Acts 6

The First Seven Deacons Appointed

1 Now in these days, [as] the disciples were increasing [in number], a complaint arose by the {Greek-speaking Jews} against the {Hebraic Jews} because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution [of food].

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

3 So, brothers, select from among you seven men {of good reputation}, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will put in charge of this need.

4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

5 And the statement pleased the whole group, and they chose Stephen (a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit), and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus (a convert from Antioch),

6 whom they stood before the apostles. And they prayed [and] placed [their] hands on them.

7 And the word of God kept spreading, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem was increasing greatly, and a large number of priests began obeying the faith.

Stephen Arrested

8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

9 But some of those from the Synagogue of the Freedmen ({as it was called}), both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up [and] disputed with Stephen.

10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, "We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God!"

12 And they incited the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came up [and] seized him and brought [him] to the Sanhedrin.

13 And they put forward false witnesses who said, "This man does not stop speaking words against the holy place and the law!

14 For we have heard him saying that this Nazarene Jesus will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed down to us."

15 And [as they] looked intently at him, all those who were sitting in the Sanhedrin saw his face [was] like the face of an angel.

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[as]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("were increasing")
• [b]. *The words "[in number]" are not in the Greek text but are implied
• [c]. Literally "Hellenists"
• [d]. Literally "Hebrews"
• [e]. Or "that"
• [f]. *The words "[of food]" are not in the Greek text but are implied
• [g]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("summoned") has been translated as a finite verb
• [h]. Literally "well spoken of"
• [i]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("prayed") has been translated as a finite verb
• [j]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [k]. *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began obeying")
• [l]. Literally "called"
• [m]. A reference to the Roman province of Asia (modern Asia Minor)
• [n]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the participle ("disputed") has been translated as a finite verb in keeping with English style
• [o]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("came up") has been translated as a finite verb
• [p]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [q]. Or "council"
• [r]. Some manuscripts have "this holy place"
• [s]. *Here "[as]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("looked intently") which is understood as temporal
• [t]. Or "council"