The First Seven Deacons Appointed
1 About this time, as the number of disciples was increasing, complaints were made by the Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebrews because their widows were habitually overlooked in the daily ministration.
1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
1 Now (a)at this time while the (A)disciples were (B)increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the (b)(C)Hellenistic Jews against the native (D)Hebrews, because their (E)widows were being overlooked in (F)the daily serving of food.
1 In those days, as the number of the disciples(A) was multiplying, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews(a) against the Hebraic Jews(b) that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.(B)
1 In those days, as the number of the disciples was growing larger and larger, a complaint was made by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.
2 So the Twelve called together the general body of the disciples and said, "It does not seem fitting that we Apostles should neglect the delivery of God's Message and minister at tables.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
2 So the twelve summoned the (c)congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.
2 Then the Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching about God to handle financial matters.(c)
2 So the Twelve called the whole group of disciples together and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect messages from God in order to wait on tables.
3 Therefore, brethren, pick out from among yourselves seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, and we will appoint them to undertake this duty.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
3 Therefore, (G)brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, (H)full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation,(C) full of the Spirit(D) and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.
3 Therefore, brothers, appoint seven men among you who have a good reputation, who are full of the Spirit and wisdom, and we'll put them in charge of this work.
4 But, as for us, we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the delivery of the Message."
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry.”
4 Then we'll devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
5 The suggestion met with general approval, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
5 The statement found approval with the whole (e)congregation; and they chose (J)Stephen, a man (K)full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and (L)Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and (f)Nicolas, a (g)(M)proselyte from (N)Antioch.
5 The proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen,(E) a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte from Antioch.(F)
5 This suggestion pleased the whole group. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a gentile convert to Judaism from Antioch.
6 These men they brought to the Apostles, and, after prayer, they laid their hands upon them.
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
6 And these they brought before the apostles; and after (O)praying, they (P)laid their hands on them.
6 They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 Meanwhile God's Message continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem very greatly increased, and very many priests obeyed the faith.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
7 (Q)The word of God kept on spreading; and (R)the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to (S)the faith.
7 So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied(I) greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.
7 So the word of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem continued to grow rapidly. Even a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Stephen Arrested
8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, performed great marvels and signs among the people.
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great (T)wonders and (h)signs among the people.
8 Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
9 But some members of the so-called 'Synagogue of the Freed-men,' together with some Cyrenaeans, Alexandrians, Cilicians and men from Roman Asia, were roused to encounter Stephen in debate.
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
9 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both (U)Cyrenians and (V)Alexandrians, and some from (W)Cilicia and (i)(X)Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.
9 Then some from what is called the Freedmen’s Synagogue, composed of both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and disputed with Stephen.
9 But some men who belonged to the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), as well as some Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and began to debate with Stephen.
10 They were quite unable, however, to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
10 But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.
10 But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.
10 But they could neither refute the wisdom nor withstand the Spirit by which he kept speaking.
11 Then they privately put forward men who declared, "We have heard him speak blasphemous things against Moses and against God."
11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”
11 Then they persuaded some men to say, “We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God!”(J)
11 So they secretly got some men to say, "We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God."
12 In this way they excited the people, the Elders, and the Scribes. At length they came upon him, seized him with violence, and took him before the Sanhedrin.
12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
12 And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they (Y)came up to him and dragged him away and brought him (j)before (Z)the (k)Council.
12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came, dragged him off, and took him to the Sanhedrin.
12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes. Then they rushed at Stephen, grabbed him, and brought him before the Council.
13 Here they brought forward false witnesses who declared, "This fellow is incessantly speaking against the Holy Place and the Law.
13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
13 They put forward (AA)false witnesses who said, “This man incessantly speaks against this (AB)holy place and the Law;
13 They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.(K)
13 They had false witnesses stand up and say, "This man never stops saying things against this Holy Place and against the Law.
14 For we have heard him say that Jesus, the Nazarene, will pull this place down to the ground and will change the customs which Moses handed down to us."
14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
14 for we have heard him say that (AC)this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter (AD)the customs which Moses handed down to us.”
14 For we heard him say that Jesus, this Nazarene, will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”(L)
14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus from Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us."
15 At once the eyes of all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin were fastened on him, and they saw his face looking just like the face of an angel.
15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
15 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the (l)(AE)Council saw his face like the face of an angel.
15 And all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
15 Then everyone who was seated in the Council glared at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.