사도행전 6

Seven chosen to serve the widows

¹In those days, while the number of disciples kept growing, the Greek-speaking believers began to grumble against those who spoke Hebrew. Their widows, they said, were being passed over when food was given out each day. ²So the Twelve called the whole company of the disciples together and said, “It is not fitting for us to leave aside the word of God in order to serve at tables. ³So, brothers and sisters, look among yourselves for seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, and we will put them in charge of this need.^{a 4}As for us, we will hold fast to prayer and to the service of the word.” ⁵The whole gathering approved of what was said. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert to Judaism from Antioch. ⁶They had these men stand before the apostles, and after praying, they laid their hands on them.

The word grows, and Stephen is seized

⁷So God’s word went on spreading. In Jerusalem the disciples grew greatly in number, and large numbers of priests were coming to obey the faith. ⁸Stephen was full of grace and power, and he worked wonders and great signs among the people.^{b 9}Then opposition rose up from the synagogue known as the Freedmen’s, with Cyrenians and Alexandrians and people from Cilicia and Asia, and they began debating with Stephen. ¹⁰Yet the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke were too much for them; they could not hold their ground.^{c 11}Then they quietly got some men to say, “We have heard this man utter blasphemies against Moses and against God.” ¹²They roused the people, the elders and the scribes. They came upon Stephen, seized him, and took him before the council. ¹³There they put up false witnesses, who said, “This man keeps on talking against the holy place and against the law. ¹⁴We heard him say that this Jesus, the Nazarene, will pull this place down and alter the customs Moses passed on to us.”^{d 15}Everyone seated in the council fixed their eyes on Stephen, and they saw that his face looked like an angel’s.