Acts · chapter 6 of 28
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Acts 6 tells how the Greek-speaking believers complain that their widows are being overlooked in the daily distribution, and the apostles propose that the church choose seven men full of the Spirit to serve, while they devote themselves to prayer and the word. One of the seven, Stephen, does great signs, is falsely accused of blasphemy and is brought before the council with a face like an angel.
The church has grown so much that practical problems appear. This chapter shows how the church resolves a conflict over the distribution of aid and, at the same time, introduces Stephen, whose testimony and death in chapter 7 will be a turning point: the persecution that follows scatters the gospel beyond Jerusalem.
As the number of disciples increases, the Greek-speaking believers complain against the Hebrew-speaking ones because their widows are being overlooked in the daily distribution. The twelve gather the crowd and say it is not right for them to give up the word of God to wait on tables. They propose that the people choose from among them seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, to take charge of this task, while the apostles devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.
The proposal pleases everyone. They choose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolaus, a proselyte from Antioch. They set them before the apostles, who pray and lay their hands on them. The word of God continues to spread, the number of disciples multiplies greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many priests become obedient to the faith.
Stephen, full of grace and power, does great wonders and signs among the people. Some from the synagogue called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, along with men from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia, argue with him, but they cannot withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he speaks. So they secretly persuade men to say they heard him blaspheme against Moses and against God. They stir up the people, the elders and the scribes, seize Stephen and bring him before the council, where they set up false witnesses who say he speaks against this holy place and the law, and that he says Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the temple and change the customs Moses delivered. All who sit in the council fix their eyes on Stephen and see that his face is like the face of an angel.
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
The twelve say it is not right for them to give up the word of God to wait on tables, and they ask the church to choose seven men for that task while they devote themselves to prayer and the word. They do not separate the spiritual from the practical but recognize that each task needs people who are called and equipped.
The seven must be men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom. Even practical service to widows requires character, not only organizational skill.
After the conflict is resolved, the word of God spreads, the disciples multiply and many priests become obedient to the faith. Unity and order in the church open the way for growth.
The council members see Stephen's face like the face of an angel. In the face of false accusations, his peace is a sign that God is with him.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: Because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. — Acts 6:1
Answer: Prayer and the ministry of the word. — Acts 6:4
Answer: Men of good repute, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom. — Acts 6:3
Answer: They prayed and laid their hands on them. — Acts 6:6
Answer: That he spoke blasphemous words against Moses and God, against the holy place and the law. — Acts 6:11-13
Answer: Like the face of an angel. — Acts 6:15
This chapter shows that the church can resolve conflict without hiding it. The Greek-speakers' complaint is heard, addressed and turned into organized service. In your group or Sunday school class, ask who goes unnoticed in your church and what the community can do to care for them.
It also helps to see that all service has value. Distributing food and preaching are different tasks, yet the seven had to be full of the Spirit just as the apostles were. Thank those who serve quietly and ask where each person can serve according to their gifts.
Acts 6 ends with Stephen standing before the council, his face like an angel's. In Acts 7 he defends himself with a long survey of Israel's history, and his death marks the beginning of a persecution that carries the gospel farther.
The text does not call them deacons, but it uses the verb to serve and the noun service from the same word family. Many Christians see here the origin of the church's ministry of service, while others see a specific task for that moment. The principle is clear: share the work so that both the word and the service are cared for.
They were Jewish believers from two cultural backgrounds: some had lived outside Israel and spoke Greek, others were from Judea and spoke Aramaic or Hebrew. The Greek names of the seven suggest they were chosen from the group that complained, which shows sensitivity toward those affected.
The false witnesses said Stephen claimed Jesus would destroy the temple and change the customs of Moses. There was something true that they distorted: Jesus had spoken about the temple's destruction, and the gospel showed that the law was not the way of salvation.