The apostles choose 7 deacons
6
📚✭And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a complaint among the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 📚Then the twelve✭ called the whole group of the disciples together, and said, “It is not reasonable that we leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3 📚✭Therefore, brethren, look among yourselves for seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. 4 📚✭But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word”.5 📚And these words pleased the whole group, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas a convert✭ from Antioch. 6 📚✭These they set before the apostles. And when the apostles had prayed, they laid hands on them.
7 📚✭And the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly, and a large group of the priests was obedient to the faith.
Stephen is arrested
8 📚✭And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 9 📚✭Then there arose certain men belonging to the synagogue that is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen✭, and Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those of Cilicia and Asia, and disputed with Stephen. 10 📚But they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.
11 📚Then they privately instigated men to say: “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God”.
12 📚And they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the Law, and they came up and seized him, and brought him to the Council✭. 13 📚Then they produced false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place, and the Law. 14 📚✭For we heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and change the customs which Moses delivered to us”.
15 📚✭And everyone who sat in the council, looking steadily at him, saw his face as if it were the face of an angel.