Acts 6:1-7:19

New King James Version

Seven Chosen to Serve

6 Now in those days, ^(A)when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the ^(B)Hellenists,^[a] because their widows were neglected ^(C)in the daily distribution. ²Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, ^(D)“It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. ³Therefore, brethren, ^(E)seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this ^(F)business; ⁴but we ^(G)will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

⁵And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, ^(H)a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and ^(I)Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and ^(J)Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, ⁶whom they set before the apostles; and ^(K)when they had prayed, ^(L)they laid hands on them.

⁷Then ^(M)the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many ^(N)of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Stephen Accused of Blasphemy

⁸And Stephen, full of ^[b]faith and power, did great ^(O)wonders and signs among the people. ⁹Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. ¹⁰And ^(P)they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. ¹¹^(Q)Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” ¹²And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. ¹³They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak ^[c]blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; ¹⁴^(R)for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” ¹⁵And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

Stephen’s Address: The Call of Abraham

7 Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?”

²And he said, ^(S)“Brethren and fathers, listen: The ^(T)God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in ^(U)Haran, ³and said to him, ^(V)‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’ ⁴Then ^(W)he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was ^(X)dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. ⁵And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, ^(Y)He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him. ⁶But God spoke in this way: ^(Z)that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into ^(AA)bondage and oppress them four hundred years. ⁷^(AB)‘And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will ^(AC)judge,’ said God, ^(AD)‘and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.’ ⁸^(AE)Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; ^(AF)and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; ^(AG)and Isaac begot Jacob, and ^(AH)Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.

The Patriarchs in Egypt

⁹^(AI)“And the patriarchs, becoming envious, ^(AJ)sold Joseph into Egypt. ^(AK)But God was with him ¹⁰and delivered him out of all his troubles, ^(AL)and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. ¹¹^(AM)Now a famine and great ^[d]trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. ¹²^(AN)But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. ¹³And the ^(AO)second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh. ¹⁴^(AP)Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and ^(AQ)all his relatives to him, ^[e]seventy-five people. ¹⁵^(AR)So Jacob went down to Egypt; ^(AS)and he died, he and our fathers. ¹⁶And ^(AT)they were carried back to Shechem and laid in ^(AU)the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.

God Delivers Israel by Moses

¹⁷“But when ^(AV)the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, ^(AW)the people grew and multiplied in Egypt ¹⁸till another king ^(AX)arose who did not know Joseph. ¹⁹This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, ^(AY)making them expose their babies, so that they might not live.