6:1 Now in these days while the disciples were multiplying, there became a murmuring from the Grecian Jews aimed toward the Hebrews, because their widows had been left unattended in the daily service.
6:2 And the twelve called the crowd of the disciples to them and said, It is not pleasing to God for us to be leaving the word of God, to serve tables.
6:3 Therefore brethren, elect from you* seven men well testified of, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may designate over this need.
6:4 But we will persevere in prayer and in the service of the word.
6:5 And the saying pleased the whole crowd 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 Jewish-convert from Antioch;
6:6 whom they stood before the apostles and when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.
6:7 And the word of God grew, and the number of the disciples were extremely multiplied in Jerusalem, and a large crowd of the priests were obedient* to the faith.
6:8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.
6:9 But there stood up some of those who were of the synagogue called the Synagogue of the Freedmen both those from Cyrene and from Alexandria, and those from Cilicia and Asia, debating with Stephen.
6:10 And they were not strong-enough to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he was speaking.
6:11 Then they instigated men, who said, We have heard him speak blasphemous declarations at Moses and God.
6:12 And they agitated the people and the elders and the scribes and standing against him, seized him and led him into the council.
6:13 And false witnesses stood up, who said, This man does not cease to speak blasphemous declarations against this holy place and the law;
6:14 for* we have heard him say, that this Jesus the Nazarene will tear-down this place and will change the customs which Moses gave to us.
6:15 And all who sat in the council, staring toward him, saw his face was like the face of a messenger.