Now ¹at this time, as the ^adisciples were ^bincreasing in number, a complaint developed on the part of the ^2cHellenistic Jews against the native ^dHebrews, because their ^ewidows were being overlooked in ^fthe daily serving of food. 2 So the twelve summoned the ¹congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 Instead, ^abrothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, ^bfull of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 But we will ^adevote ourselves to prayer and to the ¹ministry of the word.” 5 The ¹announcement found approval with the whole ²congregation; and they chose ^aStephen, a man ^bfull of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and ^cPhilip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and ³Nicolas, a ^4dproselyte from ^eAntioch. 6 And they brought these men before the apostles; and after ^apraying, they ^blaid their hands on them.

7 ^aThe word of God kept spreading; and ^bthe number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to ^cthe faith.

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great ^awonders and ¹signs among the people. 9 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both ^aCyrenians and ^bAlexandrians, and some from ^cCilicia and ^1dAsia, rose up and argued with Stephen. 10 But they were unable to ¹cope with his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and they ^acame up to him and dragged him away, and brought him ¹before ^bthe ²Council. 13 They put forward ^afalse witnesses who said, “This man does not stop ¹speaking against this ^bholy place and the Law; 14 for we have heard him say that ^athis Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and change ^bthe customs which Moses handed down to us.” 15 And all who were sitting in the ^1aCouncil stared at him, and they saw his face, which was like the face of an angel.