1 εν δε ταις ημεραις ταυταις πληθυνοντων των μαθητων εγενετο γογγυσμος των ελληνιστων προς τους εβραιους οτι παρεθεωρουντο εν τη διακονια τη καθημερινη αι χηραι αυτων

2 προσκαλεσαμενοι δε οι δωδεκα το πληθος των μαθητων ειπον ουκ αρεστον εστιν ημας καταλειψαντας τον λογον του θεου διακονειν τραπεζαις

3 επισκεψασθε ουν αδελφοι ανδρας εξ υμων μαρτυρουμενους επτα πληρεις πνευματος αγιου και σοφιας ους καταστησομεν επι της χρειας ταυτης

4 ημεις δε τη προσευχη και τη διακονια του λογου προσκαρτερησομεν

5 και ηρεσεν ο λογος ενωπιον παντος του πληθους και εξελεξαντο στεφανον ανδρα πληρη πιστεως και πνευματος αγιου και φιλιππον και προχορον και νικανορα και τιμωνα και παρμεναν και νικολαον προσηλυτον αντιοχεα

6 ους εστησαν ενωπιον των αποστολων και προσευξαμενοι επεθηκαν αυτοις τας χειρας

7 και ο λογος του θεου ηυξανεν και επληθυνετο ο αριθμος των μαθητων εν ιερουσαλημ σφοδρα πολυς τε οχλος των ιερεων υπηκουον τη πιστει

8 στεφανος δε πληρης πιστεως και δυναμεως εποιει τερατα και σημεια μεγαλα εν τω λαω

9 ανεστησαν δε τινες των εκ της συναγωγης της λεγομενης λιβερτινων και κυρηναιων και αλεξανδρεων και των απο κιλικιας και ασιας συζητουντες τω στεφανω

10 και ουκ ισχυον αντιστηναι τη σοφια και τω πνευματι ω ελαλει

11 τοτε υπεβαλον ανδρας λεγοντας οτι ακηκοαμεν αυτου λαλουντος ρηματα βλασφημα εις μωσην και τον θεον

12 συνεκινησαν τε τον λαον και τους πρεσβυτερους και τους γραμματεις και επισταντες συνηρπασαν αυτον και ηγαγον εις το συνεδριον

13 εστησαν τε μαρτυρας ψευδεις λεγοντας ο ανθρωπος ουτος ου παυεται ρηματα βλασφημα λαλων κατα του τοπου του αγιου τουτου και του νομου

14 ακηκοαμεν γαρ αυτου λεγοντος οτι ιησους ο ναζωραιος ουτος καταλυσει τον τοπον τουτον και αλλαξει τα εθη α παρεδωκεν ημιν μωυσης

15 και ατενισαντες εις αυτον απαντες οι καθεζομενοι εν τω συνεδριω ειδον το προσωπον αυτου ωσει προσωπον αγγελου

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.