1Now at thistime while the 1disciples were 2increasing in number, a complaintarose on the part of the 3Hellenistic Jews against the native 4Hebrews, because their 5widows were being overlooked in 6the dailyserving of food.
2
So the twelvesummoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to servetables.
3
"Therefore, 7brethren, select from among you sevenmen of goodreputation, 8full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of thistask.
4
"But we will 9devoteourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
5
The statementfoundapproval with the wholecongregation; and they chose10Stephen, a man11full of faith and of the HolySpirit, and 12Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a 13proselyte from 14Antioch.
6
And these they broughtbefore the apostles; and after 15praying, they 16laid their hands on them.
7
17The word of God kept on spreading; and 18the number of the disciples continued to increasegreatly in Jerusalem, and a greatmany of the priests were becomingobedient to 19the faith.
8
And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performinggreat20wonders and signsamong the people.
9
But somemen from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both21Cyrenians and 22Alexandrians, and some from 23Cilicia and 24Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.
10
But they were unable* to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.
11
Then they secretlyinducedmen to say, "We have heard him speakblasphemouswordsagainstMoses and against God."
12
And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they 25came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before26the Council.
13
They putforward27falsewitnesses who said, "Thismanincessantly*speaksagainstthis28holyplace and the Law;
14
for we have heard him say that 29thisNazarene, Jesus, will destroythisplace and alter30the customswhichMoseshandeddown to us."
15
And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the 31Councilsaw his facelike the face of an angel.