Scriptures

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Acts 6
² So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.
³ Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
⁵ The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.
⁶ And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.
⁷ The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
⁸ And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
⁹ But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.
¹⁰ But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.
¹¹ Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God."
¹² And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council.