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1. More and more people were becoming followers of Jesus. But during this same time, the Greek-speaking followers began to complain against the other Jewish followers. They said that their widows were not getting their share of what the followers received every day.
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1. And G1161 in G1722 those G5025 days G2250 , when the number of the G3588 disciples G3101 were multiplied G4129 , there arose G1096 a murmuring G1112 of the G3588 Grecians G1675 against G4314 the G3588 Hebrews G1445 , because G3754 their G846 widows G5503 were neglected G3865 in G1722 the G3588 daily G2522 ministration G1248 .
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2. The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together. The apostles said to them, "It would not be right for us to give up our work of teaching God's word in order to be in charge of getting food to people.
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2. Then G1161 the G3588 twelve G1427 called G4341 the G3588 multitude G4128 of the G3588 disciples G3101 unto them, and said G2036 , It is G2076 not G3756 reason G701 that we G2248 should leave G2641 the G3588 word G3056 of God G2316 , and serve G1247 tables G5132 .
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3. So, brothers and sisters, choose seven of your men who have a good reputation. They must be full of wisdom and the Spirit. We will give them this work to do.
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3. Wherefore G3767 , brethren G80 , look ye out G1980 among G1537 you G5216 seven G2033 men G435 of honest report G3140 , full G4134 of the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 and G2532 wisdom G4678 , whom G3739 we may appoint G2525 over G1909 this G5026 business G5532 .
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4. Then we can use all our time to pray and to teach the word of God."
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4. But G1161 we G2249 will give ourselves continually G4342 to prayer G4335 , and G2532 to the G3588 ministry G1248 of the G3588 word G3056 .
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5. The whole group liked the idea. So they chose these seven men: Stephen (a man with great faith and full of the Holy Spirit), Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus (a man from Antioch who had become a Jew).
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5. And G2532 the G3588 saying G3056 pleased G700 the G1799 whole G3956 multitude G4128 : and G2532 they chose G1586 Stephen G4736 , a man G435 full G4134 of faith G4102 and G2532 of the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 , and G2532 Philip G5376 , and G2532 Prochorus G4402 , and G2532 Nicanor G3527 , and G2532 Timon G5096 , and G2532 Parmenas G3937 , and G2532 Nicolas G3532 a proselyte G4339 of Antioch G491 :
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6. Then they put these men before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
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6. Whom G3739 they set G2476 before G1799 the G3588 apostles G652 : and G2532 when they had prayed G4336 , they laid their hands on G2007 G5495 them G846 .
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7. The word of God was reaching more and more people. The group of followers in Jerusalem became larger and larger. Even a big group of Jewish priests believed and obeyed.
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7. And G2532 the G3588 word G3056 of God G2316 increased G837 ; and G2532 the G3588 number G706 of the G3588 disciples G3101 multiplied G4129 in G1722 Jerusalem G2419 greatly G4970 ; and G5037 a great G4183 company G3793 of the G3588 priests G2409 were obedient G5219 to the G3588 faith G4102 .
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8. Stephen received a great blessing. God gave him power to do great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.
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8. And G1161 Stephen G4736 , full G4134 of faith G4102 and G2532 power G1411 , did G4160 great G3173 wonders G5059 and G2532 miracles G4592 among G1722 the G3588 people G2992 .
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9. But some of the Jews there were from the synagogue of Free Men, as it was called. The group included Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia. They started arguing with Stephen.
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9. Then G1161 there arose G450 certain G5100 of G1537 the G3588 synagogue G4864 , which is called G3004 the synagogue of the Libertines G3032 , and G2532 Cyrenians G2956 , and G2532 Alexandrians G221 , and G2532 of them G3588 of G575 Cilicia G2791 and G2532 of Asia G773 , disputing with G4802 Stephen G4736 .
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10. But the Spirit was helping him speak with wisdom. His words were so strong that these Jews could not argue with him.
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10. And G2532 they were not able G2480 G3756 to resist G436 the G3588 wisdom G4678 and G2532 the G3588 spirit G4151 by which G3739 he spake G2980 .
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11. So they told some men to say, "We heard Stephen say bad things against Moses and against God!"
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11. Then G5119 they suborned G5260 men G435 , which said G3004 , We have heard G191 him G846 speak G2980 blasphemous G989 words G4487 against G1519 Moses G3475 , and G2532 against God G2316 .
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12. By doing this, these Jews upset the people, the older Jewish leaders, and the teachers of the law. They became so angry that they came and grabbed Stephen and took him to a meeting of the high council.
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12. And G5037 they stirred up G4787 the G3588 people G2992 , and G2532 the G3588 elders G4245 , and G2532 the G3588 scribes G1122 , and G2532 came upon G2186 him, and caught G4884 him G846 , and G2532 brought G71 him to G1519 the G3588 council G4892 ,
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13. The Jews brought some men into the meeting to tell lies about Stephen. These men said, "This man is always saying things against this holy place and against the Law of Moses.
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13. And G5037 set up G2476 false G5571 witnesses G3144 , which said G3004 , This G3778 man G444 ceaseth G3973 not G3756 to speak G2980 blasphemous G989 words G4487 against G2596 this G5127 holy G40 place G5117 , and G2532 the G3588 law G3551 :
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14. We heard him say that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy this place and change what Moses told us to do."
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14. For G1063 we have heard G191 him G846 say G3004 , that G3754 this G3778 Jesus G2424 of Nazareth G3480 shall destroy G2647 this G5126 place G5117 , and G2532 shall change G236 the G3588 customs G1485 which G3739 Moses G3475 delivered G3860 us G2254 .
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15. Everyone there in the council meeting was staring at Stephen. They saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.
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15. And G2532 all G537 that sat G2516 in G1722 the G3588 council G4892 , looking steadfastly G816 on G1519 him G846 , saw G1492 his G846 face G4383 as it had been G5616 the face G4383 of an angel G32 .
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