1 Some time later, as the number of disciples kept growing, there was a quarrel between the Greek-speaking Jews and the native Jews. The Greek-speaking Jews claimed that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of funds. 2 So the twelve apostles called the whole group of believers together and said, "It is not right for us to neglect the preaching of God’s word in order to handle finances. 3 So then, friends, choose seven men among you who are known to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and we will put them in charge of this matter. 4 We ourselves, then, will give our full time to prayer and the work of preaching."
5 The whole group was pleased with the apostles' proposal, so they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a Gentile from Antiochwho had earlier been converted to Judaism. 6 The group presented them to the apostles, who prayed and placed their hands on them.
7 And so the word of God continued to spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalemgrew larger and larger, and a great number of priests accepted the faith.
The Arrest of Stephen
8 Stephen, a man richly blessed by God and full of power, performed great miracles and wonders among the people. 9 But he was opposed by some men who were members of the synagogue of the Freedmen6.9: freedmen: These were Jews who had been slaves, but had bought or been given their freedom.(as it was called), which had Jews from Cyreneand Alexandria. They and other Jews from the provinces of Ciliciaand Asiastarted arguing with Stephen. 10 But the Spirit gave Stephen such wisdom that when he spoke, they could not refute him. 11 So they bribed some men to say, "We heard him speaking against Mosesand against God!" 12 In this way they stirred up the people, the elders, and the teachers of the Law. They seized Stephen and took him before the Council. 13 Then they brought in some men to tell lies about him. "This man," they said, "is always talking against our sacred Temple and the Law of Moses. 14 We heard him say that this Jesusof Nazarethwill tear down the Temple and change all the customs which have come down to us from Moses!" 15 All those sitting in the Council fixed their eyes on Stephen and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.
Lugar Bíblico
Cidade / Povoado
Antioch
Hoje: Antakya (Hatay), Turkey
ἈντιόχειαAntiocheia
Antioch is the city where the disciples were called Christians first. Barnabas and Saul spent a whole year there meeting with the church and teaching great numbers of people (Acts 11:26).
Jerusalem is the city of the house of God, where children of Judah and Benjamin lived; the Babylonian army broke down the walls of the city (2 Kings 25:10).
Cyrene is the place from which came Simon, who was forced to carry the cross of Jesus; Lucius, a prophet and teacher in Antioch, and Jews who argued with Stephen were also from there (Matthew 27:32).
Alexandria is the place of origin of Apollos, a Jew who came to Ephesus, of Jews who argued with Stephen, and of a ship sailing for Italy (Acts 18:24).
Asia is the province where, for two years, Jews and Greeks who lived there heard the word of the Lord; seven churches, from Ephesus to Laodicea, were located in it (Acts 19:10).
Moses, a Levite raised by Pharaoh’s daughter, was called by God at the burning bush, brought Israel out of slavery in Egypt, and received the law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 3:4).
Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, was born of Mary in Bethlehem, proclaimed the kingdom of God, died by crucifixion under Pontius Pilate, and was raised on the third day (Matthew 1:16).
Nazareth is the town in Galilee where Jesus had been brought up and where, on the Sabbath day, he went into the synagogue and stood up to read (Luke 4:16).
Moses, a Levite raised by Pharaoh’s daughter, was called by God at the burning bush, brought Israel out of slavery in Egypt, and received the law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 3:4).