ActsChapter 6

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In those days, as the number of disciples kept growing, the Greek-speaking Jews began to complain against the Hebrews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.

So the Twelve called the whole company of disciples together and said, "It is not right for us to abandon the word of God in order to wait on tables.

Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are well respected and full of the Spirit and of wisdom, and we will put them in charge of this task,

while we devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

This proposal pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, along with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert from Antioch.

They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

And the word of God kept spreading, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem grew rapidly, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

But some men from the synagogue called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians and Alexandrians and others from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and began to argue with Stephen.

But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

So they secretly instigated men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God."

They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; they came upon him, seized him, and brought him before the council.

They also produced false witnesses who said, "This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.

For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us."

Everyone seated in the council fixed their eyes on him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

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Summary2

Chapter 6

Main Theme: The Appointment of the Seven Servants and the Beginning of Opposition Against Stephen.

Content: As the church grew, a conflict arose between the Greek-speaking and Hebrew-speaking Jewish Christians because the widows of the Greek-speaking group were being overlooked in the daily distribution. The apostles asked the congregation to select seven men, full of the Spirit and wisdom, to lead this ministry, so that the apostles themselves could devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. Stephen, one of the seven, performed great signs and wonders, but was accused of blasphemy by opponents from several synagogues and brought before the Council.

Key Words/Images:

Hellenists and Hebrews: The two groups in the early church – Greek-speaking and Hebrew-speaking Jewish Christians – reflect the cultural diversity and challenges within the congregation.
The Seven: Men chosen for practical service, freeing the apostles to pray and preach – an early form of ministry division.
Stephen's Face Like an Angel: When he stood before the Council, his face shone like that of an angel – a sign of God's presence and affirmation.
False Witnesses: Opponents used lies to accuse Stephen of speaking against the temple and the law.

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for Acts 6

People

The Seven Servants: All seven named men have Greek names, indicating that they likely represented the Hellenistic group that had raised the complaint. Stephen (Στέφανος, "crown/victory crown") is highlighted as the leader and prominent speaker. Nicolas from Antioch is specifically described as a prosēlytos (προσήλυτος) – a Gentile who had converted to Judaism before becoming a Christian. This shows that the church already included people with diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. Philip is mentioned as one of the seven.

Conversion of Priests: Verse 7 notes that "a large number of priests became obedient to the faith." At that time, there were estimated to be between 8,000 and 18,000 priests in total in Israel, organized into 24 divisions that served on rotation in the temple. The fact that many of them joined the believers was remarkable, since they had much to lose socially and economically by following the Jesus movement.

Places

The Synagogue of the Freedmen: The expression synagōgē tōn Libertinōn (συναγωγῆς τῆς λεγομένης Λιβερτίνων) refers to a synagogue for "freedmen" – descendants of Jews who had been slaves in Rome but were later set free. Many of these returned to Jerusalem. A Theodotos inscription found on the Ophel hill in Jerusalem (dated before 70 AD) describes a synagogue built for "reading of the law and teaching of the commandments," with an attached guesthouse for pilgrims. Discovered in 1913, the inscription mentions that Theodotos was the son of Vettenus (a Latin name suggesting a freedman background). This archaeological finding directly confirms the existence of diaspora synagogues in Jerusalem. The chapter also mentions members from Cyrene (Libya), Alexandria (Egypt), Cilicia, and Asia (Asia Minor), showing the diverse Jewish community in the city.

Events and Customs

Daily Food Distribution: The diakonia kathēmerinē (διακονίᾳ τῇ καθημερινῇ, "daily service") to widows reflects an established Jewish charitable practice. In Jewish tradition, there was a tamhui (daily food distribution to traveling poor) and a quppah (weekly collection for local needy). Widows held a particularly vulnerable position in antiquity without a male provider, and caring for them was a central duty in both Jewish law and prophetic tradition.

Laying on of Hands: The ritual where the apostles laid hands on the seven (ἐπέθηκαν αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας) had deep roots in Jewish tradition. In the Old Testament, laying on of hands was used for transferring blessing and authority, such as when Moses appointed Joshua (Numbers 27:18–23). In the synagogue, rabbis were ordained through semikah (laying on of hands). For the early church, this marked appointment to an recognized ministry.

Key Terms

Hellenists and Hebrews: The distinction between Hellēnistōn (Ἑλληνιστῶν) and Hebraious (Ἑβραίους) does not refer to ethnicity but to language and culture. The Hellenists were Greek-speaking Jews, often from the diaspora, who used the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament). The Hebrews were Aramaic/Hebrew-speaking Jews from Palestine. This linguistic and cultural difference created natural groupings even within the believing community.

Diakonia: The word diakonia (διακονία) is used in two ways in this chapter – for "serving at tables" (verse 2) and for "the ministry of the word" (verse 4). Its basic meaning is "service" or "ministry," and the chapter shows how the church began to differentiate between various forms of service without ranking them hierarchically.

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