| New Living Translation | King James Bible |
| 1But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. | 1And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. |
| 2So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. | 2Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. |
| 3And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. | 3Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. |
| 4Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.” | 4But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. |
| 5Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). | 5And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: |
| 6These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them. | 6Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. |
| 7So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too. Stephen Is Arrested | 7And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. |
| 8Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. | 8And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. |
| 9But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. | 9Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. |
| 10None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke. | 10And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. |
| 11So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” | 11Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. |
| 12This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. | 12And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, |
| 13The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. | 13And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: |
| 14We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” | 14For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. |
| 15At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s. | 15And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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