1En aquellos días, habiéndose multiplicado el número de los discípulos, hubo murmuración de los helenistas contra los hebreos, porque sus viudas eran desatendidas en el servicio diario.2Así que los doce, habiendo convocado a la congregación de los discípulos, dijeron: No es bueno que nosotros dejemos la palabra de Dios para servir a las mesas.3Buscad más bien, hermanos, a siete varones de entre vosotros, que sean de buen testimonio, llenos del Espíritu y de sabiduría, a quienes encarguemos esta función,4y nosotros nos dedicaremos a la oración y al ministerio de la palabra.5Y lo dicho fue del agrado de toda la congregación, y escogieron a Esteban, varón lleno de fe y del Espíritu Santo, y a Felipe, a Prócoro, a Nicanor, a Timón, a Pármenas y a Nicolás, prosélito de Antioquía,6a quienes presentaron delante de los apóstoles, y después de orar, les impusieron las manos.7Y la palabra de Dios crecía, y el número de los discípulos se multiplicaba grandemente en Jerusalem, y un gran número de los sacerdotes obedecían a la fe.
Esteban
8Y Esteban, lleno de gracia y de poder, hacía prodigios y grandes señales milagrosas entre el pueblo.9Pero algunos de la llamada Sinagoga de Libertos (tanto cireneos como alejandrinos), y de los de Cilicia y de Asia, se levantaron para disputar con Esteban.10Pero no podían resistir a la sabiduría y al espíritu con que hablaba.11Entonces sobornaron a unos varones que dijeran: Lo hemos oído hablando palabras blasfemas contra Moisés y Dios.12E incitaron al pueblo, a los ancianos y a los escribas; y cayendo sobre él, lo arrebataron y lo llevaron al Sanedrín.13Y presentaron testigos falsos, diciendo: Este hombre no cesa de hablar palabras contra el lugar santo y la ley.14Porque lo hemos oído diciendo que este Jesús, el nazareno, destruirá este lugar, y cambiará las costumbres que nos transmitió Moisés.15Pero al clavar en él la vista, todos los que estaban sentados en el Sanedrín vieron su rostro como el rostro de un ángel.
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. (Hch 2:41; Hch 2:47; Hch 4:4; Hch 4:35; Hch 5:14; Hch 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. (Dt 1:13; Lc 1:15; Lc 4:1; Hch 6:5; Hch 7:55; Hch 11:24; 1 Ti 3:7)4But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Hch 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. (Mt 23:15; Hch 2:11; Hch 6:3; Hch 8:5; Hch 11:24; Hch 13:43; Hch 21:8)6These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. (Hch 1:24; Hch 8:17; Hch 9:17; Hch 13:3; Hch 19:6; 1 Ti 4:14; 1 Ti 5:22; 2 Ti 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. (Hch 12:24; Hch 13:8; Hch 14:22; Hch 16:5; Hch 19:20; Ro 1:5; Col 1:5)
Stephen Is Seized
8And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. (Hch 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. (Lc 21:14)11Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” (1 R 21:10; 1 R 21:13; Mt 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, (Mt 24:15; Hch 6:11; Hch 7:58; Hch 21:28; Hch 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.” (Dn 9:26; Mt 5:17; Mt 26:61; Hch 15:1; Hch 21:21)15And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. (Jue 13:6; Ec 8:1)