1In jenen Tagen aber, als die Zahl der Jünger wuchs, entstand ein Murren der Hellenisten gegen die Hebräer,[1] weil ihre Witwen bei der täglichen Hilfeleistung übersehen wurden. (Apg 4,35)2Da beriefen die Zwölf die Menge der Jünger zusammen und sprachen: Es ist nicht gut, dass wir das Wort Gottes vernachlässigen, um bei den Tischen zu dienen. (1Tim 4,13; 1Tim 4,15; 2Tim 2,4; 2Tim 4,2; 2Tim 4,5)3Darum, ihr Brüder, seht euch nach sieben Männern aus eurer Mitte um, die ein gutes Zeugnis haben und voll Heiligen Geistes und Weisheit sind; die wollen wir für diesen Dienst einsetzen, (5Mo 1,13; Spr 2,3; Röm 8,9; 1Kor 16,15; 1Tim 3,8; 1Tim 3,13; Jak 1,5)4wir aber wollen beständig im Gebet und im Dienst des Wortes bleiben! (Apg 1,14; Phil 1,3; Kol 1,3; Kol 1,9)5Und das Wort gefiel der ganzen Menge, und sie erwählten Stephanus, einen Mann voll Glaubens und Heiligen Geistes, und Philippus und Prochorus und Nikanor und Timon und Parmenas und Nikolaus, einen Proselyten[2] aus Antiochia. (Apg 2,11; Apg 7,55; Apg 8,5; Apg 8,26; Apg 11,19; Apg 11,24; Apg 21,8)6Diese stellten sie vor die Apostel, und sie beteten und legten ihnen die Hände auf. (Apg 1,24; Apg 13,3; 1Tim 4,14; 2Tim 1,6)7Und das Wort Gottes breitete sich aus, und die Zahl der Jünger mehrte sich sehr in Jerusalem; auch eine große Zahl von Priestern wurde dem Glauben gehorsam. (Apg 12,24; Apg 19,20)
Die falsche Anklage gegen Stephanus
8Und Stephanus, voll Glauben und Kraft, tat Wunder und große Zeichen unter dem Volk. (Mt 8,10; Apg 11,24; 1Kor 2,4; 2Kor 12,9; 2Thess 1,3)9Aber etliche aus der sogenannten Synagoge der Libertiner[3] und Kyrenäer und Alexandriner und derer von Cilicien und Asia standen auf und stritten mit Stephanus. (Apg 2,9; Apg 2,10; Apg 22,3)10Und sie konnten der Weisheit und dem Geist, in dem er redete, nicht widerstehen. (Mt 10,20; Lk 21,15)11Da stifteten sie Männer an, die sagten: Wir haben ihn Lästerworte reden hören gegen Mose und Gott! (2Mo 20,16; Mk 14,57)12Und sie wiegelten das Volk und die Ältesten und die Schriftgelehrten auf und überfielen ihn, rissen ihn fort und führten ihn vor den Hohen Rat. (Apg 14,2; Apg 17,5)13Und sie stellten falsche Zeugen, die sagten: Dieser Mensch hört nicht auf, Lästerworte zu reden gegen diese heilige Stätte und das Gesetz! (Apg 6,11)14Denn wir haben ihn sagen hören: Jesus, der Nazarener wird diese Stätte zerstören und die Gebräuche ändern, die uns Mose überliefert hat! (Mt 5,17)15Und als alle, die im Hohen Rat saßen, ihn anblickten, sahen sie sein Angesicht wie das Angesicht eines Engels. (2Mo 34,30; Offb 22,4)
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. (Apg 2,41; Apg 2,47; Apg 4,4; Apg 4,35; Apg 5,14; Apg 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. (5Mo 1,13; Lk 1,15; Lk 4,1; Apg 6,5; Apg 7,55; Apg 11,24; 1Tim 3,7)4But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Apg 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; Apg 2,11; Apg 6,3; Apg 8,5; Apg 11,24; Apg 13,43; Apg 21,8)6These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. (Apg 1,24; Apg 8,17; Apg 9,17; Apg 13,3; Apg 19,6; 1Tim 4,14; 1Tim 5,22; 2Tim 1,6; Hebr 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. (Apg 12,24; Apg 13,8; Apg 14,22; Apg 16,5; Apg 19,20; Röm 1,5; Kol 1,5)
Stephen Is Seized
8And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. (Apg 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. (Lk 21,14)11Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” (1Kön 21,10; 1Kön 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; Apg 6,11; Apg 7,58; Apg 21,28; Apg 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; Mt 5,17; Mt 26,61; Apg 15,1; Apg 21,21)15And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. (Ri 13,6; Pred 8,1)
1In those days the number of believers was growing. The Greek Jews complained about the non-Greek Jews. They said that the widows of the Greek Jews were not being taken care of. They weren’t getting their fair share of food each day.2So the 12 apostles gathered all the believers together. They said, ‘It wouldn’t be right for us to give up teaching God’s word. And we’d have to stop teaching to wait on tables.3Brothers and sisters, choose seven of your men. They must be known as men who are wise and full of the Holy Spirit. We will turn this important work over to them.4Then we can give our attention to prayer and to teaching God’s word.’5This plan pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen. He was full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas were chosen too. The group also chose Nicolas from Antioch. He had accepted the Jewish faith.6The group brought them to the apostles. Then the apostles prayed and placed their hands on them.7So God’s word spread. The number of believers in Jerusalem grew quickly. Also, a large number of priests began to obey Jesus’ teachings.
Stephen is arrested
8Stephen was full of God’s grace and power. He did great wonders and signs among the people.9But members of the group called the Synagogue of the Freedmen began to oppose him. Some of them were Jews from Cyrene and Alexandria. Others were Jews from Cilicia and Asia Minor. They all began to argue with Stephen.10But he was too wise for them. That’s because the Holy Spirit gave Stephen wisdom whenever he spoke.11Then in secret they talked some men into lying about Stephen. They said, ‘We heard Stephen speak evil things against Moses and against God.’12So the people were stirred up. The elders and the teachers of the law were stirred up too. They arrested Stephen and brought him to the Sanhedrin.13They found witnesses who were willing to tell lies. These liars said, ‘This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place. He also speaks against the law.14We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place. He says Jesus will change the practices that Moses handed down to us.’15All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked right at Stephen. They saw that his face was like the face of an angel.