Acts 6:2

Contemporary English Version

The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together and said, "We should not give up preaching God's message in order to serve at tables.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together. The apostles said to them, "It would not be right for us to give up our work of teaching God's word in order to be in charge of getting food to people.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to gether and sayde: it is not mete that we shuld leave the worde of God and serve at the tables.

Hebrew Names Version
The twelve summoned the multitude of the talmidim and said, "It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables.

International Standard Version
So the twelve called the whole group of disciples together and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.Exodus 18:17;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.

New Century Version
The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together and said, "It is not right for us to stop our work of teaching God's word in order to serve tables.

Update Bible Version
And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them, and said, It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God to serve tables.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

English Standard Version
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.

World English Bible
The twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them and said, "It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then the twelve calling the multitude of the disciples together, said, It is not right, that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

Weymouth's New Testament
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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the twelue clepiden togidere the multitude of disciplis, and seiden, It is not ryytful, that we leeuen the word of God, and mynystren to boordis.

English Revised Version
And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables.

Berean Standard Bible
So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, "It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.

Amplified Bible
So the Twelve called the disciples together and said, "It is not appropriate for us to neglect [teaching] the word of God in order to serve tables and manage the distribution of food.

American Standard Version
And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables.

Bible in Basic English
And the Apostles sent for all the disciples and said, It is not right for us to give up preaching the word of God in order to make distribution of food.

Complete Jewish Bible
So the Twelve called a general meeting of the talmidim and said, "It isn't appropriate that we should neglect the Word of God in order to serve tables.

Darby Translation
And the twelve, having called the multitude of the disciples to [them], said, It is not right that we, leaving the word of God, should serve tables.

Etheridge Translation
And the twelve apostles called all the assembly of the disciples and said to them, It is not fit that we should leave the word of Aloha, and serve tables.

Murdock Translation
And the twelve legates convoked the whole company of the disciples, and said to them: It is not proper, that we should neglect the word of God, and serve tables.

King James Version (1611)
Then the twelue called the multitude of the disciples vnto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leaue the word of God, and serue tables.

New Living Translation
So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, "We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.

New Life Bible
So the twelve missionaries called a meeting of the many followers and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God to hand out food.

New Revised Standard
And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the twelue called the multitude of the disciples together, and sayd, It is not meete that we should leaue the worde of God to serue the tables.

George Lamsa Translation
So the twelve apostles called the whole multitude of the converts and said to them, It is not good that we should leave the word of God and serve food. *

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the Twelve, calling near the throng of the disciples, said - It doth not seem, right, that, we, forsaking the word of God, should be ministering unto tables.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then the twelve, calling together the multitude of the disciples, said: It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.

Revised Standard Version
And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then the twelue called the multitude of the disciples together, and sayde: It is not good that we shoulde leaue the worde of God, and serue tables.

Good News Translation
So the twelve apostles called the whole group of believers together and said, "It is not right for us to neglect the preaching of God's word in order to handle finances.

Christian Standard Bible®
The Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching the word of God to wait on tables.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
So the twelve summoned the community of disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we neglect the word of God to serve tables.

Literal Translation
And having called near the multitude of the disciples, the Twelve said, It is not pleasing to us, having left the Word of God, to serve tables!

Young's Literal Translation
and the twelve, having called near the multitude of the disciples, said, `It is not pleasing that we, having left the word of God, do minister at tables;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then the twolue called the multitude of the disciples together, and sayde: It is not mete that we shulde leaue the worde of God, and to serue at the tables.

Mace New Testament (1729)
the twelve therefore assembled all the disciples, and said, it is not fit that we should leave the word of God, to mind what relates to your meals.

New English Translation
So the twelve called the whole group of the disciples together and said, "It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables.

New King James Version
Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.

Simplified Cowboy Version
The twelve cowboys gathered everyone together and said, "We are not going to stop traveling around and preaching the good news so we might wait tables for the poor.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.

Legacy Standard Bible
So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not pleasing to God for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.

Contextual Overview

¹ A lot of people were now becoming followers of the Lord. But some of the ones who spoke Greek started complaining about the ones who spoke Aramaic. They complained that the Greek-speaking widows were not given their share when the food supplies were handed out each day. ² The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together and said, "We should not give up preaching God's message in order to serve at tables. ³ My friends, choose seven men who are respected and wise and filled with God's Spirit. We will put them in charge of these things. ⁴ We can spend our time praying and serving God by preaching." ⁵ This suggestion pleased everyone, and they began by choosing Stephen. He had great faith and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they chose Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and also Nicolaus, who worshiped with the Jewish people in Antioch. ⁶ These men were brought to the apostles. Then the apostles prayed and placed their hands on the men to show that they had been chosen to do this work. ⁷ God's message spread, and many more people in Jerusalem became followers. Even a large number of priests put their faith in the Lord.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the twelve: Acts 21:22

It: Acts 4:19, Acts 25:27

we should: Exodus 18:17-26, Numbers 11:11-13, Deuteronomy 1:9-14, Nehemiah 6:3, 2 Timothy 2:4

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 1:13 - Take 2 Chronicles 35:14 - because the priests Nehemiah 11:16 - outward Acts 15:6 - General Acts 15:30 - and 1 Corinthians 6:4 - who 1 Timothy 3:10 - use

Cross-References

Genesis 3:6
The woman stared at the fruit. It looked beautiful and tasty. She wanted the wisdom that it would give her, and she ate some of the fruit. Her husband was there with her, so she gave some to him, and he ate it too.

Genesis 4:26
Later, Seth had a son and named him Enosh. About this time people started worshiping the Lord .

Genesis 6:1
More and more people were born, until finally they spread all over the earth. Some of their daughters were so beautiful that supernatural beings came down and married the ones they wanted.

Genesis 6:3
Then the Lord said, "I won't let my life-giving breath remain in anyone forever. No one will live for more than one hundred twenty years."

Genesis 6:4
The children of the supernatural beings who had married these women became famous heroes and warriors. They were called Nephilim and lived on the earth at that time and even later.

Genesis 6:6
He was very sorry that he had made them,

Genesis 6:7
and he said, "I'll destroy every living creature on earth! I'll wipe out people, animals, birds, and reptiles. I'm sorry I ever made them."

Genesis 6:8
But the Lord was pleased with Noah,

Genesis 6:13
So he told Noah: Cruelty and violence have spread everywhere. Now I'm going to destroy the whole earth and all its people.

Genesis 6:14
Get some good lumber and build a boat. Put rooms in it and cover it with tar inside and out.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then the twelve,.... The twelve apostles, as the Syriac version reads; for their number was now complete, Matthias being chosen in the room of Judas: these being informed of the murmur there was between the two sorts of believers, the Hebrew and thc Hellenistic Jews,

called the multitude of the disciples unto them; either the hundred and twenty, the original members of the church, which first formed it, and on whom the Holy Ghost descended on the day of Pentecost; or rather the whole body of the church: for what the apostles had to say concerned them all; and they all had an equal right to chose their officers, that should minister unto them; and when they were convened together, they addressed them after this manner:

and said, it is not reason; or "it is not pleasing", neither to God, nor to us; so the Arabic version reads, "this does not please us"; nor could it be pleasing to the church itself:

that we should leave the word of God the study of the word, meditation upon it, and preaching it: not that they did relinquish either of these; but they were sometimes obliged to omit them, or not so frequently attend them; the care of the poor taking up more of their time, than the work of the ministry, or preaching of the Gospel would admit of; and therefore thought it not so right and proper, or so acceptable a thing to God and man, that they should in the least neglect a work of so great importance to the souls of men, and cause it to give way to that which only regarded their bodies:

and serve tables; the tables of the poor, collect for them, inspect into their several cases, and circumstances, and distribute accordingly to them; which required a good deal of time, care, thought, and circumspection, especially in such a church, where the numbers were so large. From hence we learn what is the business of deacons, who were afterwards appointed to take this part of the apostles' work off of their hands, and attend to it; which is to serve tables: the table of the Lord, by providing the bread and wine for it; receiving both from the minister, when blessed, and distributing them to the members; and collecting from them for the poor, and the defraying the charge; and observing what members are missing at the ordinance, whom they are to admonish; and if their admonitions are not regarded, to report it to the church: and they are likewise to serve the minister's table, by taking care that he has a sufficient competency for his support; and it belongs to them to stir up the members of the church to their duty in communicating to him; and what they receive of them, they are to apply to his use: and also, they are to serve the poor's table; to whom they are to distribute of the church's stock, with all impartiality, simplicity, cheerfulness, and sympathy.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Then the twelve - That is, the apostles. Matthias had been added to them after the apostasy of Judas, which had completed the original number.

The multitude of the disciples - It is not necessary to suppose that all the disciples were convened, which amounted to many thousands, but that the business was laid before a large number; or perhaps “the multitude” here means those merely who were more particularly interested in the matter, and who had been engaged in the complaint.

It is not reason - The original words used here properly denote “it is not pleasing or agreeable”; but the meaning evidently is, it is not “suitable” or “proper.” It would be a departure from the design of their appointment, which was to preach the gospel, and not to attend to the pecuniary affairs of the church.

Leave the word of God - That we should neglect or abandon the preaching of the gospel so much as would be necessary if we attended personally to the distribution of the alms of the church. The “gospel” is here called the “Word of God,” because it is his message; it is what he has spoken, or which he has commanded to be proclaimed to people.

Serve tables - This expression properly denotes “to take care of, or provide for the table, or for the daily needs of a family.” It is an expression that properly applies to a steward or a servant. The word “tables” is, however, sometimes used with reference to “money,” as being the place where money was kept for the purpose of “exchange, etc.,” Matthew 21:12; Matthew 25:27. Here the expression means, therefore, to attend to the pecuniary transactions of the church, and to make the proper distribution for the needs of the poor.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 6:2. It is not reason — ουκ αρεστον εστι, it is not pleasing, proper, or fitting, that we should leave the word of God, that we should give up ourselves, or confide to others, the doctrine of salvation which God has commanded us to preach unto the people.

And serve tables. — Become providers of daily bread for your widows and poor: others can do this, to whom our important office is not intrusted.