1Efterhånden som flere og flere kom til tro, begyndte de græsktalende jødekristne i menigheden at beklage sig overfor de hebraisktalende, fordi de mente, at deres enker blev tilsidesat ved den daglige maduddeling.2Derfor indkaldte de 12 apostle alle lederne til et møde og sagde: „Det er ikke godt, at vi forsømmer forkyndelsen af Guds ord for at tage vare på maduddelingen.3Derfor skal I finde syv erfarne og åndsfyldte mænd iblandt jer, som har et godt ry. Dem vil vi give ansvaret for maduddelingen,4så vi selv kan koncentrere os om bønnen og tjenesten med at forkynde ordet.”5De syntes alle, at det var et godt forslag, og de valgte derfor syv mænd: Stefanus (en mand, som var fuld af tro og Helligåndens kraft), Filip, Prokoros, Nikanor, Timon, Parmenas og Nikolaos fra Antiokia (en græker, der tidligere havde sluttet sig til jødedommen).6De syv blev så fremstillet for apostlene, som bad for dem og indsatte dem til tjeneste ved at lægge hænderne på dem og velsigne dem.7Guds ord nåede ud i stadig videre kredse, og antallet af disciple voksede stærkt i Jerusalem. Også en del af de jødiske præster kom til tro.
Stefanus bliver arresteret
8Stefanus, der var fuld af Guds nåde og Helligåndens kraft, gjorde opsigtsvækkende tegn og undere blandt folket.9En dag kom der nogle mænd fra den synagoge, der hed „De Frigivnes Synagoge”,[1] og de begyndte at diskutere med ham. Der var folk fra Kyrene, Alexandria og provinserne Kilikien og Asien.10Men ingen af dem kunne modsige Stefanus’ visdomsord og Helligåndens inspiration.11De fik så nogle mænd til at sige: „Vi har hørt den mand tale imod Moses og imod Gud selv!”12Derved fik de ophidset både den jævne befolkning, de jødiske ledere og de skriftlærde. Stefanus blev pågrebet og ført frem for Det jødiske Råd.13Her rejste de falske vidner sig og sagde: „Den mand bliver ved med at tale imod vores hellige tempel og imod Toraen.[2]14Vi har selv hørt ham sige, at nazaræeren Jesus vil nedbryde templet og lave om på de love, som Moses har givet os.”15Alle rådsmedlemmerne stirrede på Stefanus, for hans ansigt strålede som en engels.
1Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists[1] arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. (Ap G 2,41; Ap G 2,47; Ap G 4,4; Ap G 4,35; Ap G 5,14; Ap G 6,7)2And 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.3Therefore, brothers,[2] pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. (5.Mos 1,13; Luk 1,15; Luk 4,1; Ap G 6,5; Ap G 7,55; Ap G 11,24; 1.Tim 3,7)4But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Ap G 1,14)5And 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. (Matt 23,15; Ap G 2,11; Ap G 6,3; Ap G 8,5; Ap G 11,24; Ap G 13,43; Ap G 21,8)6These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. (Ap G 1,24; Ap G 8,17; Ap G 9,17; Ap G 13,3; Ap G 19,6; 1.Tim 4,14; 1.Tim 5,22; 2.Tim 1,6; Heb 6,2)7And 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. (Ap G 12,24; Ap G 13,8; Ap G 14,22; Ap G 16,5; Ap G 19,20; Rom 1,5; Kol 1,5)
Stephen Is Seized
8And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. (Ap G 1,8)9Then 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.10But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. (Luk 21,14)11Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” (1.Kong 21,10; 1.Kong 21,13; Matt 26,59)12And 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,13and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, (Matt 24,15; Ap G 6,11; Ap G 7,58; Ap G 21,28; Ap G 25,8)14for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” (Dan 9,26; Matt 5,17; Matt 26,61; Ap G 15,1; Ap G 21,21)15And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. (Dom 13,6; Præd 8,1)