| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. | 1In those days, as the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. |
| 2And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. | 2Then the Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, "It would not be right for us to give up preaching about God to handle financial matters. |
| 3Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. | 3Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. |
| 4But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” | 4But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry." |
| 5And what they said pleased the whole gathering, 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 proselyte of Antioch. | 5The proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte from Antioch. |
| 6These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. | 6They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. |
| 7And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. | 7So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith. |
| 8And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. | 8Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. |
| 9Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. | 9Then some from what is called the Freedmen's Synagogue, composed of both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and disputed with Stephen. |
| 10But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. | 10But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking. |
| 11Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” | 11Then they persuaded some men to say, "We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God!" |
| 12And 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, | 12They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came, dragged him off, and took him to the Sanhedrin. |
| 13and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, | 13They also presented false witnesses who said, "This man does not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. |
| 14for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” | 14For we heard him say that Jesus, this Nazarene, will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us." |
| 15And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. | 15And all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel." |
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