Acts 6

1 Now in these days, as the disciples were multiplying, there came a grumbling of the Greek-speakers against the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily service. [a] 2 And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them and said, “It is not pleasing that we should leave the word of God behind to serve tables. [b] 3 So look out from among yourselves, brothers, seven men well spoken of, full of spirit and wisdom, whom we will appoint over this need; [c] 4 and we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.”

5 And the word pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolaus, a convert from Antioch; [d] † † 6 whom they set before the apostles; and praying, they laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God kept growing, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a great crowd of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

8 And Stephen, full of favor and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. [e] 9 But some of those from the synagogue called the synagogue of the Freedmen — Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia — rose up and disputed with Stephen, [f] 10 and they were not strong enough to stand against the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking.

11 Then they secretly put men forward who said, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him into the council, [g] 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop speaking words against the holy place and the law; [h] 14 for we have heard him saying that this Jesus the Nazorean will tear down this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” [i]

15 And all who were sitting in the council looked intently at him and saw his face like the face of a messenger. [j]