Seven Leaders Are Chosen
1In those days the number of believers was growing. The Greek Jews complained about the non-Greek Jews. They said that the widows of the Greek Jews were not being taken care of. They weren’t getting their fair share of food each day. 2So the 12 apostles gathered all the believers together. They said, “It wouldn’t be right for us to give up teaching God’s word. And we’d have to stop teaching to wait on tables. 3Brothers and sisters, choose seven of your men. They must be known as men who are wise and full of the Holy Spirit. We will turn this important work over to them. 4Then we can give our attention to prayer and to teaching God’s word.”
5This plan pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen. He was full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas were chosen too. The group also chose Nicolas from Antioch. He had accepted the Jewish faith. 6The group brought them to the apostles. Then the apostles prayed and placed their hands on them.
7So God’s word spread. The number of believers in Jerusalem grew quickly. Also, a large number of priests began to obey Jesus’ teachings.
Stephen Is Arrested
8Stephen was full of God’s grace and power. He did great wonders and signs among the people. 9But members of the group called the Synagogue of the Freedmen began to oppose him. Some of them were Jews from Cyrene and Alexandria. Others were Jews from Cilicia and Asia Minor. They all began to argue with Stephen. 10But he was too wise for them. That’s because the Holy Spirit gave Stephen wisdom whenever he spoke.
11Then in secret they talked some men into lying about Stephen. They said, “We heard Stephen speak evil things against Moses and against God.”
12So the people were stirred up. The elders and the teachers of the law were stirred up too. They arrested Stephen and brought him to the Sanhedrin. 13They found witnesses who were willing to tell lies. These liars said, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place. He also speaks against the law. 14We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place. He says Jesus will change the practices that Moses handed down to us.”
15All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked right at Stephen. They saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
A Escolha dos Sete
1Naqueles dias, crescendo o número de discípulos, os judeus de fala grega entre eles queixaram-se dos judeus de fala hebraica6.1 Ou aramaica, porque suas viúvas estavam sendo esquecidas na distribuição diária de alimento. 2Por isso os Doze reuniram todos os discípulos e disseram: “Não é certo negligenciarmos o ministério da palavra de Deus, a fim de servir às mesas. 3Irmãos, escolham entre vocês sete homens de bom testemunho, cheios do Espírito e de sabedoria. Passaremos a eles essa tarefa 4e nos dedicaremos à oração e ao ministério da palavra”.
5Tal proposta agradou a todos. Então escolheram Estêvão, homem cheio de fé e do Espírito Santo, além de Filipe, Prócoro, Nicanor, Timom, Pármenas e Nicolau, um convertido ao judaísmo, proveniente de Antioquia. 6Apresentaram esses homens aos apóstolos, os quais oraram e lhes impuseram as mãos.
7Assim, a palavra de Deus se espalhava. Crescia rapidamente o número de discípulos em Jerusalém; também um grande número de sacerdotes obedecia à fé.
A Prisão de Estêvão
8Estêvão, homem cheio da graça e do poder de Deus, realizava grandes maravilhas e sinais no meio do povo. 9Contudo, levantou-se oposição dos membros da chamada sinagoga dos Libertos, dos judeus de Cirene e de Alexandria, bem como das províncias da Cilícia e da Ásia. Esses homens começaram a discutir com Estêvão, 10mas não podiam resistir à sabedoria e ao Espírito com que ele falava.
11Então subornaram alguns homens para dizerem: “Ouvimos Estêvão falar palavras blasfemas contra Moisés e contra Deus”.
12Com isso agitaram o povo, os líderes religiosos e os mestres da lei. E, prendendo Estêvão, levaram-no ao Sinédrio. 13Ali apresentaram falsas testemunhas, que diziam: “Este homem não para de falar contra este lugar santo e contra a Lei. 14Pois o ouvimos dizer que esse Jesus, o Nazareno, destruirá este lugar e mudará os costumes que Moisés nos deixou”.
15Olhando para ele, todos os que estavam sentados no Sinédrio viram que o seu rosto parecia o rosto de um anjo.
