Acts 6 — The seven chosen; Stephen accused — Greek text and reception
Each card preserves the Greek reading and its textual and reception notes. This source provides a Greek study edition; Hebrew counterparts and Hebrew–Greek classifications are not supplied.
Acts 6 — The seven chosen; Stephen accused
Seven men appointed for the daily service
Verse 6:1
Greek–English Translation
In those days, as the disciples increased in number, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily service.
Textual and Reception Notes
Text: Hellenists and Hebrews are retained as the source’s group names, commonly understood here as Greek-speaking and Hebrew/Aramaic-speaking Jews within the community. The passage does not contrast Gentile Christians with Jewish Christians.
Verse 6:2
Greek–English Translation
The twelve called the multitude of the disciples together and said, “It is not fitting for us to leave the word of God to serve tables.
Textual and Reception Notes
Text: Service language applies both to tables and to the word in 6:4; it does not in itself disparage care for the widows.
Verse 6:3
Greek–English Translation
So, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will appoint over this need.
Textual and Reception Notes
Text: The source says Spirit without an additional holy here; Holy Spirit is explicit in 6:5. The chosen men are not called deacons by a noun in this paragraph, although the service vocabulary underlies later reception.
Verse 6:4
Greek–English Translation
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.”
Textual and Reception Notes
Verse 6:5
Greek–English Translation
The proposal pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert from Antioch.
Textual and Reception Notes
Text: The source singles out Nicolaus as a proselyte; this description is not generalized to the other six.
Verse 6:6
Greek–English Translation
They presented them before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands upon them.
Textual and Reception Notes
Text: The apostles are taken as the subject of praying and laying hands in the immediate setting; the Greek changes from presenting them before the apostles to the unexpressed plural subject of the actions.
Verse 6:7
Greek–English Translation
The word of God grew, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly. A large number of the priests also became obedient to the faith.
Textual and Reception Notes
Stephen brought before the council
Verse 6:8
Greek–English Translation
Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.
Textual and Reception Notes
Text: Grace is the selected reading here, distinct from faith at 6:5. Evidence: SBL-ACTS-APP, 6:8 lists grace with WH/Treg/NA28 and faith with RP.
Verse 6:9
Greek–English Translation
But some from the synagogue called the Freedmen’s, including Cyrenians and Alexandrians and people from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.
Textual and Reception Notes
Text: Libertinoi is Freedmen. The syntax can be understood as one synagogue with several constituent groups or as more than one associated group; the English follows the single named synagogue construction without claiming its institutional history is settled.
Verse 6:10
Greek–English Translation
They could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
Textual and Reception Notes
Text: Spirit is understood in the context of 6:3,5 as the Holy Spirit, while wisdom and speaking remain Stephen’s actual activity; the noun itself lacks the adjective holy here.
Verse 6:11
Greek–English Translation
Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
Textual and Reception Notes
Text: The accusation is attributed to the induced speakers, not endorsed as the narrator’s assessment of Stephen.
Verse 6:12
Greek–English Translation
They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council.
Textual and Reception Notes
Verse 6:13
Greek–English Translation
They set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking words against the holy place and the law.
Textual and Reception Notes
Text: False witnesses is the narrator’s explicit description. The selected wording does not add blasphemous before words in this verse.
NA28: τοῦ ἁγίου [τούτου], "this holy place" (SBLGNT τοῦ ἁγίου); the rendering above follows SBLGNT; NA28 would read "this holy place".
Verse 6:14
Greek–English Translation
For we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”
Textual and Reception Notes
Verse 6:15
Greek–English Translation
All who were seated in the council looked intently at him and saw his face like the face of an angel.
Textual and Reception Notes
Text: Like retains the comparison; Stephen is not identified as an angel.