Good News Translation GNT
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Some time later, as the number of disciples kept growing, there was a quarrel between the Greek-speaking Jews and the native Jews. The Greek-speaking Jews claimed that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of funds.
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Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
2 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.
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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.
3 So then, friends, choose seven men among you who are known to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and we will put them in charge of this matter.
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Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty.
4 We ourselves, then, will give our full time to prayer and the work of preaching."
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But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
5 The whole group was pleased with the apostles' proposal, so they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a Gentile from Antioch who had earlier been converted to Judaism.
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And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Proch'orus, and Nica'nor, and Ti'mon, and Par'menas, and Nicola'us, a proselyte of Antioch.
6 The group presented them to the apostles, who prayed and placed their hands on them.
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These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them.
7 And so the word of God continued to spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem grew larger and larger, and a great number of priests accepted the faith.
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And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
8 Stephen, a man richly blessed by God and full of power, performed great miracles and wonders among the people.
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And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.
9 But he was opposed by some men who were members of the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), which had Jews from Cyrene and Alexandria. They and other Jews from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia started arguing with Stephen.
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Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyre'nians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cili'cia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen.
10 But the Spirit gave Stephen such wisdom that when he spoke, they could not refute him.
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But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
11 So they bribed some men to say, "We heard him speaking against Moses and against God!"
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Then they secretly instigated men, who said, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God."
12 In this way they stirred up the people, the elders, and the teachers of the Law. They seized Stephen and took him before the Council.
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And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council,
13 Then they brought in some men to tell lies about him. "This man," they said, "is always talking against our sacred Temple and the Law of Moses.
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and set up false witnesses who said, "This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law;
14 We heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will tear down the Temple and change all the customs which have come down to us from Moses!"
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for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us."
15 All those sitting in the Council fixed their eyes on Stephen and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.
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And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.