Acts 6 Parallel Bible Translations

Acts 6 ▼
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1 At that time, as the number of disciples grew, Greek-speaking Jews complained about the Hebrew-speaking Jews. The Greek-speaking Jews claimed that the widows among them were neglected every day when food and other assistance was distributed. Now 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. In 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.
2 The twelve apostles called all the disciples together and told them, |It's not right for us to give up God's word in order to distribute food. And 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. So 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.
3 So, brothers and sisters, choose seven men whom the people know are spiritually wise. We will put them in charge of this problem. Therefore, 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. Brothers 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
4 However, we will devote ourselves to praying and to serving in ways that are related to the word.| But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
5 The suggestion pleased the whole group. So they chose Stephen, who was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and they chose Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, who had converted to Judaism in the city of Antioch. And 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. This 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.
6 The disciples had these men stand in front of the apostles, who prayed and placed their hands on these seven men. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 The word of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem grew very large. A large number of priests accepted the faith. And 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. So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
8 Stephen was a man filled with God's favor and power. He did amazing things and performed miracles. And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.
9 [One day] some men from the cities of Cyrene and Alexandria and the provinces of Cilicia and Asia started an argument with Stephen. They belonged to a synagogue called Freedmen's Synagogue. Then 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. Opposition 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.
10 They couldn't argue with Stephen because he spoke with the wisdom that the Spirit had given him. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.
11 Then they bribed some men to lie. These men said, |We heard him slander Moses and God.| Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”
12 The liars stirred up trouble among the people, the leaders, and the scribes. So they went to Stephen, took him by force, and brought him in front of the Jewish council. And 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, So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
13 Some witnesses stood up and lied about Stephen. They said, |This man never stops saying bad things about the holy place and Moses' Teachings. and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.
14 We heard him say that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy the temple and change the customs that Moses gave us.| for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”
15 Everyone who sat in the council stared at him and saw that his face looked like an angel's face. And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. All 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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