Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a
complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their
widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the
twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is
not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve
tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of
good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint
to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the
ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole
gathering, 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. These they set
before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the
disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the
priests became obedient to the faith.
And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and
signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the
synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians,
and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose
up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the
wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they
secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak
blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the
people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and
seized him and brought him before the council, and they set up
false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words
against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that
this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the
customs that Moses delivered to us.” And gazing at him, all who sat
in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
