6:1 In those days when the number of disciples was multiplying, the Greeks began to complain to the Hebrews that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily food distribution.

6:2 So The Twelve called everyone together for a meeting and said, “We do not want to neglect the Word of God in order to wait tables.

6:3 So, brothers and sisters, pick out seven respected men from among you, who are full of the Spirit and wisdom, for us to put in charge of this problem.

6:4 Then we can concentrate on prayer and dispensing the Word.”

6:5 This solution pleased the whole crowd, so they chose Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Prochoros, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas (a proselyte from Antioch).

6:6 They presented themselves to the Ambassadors, who prayed and dedicated them.

6:7 So the Word of God spread out, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem multiplied tremendously, including a sizable number of priests who heeded the faith.

6:8 Now Stephen, full of favor and power, performed great miracles and signs among the people.

6:9 And then came some members of the Freed Collective, with residents of Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and the province of Asia, debating with Stephen.

6:10 But they could not refute the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke.

6:11 So they planted some men in the crowd to say, “We have heard him speaking irreverent things against Moses and God!”

6:12 They stirred up the people, along with the elders and scripture scholars who were standing nearby, and they seized him and took him to the Sanhedrin.

6:13 They also had false witnesses testify, “This person never stops speaking out against this holy place and the law.

6:14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

6:15 And those seated in the Sanhedrin kept staring at him, because they saw that his face looked like the face of a Messenger.