| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1Now in those days, when the disciples were growing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Hebraic Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. | 1In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. |
| 2So the twelve called the whole group of the disciples together and said, "It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables. | 2So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. |
| 3But carefully select from among you, brothers, seven men who are well-attested, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this necessary task. | 3Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them |
| 4But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." | 4and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." |
| 5The proposal pleased the entire group, so they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism from Antioch. | 5This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. |
| 6They stood these men before the apostles, who prayed and placed their hands on them. | 6They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. |
| 7The word of God continued to spread, the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith. | 7So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. |
| 8Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. | 8Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. |
| 9But some men from the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. | 9Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)--Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia--who began to argue with Stephen. |
| 10Yet they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. | 10But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. |
| 11Then they secretly instigated some men to say, "We have heard this man speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God." | 11Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God." |
| 12They incited the people, the elders, and the experts in the law; then they approached Stephen, seized him, and brought him before the council. | 12So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. |
| 13They brought forward false witnesses who said, "This man does not stop saying things against this holy place and the law. | 13They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. |
| 14For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us." | 14For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us." |
| 15All who were sitting in the council looked intently at Stephen and saw his face was like the face of an angel. | 15All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. |
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