1: And in these days, the disciples multiplying, there came a murmuring of the Hellenists at the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily ministration, 2: and the twelve, having called near the multitude of the disciples, said, 'It is not pleasing that we, having left the word of God, do minister at tables; 3: look out, therefore, brethren, seven men of you who are well testified of, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may set over this necessity, 4: and we to prayer, and to the ministration of the word, will give ourselves continually.' 5: And the thing was pleasing before all the multitude, and they did choose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch, 6: whom they did set before the apostles, and they, having prayed, laid on them [their] hands. 7: And the word of God did increase, and the number of the disciples did multiply in Jerusalem exceedingly; a great multitude also of the priests were obedient to the faith. 8: And Stephen, full of faith and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people, 9: and there arose certain of those of the synagogue, called of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia, and Asia, disputing with Stephen, 10: and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking; 11: then they suborned men, saying -- 'We have heard him speaking evil sayings in regard to Moses and God.' 12: They did stir up also the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and having come upon [him], they caught him, and brought [him] to the sanhedrim; 13: they set up also false witnesses, saying, 'This one doth not cease to speak evil sayings against this holy place and the law, 14: for we have heard him saying, That this Jesus the Nazarean shall overthrow this place, and shall change the customs that Moses delivered to us;' 15: and gazing at him, all those sitting in the sanhedrim saw his face as it were the face of a messenger.
