Skip to the text

Acts · Majority Standard Bible

Acts 6 Majority Standard Bible

Leer en español
About MSB
  • Protestant
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew
  • NT: Majority (Byzantine) text
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Formal (word for word)
  • 2022
  • Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

1 In those days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Grecian Jews among them began to grumble against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, “It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will assign this responsibility to them 4 and will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, as well as Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God continued to spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem grew rapidly, and a great number of priests became obedient to the faith. 8 Now Stephen, who was full of faith and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They disputed with Stephen, 10 but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. 11 Then they prompted some men to say, “We heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.” 12 So they stirred up the people, elders, and scribes and confronted Stephen. They seized him and brought him before the Sanhedrin, 13 where they presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemies against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” 15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

People & places in this chapter

From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.

People

  • Nicanor

    One of the Seven

    One of the seven men chosen to oversee the daily distribution at Jerusalem.

    Cited in the guide: Acts 6:5

  • Nicolas

    One of the Seven

    A convert to Judaism from Antioch, listed last among the seven men chosen at Jerusalem.

    Cited in the guide: Acts 6:5

  • Parmenas

    One of the Seven

    One of the seven men chosen to oversee the daily distribution at Jerusalem.

    Cited in the guide: Acts 6:5

  • Philip

    Deacon and evangelist

    One of the seven chosen at Jerusalem; he preached in Samaria, baptized the Ethiopian official, and later hosted Paul at Caesarea with his four prophesying daughters.

    Cited in the guide: Acts 6:5; Acts 8:5; Acts 8:38

  • Prochorus

    One of the Seven

    One of the seven men of good reputation chosen to oversee the daily distribution at Jerusalem.

    Cited in the guide: Acts 6:5

  • Stephen

    Deacon and first martyr

    One of the seven chosen to serve tables, full of faith and the Holy Spirit; he was stoned after his speech to the Sanhedrin and became the first martyr.

    Cited in the guide: Acts 6:5; Acts 7:59; Acts 8:2

  • Timon

    One of the Seven

    One of the seven men chosen to oversee the daily distribution at Jerusalem.

    Cited in the guide: Acts 6:5

Cross references (15)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 James 5:9; Acts 4:35; Acts 2:41; Acts 9:39; Acts 6:7
  2. 2 Deuteronomy 1:9–14; Exodus 18:17–26; 2 Timothy 2:4; Nehemiah 6:3; Numbers 11:11–13
  3. 3 1 Timothy 3:7–15; Deuteronomy 1:13; James 3:17–18; Numbers 27:18–19; 1 Timothy 5:10
  4. 4 Acts 1:14; 1 Timothy 4:13–16; Philippians 1:9–11; Acts 2:42; 2 Timothy 4:2
  5. 5 Acts 11:24; Acts 21:8; Acts 8:5–40; Acts 6:8; Acts 7:1–8:2
  6. 6 2 Timothy 1:6; Numbers 8:10; Acts 1:24; 1 Timothy 4:14; Acts 8:17
  7. 7 Acts 19:20; Acts 12:24; Colossians 1:6; Hebrews 5:9; Romans 16:26
  8. 8 Acts 4:29–30; Acts 6:5; Acts 7:55; 1 Timothy 3:13; Acts 6:10
  9. 9 Acts 15:41; Acts 15:23; Acts 22:3; Acts 23:34; Matthew 27:32
  10. 10 Luke 21:15; 1 Corinthians 2:4; Matthew 10:19–20; John 7:46; Luke 12:11–12
  11. 11 Matthew 26:59–60; 1 Kings 21:10–13; Acts 18:6; Acts 15:21; Acts 21:28
  12. 12 Proverbs 15:18; Acts 14:2; Matthew 26:57; Acts 5:18; Acts 16:19–21
  13. 13 Acts 6:11; Acts 21:28; Psalm 56:5; Psalm 27:12; Matthew 24:15
  14. 14 Daniel 9:26; Hebrews 12:26–28; Acts 21:21; Acts 15:1; Galatians 4:3–5
  15. 15 Matthew 13:43; Ecclesiastes 8:1; Exodus 34:29–35; Matthew 17:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Commentary 6:8 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles (Homily XV)

    See how even among the seven one was preëminent, and won the first prize. For though the ordination was common to him and them, yet he drew upon himself greater grace.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)

  2. Quotes verse 6:1–4 Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on the Gospel of John (Chapters XVII–XVII)

    … the tables, previous to the time when Paul was brought to the faith of Christ, the reply given by the apostles, who before then had adhered to the Lord, was: "It is not good that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables." Then it was that they provided for the ordination of deacons, that they themselves might …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)