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Acts 6

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The Appointment of the Seven 1–7

1
Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. ​
2
And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables. ​
3
Look ye out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. ​
4
But we will continue stedfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.
5
And the saying pleased the whole multitude: 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 Nicolaüs a proselyte of Antioch; ​
6
whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them. ​
7
And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. ​

Stephen's Ministry and Opposition 8–15

8
And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people. ​
9
But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue calledthe synagogueof the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. ​
10
And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake. ​
11
Then they suborned men, who said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. ​
12
And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the council,
13
and set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law: ​
14
for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us. ​
15
And all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Acts 6

Verse 1

the Grecians against the Hebrews — Hellenistes is a Greek-speaking Jew; the word is found only here and in Acts 9:29 and 11:20. The widows were 'neglected' (paratheoreo, overlooked, used only here) in the daily distribution of the church's common goods, which was made 'unto every man according as he had need' (Acts 4:35).

Verse 2

serve tables — 'Serve' is diakoneo, of the same word-family as 'ministration' (diakonia) in v.1 and the 'ministry of the word' in v.4. The twelve do not call the work lowly but a different calling. Moses was once counselled likewise to share a burden he could not carry alone (Ex 18:17–22).

Verse 3

men of honest report — Martureo, to bear witness: the men must be attested by others, as Timothy was 'well reported of by the brethren' (Acts 16:2) and Ananias had 'a good report of all the Jews' (Acts 22:12). The tests are spiritual, 'full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom', though the work is the care of widows.

Verse 5

Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch — All seven names are Greek. Nicolas alone has his origin named, and he is a proselutos, a Gentile who had joined Judaism (the word of Acts 2:10 and 13:43). Stephen is 'full of faith and of the Holy Ghost', and Philip is later called 'the evangelist, which was one of the seven' (Acts 21:8).

Verse 6

laid their hands on them — Prayer comes first, then the hands. The act has precedent: Israel's children 'put their hands upon the Levites' before the LORD (Num 8:10), and Moses laid his hands on Joshua (Num 27:23). Here the multitude choose (v.5) and the apostles set them apart; the church at Antioch does the same later (Acts 13:3).

Verse 7

the word of God increased — Auxano, to grow as a plant does; the same verb closes later scenes of advance (Acts 12:24; 19:20). That 'a great company of the priests' became 'obedient to the faith' is notable, since the priests and the captain of the temple had earlier come upon the apostles (Acts 4:1; 5:17).

Verse 8

great wonders and miracles — Terata and semeia, 'wonders and signs', the pair of Acts 2:43 and 4:30, where the church prayed that 'signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus'. Stephen, appointed to serve tables, is 'full of faith and power' (dunamis), and the signs are done among the people.

Verse 9

the synagogue of the Libertines — Libertinos occurs only here: it is a Latin loanword for a freedman, so the name points to Jews who had been enslaved and freed. With Cyrenians (Simon was 'a Cyrenian', Mark 15:21), Alexandrians and men of Cilicia and Asia, they are 'disputing' (suzeteo, questioning together) with Stephen.

Verse 10

not able to resist — Anthistemi, to stand against, the verb of Christ's promise: 'I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist' (Luke 21:15). 'Wisdom' was one of the marks required of the seven (v.3); to it is joined the Spirit by whom Stephen spoke.

Verse 11

they suborned men — Hupoballo, to throw in stealthily, introduce by collusion; it is used only here. The witnesses are put up by others. The method is that of the council against Christ, which 'sought false witness' (Matt 26:59), and of the two men set before Naboth to testify that he blasphemed (1 Kgs 21:10).

Verse 13

this holy place, and the law — The charge names the temple and the law, as the testimony against Christ rested on his words about the temple (Matt 26:61). It is raised again against Paul in almost the same terms: 'against the people, and the law, and this place' (Acts 21:28). Scripture calls these witnesses 'false' (pseudes).

Verse 14

shall change the customs — Ethos, a usage fixed by law or habit, here those which 'Moses delivered' (paradidomi, handed down). The words about the place echo Christ's own: 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up' (John 2:19). The same charge, forsaking Moses, is later laid against Paul (Acts 21:21).

Verse 15

looking stedfastly on him — Atenizo, to fix the eyes; the council gaze at his face, and in Acts 7:55 Stephen himself 'looked up stedfastly into heaven'. The verb is that of 2 Cor 3:7, where Israel 'could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses' (cf. Ex 34:30). Here the face is 'as it had been the face of an angel'.