Aussie Bible logo Aussie BibleFair Dinkum Edition

Acts 6

In those days, as the number of disciples grew, the Grecians began grumbling against the Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. The twelve called the whole group of disciples together and said, "It isn't right for us to neglect the word of God to serve tables. So brothers, choose seven men from among

Now reading: Fair DinkumRead:

You’re in Study Mode. Each verse can show the Fair Dinkum, Plain English and King James Version (1611) together. Use the buttons above to show or hide any version.

The seven chosen

In those days, as the number of disciples grew, the Grecians began grumbling against the Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. The twelve called the whole group of disciples together and said, "It isn't right for us to neglect the word of God to serve tables. So brothers, choose seven men from among you with a good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and we'll appoint them over this work. But we'll devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. Everyone was happy with the proposal. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, along with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. They brought these men before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. The word of God spread, the number of disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a great company of priests became obedient to the faith.

And in those days, when the number of the disciples grew, there came a grumbling of the Greeks against the Hebrews, because their widows were passed over in the daily serving. Then the twelve called the crowd of the disciples to them and said: It isn't right that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. So, brothers, look out among you for seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, who we can set over this business. But we'll give ourselves on and on to prayer and to the service of the word. And the saying pleased the whole crowd. 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 Nicolas, a convert of Antioch. Who they set in front of the apostles. And when they'd prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God grew. And the number of the disciples grew a lot in Jerusalem. And a great crowd of the priests obeyed the faith.

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

1

In those days, as the number of disciples grew, the Grecians began grumbling against the Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.

Plain English

And in those days, when the number of the disciples grew, there came a grumbling of the Greeks against the Hebrews, because their widows were passed over in the daily serving.

King James Version, 1611

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

2

The twelve called the whole group of disciples together and said, "It isn't right for us to neglect the word of God to serve tables.

Plain English

Then the twelve called the crowd of the disciples to them and said: It isn't right that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.

King James Version, 1611

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

3

So brothers, choose seven men from among you with a good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and we'll appoint them over this work.

Plain English

So, brothers, look out among you for seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, who we can set over this business.

King James Version, 1611

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

4

But we'll devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

Plain English

But we'll give ourselves on and on to prayer and to the service of the word.

King James Version, 1611

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

5

Everyone was happy with the proposal. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, along with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.

Plain English

And the saying pleased the whole crowd. 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 Nicolas, a convert of Antioch.

King James Version, 1611

And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

6

They brought these men before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

Plain English

Who they set in front of the apostles. And when they'd prayed, they laid their hands on them.

King James Version, 1611

Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

7

The word of God spread, the number of disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a great company of priests became obedient to the faith.

Plain English

And the word of God grew. And the number of the disciples grew a lot in Jerusalem. And a great crowd of the priests obeyed the faith.

King James Version, 1611

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Stephen taken

Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then some from the synagogue called the Libertines, along with Cyrenians, Alexandrians and people from Cilicia and Asia, began disputing with Stephen. But they could not stand against the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. So they secretly persuaded men to say, "We've heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God." They stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, seized Stephen and dragged him before the council. They set up false witnesses who said, "This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. For we've heard him say this Jesus of Nazareth will pull down this place and will change the ways Moses handed us. Everyone sitting in the council stared at him, and they saw his face as though it were the face of an angel.

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then some of the meeting house called the Freedmen got up, and Cyrenians and Alexandrians and of the ones of Cilicia and of Asia, arguing with Stephen. And they couldn't stand up to the wisdom and the spirit he spoke by. Then they set up men to say: We've heard him speak words against Moses and against God. And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and came on him and caught him and brought him to the council. And set up false witnesses: This man doesn't stop speaking words against this holy place and the teaching. Because we've heard him say this Jesus of Nazareth will pull down this place and will change the ways Moses handed us. And everyone sitting in the council looked hard at him and saw his face as it were the face of an angel.

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

8

Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

Plain English

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

King James Version, 1611

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

9

Then some from the synagogue called the Libertines, along with Cyrenians, Alexandrians and people from Cilicia and Asia, began disputing with Stephen.

Plain English

Then some of the meeting house called the Freedmen got up, and Cyrenians and Alexandrians and of the ones of Cilicia and of Asia, arguing with Stephen.

King James Version, 1611

Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

10

But they could not stand against the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

Plain English

And they couldn't stand up to the wisdom and the spirit he spoke by.

King James Version, 1611

And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

11

So they secretly persuaded men to say, "We've heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God."

Plain English

Then they set up men to say: We've heard him speak words against Moses and against God.

King James Version, 1611

Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

12

They stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, seized Stephen and dragged him before the council.

Plain English

And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and came on him and caught him and brought him to the council.

King James Version, 1611

And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,

13

They set up false witnesses who said, "This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.

Plain English

And set up false witnesses: This man doesn't stop speaking words against this holy place and the teaching.

King James Version, 1611

And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

14

For we've heard him say this Jesus of Nazareth will pull down this place and will change the ways Moses handed us.

Plain English

Because we've heard him say this Jesus of Nazareth will pull down this place and will change the ways Moses handed us.

King James Version, 1611

For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

15

Everyone sitting in the council stared at him, and they saw his face as though it were the face of an angel.

Plain English

And everyone sitting in the council looked hard at him and saw his face as it were the face of an angel.

King James Version, 1611

And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.