Acts 6

1 in diebus autem illis crescente numero discipulorum factus est murmur Graecorum adversus Hebraeos eo quod dispicerentur in ministerio cotidiano viduae eorum

2 convocantes autem duodecim multitudinem discipulorum dixerunt non est aequum nos derelinquere verbum Dei et ministrare mensis

3 considerate ergo fratres viros ex vobis boni testimonii septem plenos Spiritu et sapientia quos constituamus super hoc opus

4 nos vero orationi et ministerio verbi instantes erimus

5 et placuit sermo coram omni multitudine et elegerunt Stephanum virum plenum fide et Spiritu Sancto et Philippum et Prochorum et Nicanorem et Timonem et Parmenam et Nicolaum advenam Antiochenum

6 hos statuerunt ante conspectum apostolorum et orantes inposuerunt eis manus

7 et verbum Dei crescebat et multiplicabatur numerus discipulorum in Hierusalem valde multa etiam turba sacerdotum oboediebat fidei

8 Stephanus autem plenus gratia et fortitudine faciebat prodigia et signa magna in populo

9 surrexerunt autem quidam de synagoga quae appellatur Libertinorum et Cyrenensium et Alexandrinorum et eorum qui erant a Cilicia et Asia disputantes cum Stephano

10 et non poterant resistere sapientiae et Spiritui quo loquebatur

11 tunc submiserunt viros qui dicerent se audisse eum dicentem verba blasphemiae in Mosen et Deum

12 commoverunt itaque plebem et seniores et scribas et concurrentes rapuerunt eum et adduxerunt in concilium

13 et statuerunt testes falsos dicentes homo iste non cessat loqui verba adversus locum sanctum et legem

14 audivimus enim eum dicentem quoniam Iesus Nazarenus hic destruet locum istum et mutabit traditiones quas tradidit nobis Moses

15 et intuentes eum omnes qui sedebant in concilio viderunt faciem eius tamquam faciem angeli

Acts 6 Commentary

Chapter 6

The appointment of deacons. (1-7) Stephen falsely accused of blasphemy. (8-15)

Verses 1-7 Hitherto the disciples had been of one accord; this often had been noticed to their honour; but now they were multiplied, they began to murmur. The word of God was enough to take up all the thoughts, cares, and time of the apostles. The persons chosen to serve tables must be duly qualified. They must be filled with gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, necessary to rightly managing this trust; men of truth, and hating covetousness. All who are employed in the service of the church, ought to be commended to the Divine grace by the prayers of the church. They blessed them in the name of the Lord. The word and grace of God are greatly magnified, when those are wrought upon by it, who were least likely.

Verses 8-15 When they could not answer Stephen's arguments as a disputant, they prosecuted him as a criminal, and brought false witnesses against him. And it is next to a miracle of providence, that no greater number of religious persons have been murdered in the world, by the way of perjury and pretence of law, when so many thousands hate them, who make no conscience of false oaths. Wisdom and holiness make a man's face to shine, yet will not secure men from being treated badly. What shall we say of man, a rational being, yet attempting to uphold a religious system by false witness and murder! And this has been done in numberless instances. But the blame rests not so much upon the understanding, as upon the heart of a fallen creature, which is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Yet the servant of the Lord, possessing a clear conscience, cheerful hope, and Divine consolations, may smile in the midst of danger and death.