At this time, as the number of the disciples increased, complaints were brought against those who spoke Hebrew by those who spoke Greek; their widows, they said, were neglected in the daily administration of relief.✻

So the twelve called together the general body of the disciples, and said, It is too much that we should have to forgo preaching God’s word, and bestow our care upon tables.

Come then, brethren, you must find among you seven men who are well spoken of, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, for us to put in charge of this business,

while we devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of preaching.

This advice found favour with all the assembly; and they chose Stephen, a man who was full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, who was a proselyte from Antioch.

These they presented to the apostles, who laid their hands on them with prayer.

By now the word of God was gaining influence, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increasing; many of the priests had given their allegiance to the faith.

And Stephen, full of grace and power, performed great miracles and signs among the people.

There were those who came forward to debate with him, some of the synagogue of the Freedmen✻ (as it is called), and of the Cyreneans and Alexandrians, and of those who came from Cilicia and Asia;

but they were no match for Stephen’s wisdom, and for the Spirit which then gave utterance.✻

Thereupon they employed agents to say they had heard him speaking blasphemously of Moses, and of God.

Having thus roused the feelings of the people, and of the elders and scribes, they set upon him and carried him off, and so brought him before the Council.

There they put forward false witnesses, who declared, This man is never tired of uttering insults against the holy place, and the law.

We have heard him say that the Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place, and will alter the traditions which Moses handed down to us.

And all those who sat there in the Council fastened their eyes on him, and saw his face looking like the face of an angel.