Mga Gawa 6
Ang Pagpili sa Pitong Tagapaglingkod
1 Patuloy ang pagdami ng mga mananampalataya at dumating ang panahong nagreklamo ang mga Helenista laban sa mga Hebreo. Sinabi nilang ang mga biyuda sa pangkat nila ay napapabayaan sa pang-araw-araw na pamamahagi ng ikabubuhay. 2 Kaya't tinipon ng Labindalawa ang buong kapulungan ng mga mananampalataya at sinabi sa kanila, “Hindi namin dapat pabayaan ang pangangaral ng salita ng Diyos upang mangasiwa sa pamamahagi ng ikabubuhay. 3 Kaya,t mga kapatid, pumili kayo sa mga kasamahan ninyo ng pitong lalaking iginagalang, puspos ng Espiritu, at matatalino upang ilagay namin sila sa tungkuling ito.
4 Samantala, iuukol naman namin ang aming panahon sa pananalangin at sa pangangaral ng salita.”
5 Nalugod ang buong kapulungan sa panukalang ito, kaya't pinili nila si Esteban, isang lalaking lubusang nananampalataya sa Diyos at puspos ng Espiritu Santo, at sina Felipe, Procoro, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, at si Nicolas na taga-Antioquia, isang Hentil na nahikayat sa pananampalataya ng mga Judio.
6 Nang iharap sila sa mga apostol, sila'y ipinanalangin at pinatungan ng kamay.
7 Patuloy na lumaganap ang salita ng Diyos at ang mga sumasampalataya ay parami nang parami sa Jerusalem. Maging sa mga paring Judio ay marami ring sumampalataya.Ang Pagdakip kay Esteban
8 Pinagpala ng Diyos si Esteban at pinagkalooban ng kapangyarihan, kaya't nakakagawa siya ng maraming kababalaghan at himala sa harapan ng madla. 9 Minsan, nakipagtalo sa kanya ang ilang kasapi ng sinagoga ng mga Pinalaya, na binubuo ng mga Judiong taga-Cirene, Alejandria, Cilicia, at Asia. 10 Ngunit wala silang magawâ sa karunungang kaloob ng Espiritu kay Esteban. 11 Kaya't lihim nilang sinulsulan ang ilang lalaki na magpatotoo laban sa kanya ng ganito, “Narinig naming nilalait niya si Moises at ang Diyos.” 12 Sa gayon, naudyukan nilang magalit kay Esteban ang mga tao, ang mga pinuno ng bayan at ang mga tagapagturo ng Kautusan. Siya'y sinunggaban nila at dinala sa Sanedrin. 13 Nagharap sila ng mga sinungaling na saksi laban kay Esteban. Sinabi nila, “Ang taong ito ay walang tigil ng pagsasalita laban sa banal na Templo at sa Kautusan ni Moises. 14 Narinig naming sinasabi niya na ang Templo raw ay gigibain nitong si Jesus na taga-Nazaret, at papalitan ang mga kaugaliang ipinamana sa atin ni Moises.” 15 Si Esteban ay pinagmasdang mabuti ng lahat ng nakaupo sa Sanedrin, at nakita nila na ang kanyang mukha ay parang mukha ng anghel.
ACTS 6
Seven Leaders for the Church
1 A lot of people were now becoming followers of the Lord. But some of the ones who spoke Greek started complaining about the ones who spoke Aramaic. They complained that the Greek-speaking widows were not given their share when the food supplies were handed out each day.
2 The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together and said, “We should not give up preaching God's message in order to serve at tables.t 3 My friends, choose seven men who are respected and wise and filled with God's Spirit. We will put them in charge of these things.
4 We can spend our time praying and serving God by preaching.”
5 This suggestion pleased everyone, and they began by choosing Stephen. He had great faith and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they chose Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and also Nicolaus, who worshiped with the Jewish peoplet in Antioch. 6 These men were brought to the apostles. Then the apostles prayed and placed their hands on the men to show they had been chosen to do this work.
7 God's message spread, and many more people in Jerusalem became followers. Even a large number of priests put their faith in the Lord.Stephen Is Arrested
8 God gave Stephen the power to work great miracles and wonders among the people. 9 But some men from Cyrene and Alexandria were members of a group who called themselves “Free Men.”t They started arguing with Stephen. Some others from Cilicia and Asia also argued with him. 10 But they were no match for Stephen, who spoke with the great wisdom that the Spirit gave him.
11 So they talked some men into saying, “We heard Stephen say terrible things against Moses and God!”
12 They turned the people and their leaders and the teachers of the Law of Moses against Stephen. Then they all grabbed him and dragged him in front of the council.
13 Some men agreed to tell lies about Stephen, and they said, “This man keeps on saying terrible things about this holy temple and the Law of Moses. 14 We have heard him claim that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses gave us.” 15 t Then all the council members stared at Stephen. They saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.