of it. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
  30. Acts 6:10 tn Grk “and.” The context, however, indicates that the conjunction carries an adversative force.
  31. Acts 6:10 sn They were not able to resist. This represents another fulfillment of Luke 12:11-12; 21:15.
  32. Acts 6:11 tn Another translation would be “they suborned” (but this term is not in common usage). “Instigate (secretly), suborn” is given by BDAG 1036 s.v. ὑποβάλλω.
  33. Acts 6:11 tn Grk “heard him,” but since this is direct discourse, it is more natural (and clearer) to specify the referent (Stephen) as “this man.”
  34. Acts 6:12 tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
  35. Acts 6:12 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.
  36. Acts 6:12 tn Grk “approaching, they seized him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  37. Acts 6:12 tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). Stephen suffers just as Peter and John did.
  38. Acts 6:13 sn This holy place is a reference to the temple.
  39. Acts 6:13 sn The law refers to the law of Moses. It elaborates the nature of the blasphemy in v. 11. To speak against God’s law in Torah was to blaspheme God (Deut 28:15-19). On the Jewish view of false witnesses, see Exod 19:16-18; 20:16; m. Sanhedrin 3.6; 5.1-5. Stephen’s speech in Acts 7 may indicate why the temple was mentioned.
  40. Acts 6:14 tn Or “practices.”sn Will destroy this place and change the customs. Stephen appears to view the temple as a less central place in light of Christ’s work, an important challenge to Jewish religion, since it was at this time a temple-centered state and religion. Unlike Acts 3-4, the issue here is more than Jesus and his resurrection. Now the impact of his resurrection and the temple’s centrality has also become an issue. The “falseness” of the charge may not be that the witnesses were lying, but that they falsely read the truth of Stephen’s remarks.
  41. Acts 6:15 tn Grk “And all.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
  42. Acts 6:15 tn Or “Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
  43. Acts 6:15 tn Grk “at him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  44. Acts 6:15 sn His face was like the face of an angel. This narrative description of Stephen’s face adds to the mood of the passage. He had the appearance of a supernatural, heavenly messenger.
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Acts 6
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Chapter 6

The Need for Assistants. 1 [a]At that time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.(A) 2 [b]So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.[c] 3 Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, 4 whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 (B)They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them.[d] 7 The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.(C)

Accusation Against Stephen. 8 [e]Now Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and people from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and debated with Stephen, 10 but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.(D) 11 Then they instigated some men to say, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.”(E) 12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, accosted him, seized him, and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They presented false witnesses[f] who testified, “This man never stops saying things against [this] holy place and the law. 14 For we have heard him claim that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”(F) 15 All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Footnotes

  1. 6:1–7 The Hellenists…the Hebrews: the Hellenists were not necessarily Jews from the diaspora, but were more probably Palestinian Jews who spoke only Greek. The Hebrews were Palestinian Jews who spoke Hebrew or Aramaic and who may also have spoken Greek. Both groups belong to the Jerusalem Jewish Christian community. The conflict between them leads to a restructuring of the community that will better serve the community’s needs. The real purpose of the whole episode, however, is to introduce Stephen as a prominent figure in the community whose long speech and martyrdom will be recounted in Acts 7.
  2. 6:2–4 The essential function of the Twelve is the “service of the word,” including development of the kerygma by formulation of the teachings of Jesus.
  3. 6:2 To serve at table: some commentators think that it is not the serving of food that is described here but rather the keeping of the accounts that recorded the distribution of food to the needy members of the community. In any case, after Stephen and the others are chosen, they are never presented carrying out the task for which they were appointed (Acts 6:2–3). Rather, two of their number, Stephen and Philip, are presented as preachers of the Christian message. They, the Hellenist counterpart of the Twelve, are active in the ministry of the word.
  4. 6:6 They…laid hands on them: the customary Jewish way of designating persons for a task and invoking upon them the divine blessing and power to perform it.
  5. 6:8–8:1

    The summary (Acts 6:7) on the progress of the Jerusalem community, illustrated by the conversion of the priests, is followed by a lengthy narrative regarding Stephen. Stephen’s defense is not a response to the charges made against him but takes the form of a discourse that reviews the fortunes of God’s word to Israel and leads to a prophetic declaration: a plea for the hearing of that word as announced by Christ and now possessed by the Christian community.

    The charges that Stephen depreciated the importance of the temple and the Mosaic law and elevated Jesus to a stature above Moses (Acts 6:13–14) were in fact true. Before the Sanhedrin, no defense against them was possible. With Stephen, who thus perceived the fuller implications of the teachings of Jesus, the differences between Judaism and Christianity began to appear. Luke’s account of Stephen’s martyrdom and its aftermath shows how the major impetus behind the Christian movement passed from Jerusalem, where the temple and law prevailed, to Antioch in Syria, where these influences were less pressing.

  6. 6:13 False witnesses: here, and in his account of Stephen’s execution (Acts 7:54–60), Luke parallels the martyrdom of Stephen with the death of Jesus.
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