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The Appointment of the First Seven Deacons

¹ Now in those days, when the disciples were growing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Hebraic Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. ² 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. ³ But carefully select from among you, brothers, seven men who are well-attested, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this necessary task. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." ⁵ The proposal pleased the entire group, so they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism from Antioch. ⁶ They stood these men before the apostles, who prayed and placed their hands on them. ⁷ The word of God continued to spread, the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen is Arrested

⁸ Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. ⁹ But some men from the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. ¹⁰ Yet they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. ¹¹ Then they secretly instigated some men to say, "We have heard this man speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God." ¹² They incited the people, the elders, and the experts in the law; then they approached Stephen, seized him, and brought him before the council. ¹³ They brought forward false witnesses who said, "This man does not stop saying things against this holy place and the law. ¹⁴ For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us." ¹⁵ All who were sitting in the council looked intently at Stephen and saw his face was like the face of an angel.