Acts 6 Parallel Bible Translations

Acts 6 ▼
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New Living Translation
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English Standard Version
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1 But 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. 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 So 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. 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 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 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 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching 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 Everyone 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). 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 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them. 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 So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too. 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, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 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 But 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. 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 None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke. 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 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even 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 This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high 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 The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. 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 have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to 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 At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s. 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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