Acts 6

¹Now in these days, when the disciples were multiplying, there arose a grumbling of the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.

²And having summoned the whole multitude of the disciples, the Twelve said, 'It is not pleasing for us, having abandoned the word of God, to serve at tables.'

³Therefore, brothers, select from among yourselves seven men well attested, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we will appoint over this task.

⁴But we ourselves will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

⁵And the proposal pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.

⁶These they set before the apostles, and having prayed, they laid their hands on them.

⁷And the word of God was increasing, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem was multiplying greatly, and a great crowd of the priests was becoming obedient to the faith.

⁸Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

⁹But there arose some from the synagogue called the Synagogue of the Freedmen — including Cyrenians and Alexandrians and those from Cilicia and Asia — disputing with Stephen.

¹⁰Yet they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he was speaking.

¹¹Then they secretly instigated men to say, 'We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.'

¹²And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and coming upon him, they seized him and brought him before the Council.

¹³They also set up false witnesses who said, 'This man does not cease speaking words against this holy place and the law.'

¹⁴For we have heard him saying that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed down to us.

¹⁵And all who were sitting in the Council, gazing intently at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.