The announcement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.
Parallel translations
- WEB These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch;
- KJV 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:
- BSB 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.
- NKJV And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
- NLT Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith).
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The church gladly chooses seven men, including Stephen, full of faith and the Spirit. The whole congregation embraces the solution in unity.
Overview
The Greek names of the seven suggest the church entrusted the Hellenists' concern to their own, a gracious, wise response. Stephen is singled out as exceptionally full of faith and the Spirit, preparing for his coming role. The unanimous approval shows a church handling conflict with humility and harmony.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Acts 11:24For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.
- Acts 21:8On the next day, we, who were Paul’s companions, departed, and came to Caesarea. We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
- Acts 8:5–40Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ.
- Acts 6:8Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.
- Acts 7:1The high priest said, “Are these things so?”
- Acts 6:3Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
- Acts 6:10They weren’t able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
- Prov 15:23Joy comes to a man with the reply of his mouth. How good is a word at the right time!
- Acts 13:1Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
- Acts 11:19They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only.
- Matt 23:15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much of a son of Gehenna as yourselves.
- Prov 25:11–12A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
- Rev 2:15So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans likewise.
- Gen 41:37The thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
- Prov 15:1A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
- Mic 3:8But as for me, I am full of power by Yahweh’s Spirit, and of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin.
- Rev 2:6But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
- Acts 15:22Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers.
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
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Original language
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