Acts 6:1–6
The neglected widows are cared for and seven are chosen for it
Study it word by word1Now in these days, as the disciples were increasing, there arose a complaint by the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.
2So the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.
3So, brothers, select from among you seven men of good testimony, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint over this task;
4but we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.”
5And the matter pleased the whole multitude, 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 Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch,
6whom they set before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.
In its context
…
7And the word of God kept growing, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem was multiplying greatly, and a great crowd of the priests were obeying the faith.
8And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.
Its words in the original
- ἡμέραιςhēmerais· day
Day. "In the days of" someone: in their time.
- πληθυνόντωνplēthynontōn· multiply, increase
Multiply, increase; in the passive, grow, spread.
- μαθητῶνmathētōn· disciple
Disciple: someone who learns from a teacher and follows him in order to live as he does.
- ἐγένετοegeneto· become, happen
Become, happen, come about; be born.
- γογγυσμὸςgongysmos· grumbling, murmuring
Grumbling, complaints in low voices; what people say under their breath.
- ἙλληνιστῶνHellēnistōn· Hellenist
Hellenist: a Jew who spoke Greek and followed Greek ways.
- ἙβραίουςHebraious· Hebrew
Hebrew: an Israelite, a Jew; especially a Jew who spoke Hebrew or Aramaic and kept the ways of the land of Israel.
- παρεθεωροῦντοparetheōrounto· neglect, overlook
Neglect, overlook, pass by.
- διακονίᾳdiakoniai· service, ministry
Service, ministry: the work of a servant; also help sent to those in need.
- καθημερινῇkathēmerinēi· daily
Daily, of every day.
- χῆραιchērai· widow
Widow.
- προσκαλεσάμενοιproskalesamenoi· summon
Call to oneself, summon.
- δώδεκαdōdeka· twelve
Twelve.
- πλῆθοςplēthos· crowd, great number
Crowd, great number.
- εἶπανeipan· say
Say, speak; in the passive, "be called".
- ἀρεστόνareston· pleasing
Pleasing, what pleases someone.
- ἐστινestin· be
Be, exist.
- καταλείψανταςkataleipsantas· leave, abandon
Leave, leave behind; abandon.
- λόγονlogon· word
Word, saying, message; also reason, cause, account.
- θεοῦtheou· God, god
God. In the plural or in another sense, "gods".
- διακονεῖνdiakonein· serve
Serve, attend to; also serve at table.
- τραπέζαιςtrapezais· table
Table; also a money changer's table.
- ἐπισκέψασθεepiskepsasthe· visit, look after
Visit, go to see and care for; of God, come to help his people; also look for and choose.
- ἀδελφοίadelphoi· brother
Brother. Also a close relative, a fellow countryman and, among believers, a brother in the faith.
- ἄνδραςandras· man, husband
Man, adult male; with a possessive, "husband".
- μαρτυρουμένουςmartyroumenous· testify
Testify, bear witness.
- ἑπτὰhepta· seven
Seven.
- πλήρειςplēreis· full
Full.
- πνεύματοςpneumatos· spirit, Spirit
Spirit; also wind and breath. With "holy", the Holy Spirit of God.
- σοφίαςsophias· wisdom
Wisdom.
- καταστήσομενkatastēsomen· appoint, make
Put in charge, appoint; also make, cause to be.
- χρείαςchreias· need
Need; what is lacking.
- προσευχῇproseuchēi· prayer
Prayer.
- προσκαρτερήσομενproskarterēsomen· be ready, devote oneself
Be always ready; persevere, devote oneself to something.
- ἤρεσενēresen· please
Please.
- ἐνώπιονenōpion· before, in front of
In front of, in the presence of.
- ἐξελέξαντοexelexanto· choose
Choose, select.
- ΣτέφανονStephanon· Stephen
Stephen, one of the seven chosen to serve the tables in Jerusalem, and the first to be killed for his witness.
- πίστεωςpisteōs· faith
Faith: firm trust in God; also faithfulness.
- ἁγίουhagiou· holy
Holy: set apart for God, pure, belonging to him.
- ΦίλιππονPhilippon· Philip
Philip, the name of several men: one of the Twelve; Philip the evangelist (Acts 6:5; 8; 21:8); Philip the tetrarch, son of Herod (Luke 3:1); and the brother of Herod Antipas, Herodias' husband (Mark 6:17).
- ΠρόχορονProchoron· Prochorus
Prochorus, one of the seven chosen to serve.
- ΝικάνοραNikanora· Nicanor
Nicanor, one of the seven chosen to serve.
- ΤίμωναTimōna· Timon
Timon, one of the seven chosen to serve.
- ΠαρμενᾶνParmenan· Parmenas
Parmenas, one of the seven chosen to serve.
- ΝικόλαονNikolaon· Nicolaus
Nicolaus, a proselyte from Antioch, one of the seven chosen to serve.
- προσήλυτονprosēlyton· proselyte
Proselyte: someone who was not a Jew and became a convert to Judaism.
- ἈντιοχέαAntiochea· Antiochian
Antiochian: a person from Antioch, the great city of Syria.
- ἔστησανestēsan· stand, set
Stand, stand still, stop; also set, establish.
- ἀποστόλωνapostolōn· apostle, one sent
Apostle: "one sent", a messenger with a mission. This was the name given to the Twelve whom Jesus chose.
- προσευξάμενοιproseuxamenoi· pray
Pray: speak with God.
- ἐπέθηκανepethēkan· put on, lay on
Put on, lay on.
- χεῖραςcheiras· hand
Hand.