Handelingen 6
1 Toen in die dagen het getal der leerlingen steeds maar bleef stijgen, begonnen de hellenisten tegen de hebreën te mopperen, dat hùn weduwen bij de dagelijkse verzorging ten achter werden gesteld.
During that time, many more people were becoming believers. [Some of them were from other countries and spoke only the Greek language, but most of them had always lived in Israel and spoke the Hebrew language]. Those who spoke Greek began to complain about those who spoke Hebrew. They were saying. “When [you Hebrew-speaking believers] distribute [food or money] to widows every day, you are not giving fair amounts to the widows who speak Greek!”
2 Daarom riep het twaalftal de menigte der leerlingen bijeen, en zeide: Het is niet goed, dat wij het woord Gods verwaarlozen, om aan tafel te dienen.
So, [after the] twelve [apostles had heard what they were complaining about], they summoned all the [other] believers [in Jerusalem to meet] together. Then the apostles said [to those other believers], “We [(exc)] would not be doing right if we stopped [preaching and teaching] God’s message [about Jesus] in order to distribute food [MTY] [and money to the widows]!
3 Kiest dus, broeders, uit uw midden zeven mannen van goede naam, vol van den Geest en van wijsheid. Hen zullen we aanstellen voor deze taak,
So, fellow believers, carefully choose seven men from among you, men whom [you] know that the Spirit [of God] controls completely and who are very wise. Then we [(exc)] will appoint them to do this work,
4 terwijl wij zelf zullen voortgaan met het gebed en de dienst van het woord.
and we [(exc)] will devote our time to pray and to preach and teach the message [about Jesus].”
5 Het voorstel vond bijval bij heel de menigte. Men koos Stéfanus uit, een man vol van geloof en van den Heiligen Geest; ook Filippus, Próchorus, Nikanor, Timon, Pármenas, en Nikolaus, een proseliet uit Antiochië.
What the apostles recommended pleased all of the [other] believers. So they group chose Stephen. He was a man who strongly believed [in God] and whom the Holy Spirit controlled completely. [They also chose] Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas who was from Antioch [city]. Nicolas had accepted the Jewish religion [before he had believed in Jesus].
6 Men stelde ze aan de apostelen voor; deze baden, en legden hun de handen op.
They brought these [seven] men to the apostles. Then after the apostles prayed [for those men], they placed their hands on [the heads of each one of] them [to appoint them to do that work].
7 En het woord Gods breidde zich uit, en het aantal leerlingen te Jerusalem vermeerderde sterk; ook een groot aantal priesters trad toe tot het geloof.
So [the believers] continued to tell many people the message from God. (The number of people in Jerusalem who believed [in Jesus] was increasing greatly./More and more people in Jerusalem were believing in Jesus.) [Among them] were many [Jewish] priests who were believing the message [about Jesus].
8 Intussen deed Stéfanus, vol genade en kracht, grote wonderen en tekenen onder het volk.
God was enabling Stephen to do many things by God’s power. He was doing many amazing miracles among the [Jewish] people.
9 Daarom begonnen er sommigen uit de synagoge, welke die der Vrijgelatenen Cyreneërs en Alexandrijnen wordt genoemd, en sommigen uit Cilicië en Azië, met Stéfanus te twisten;
However, some people opposed Stephen. They were Jews from a group [that regularly met together in a Jewish meeting place that was] {[that people]} called the Freedmen’s Meeting Place. [Those people were from] Cyrene and Alexandria [cities] and [also] from Cilicia and Asia [provinces]. They all began to argue with Stephen.
10 maar ze waren niet bestand tegen de wijsheid en den Geest, waarmee hij sprak.
But they were not able (to refute [what he said/to prove that what he said was wrong]), [because God’s] Spirit enabled him to speak very wisely.
11 Toen stookten ze enige lieden op, om te verklaren: We hebben hem lastertaal horen spreken tegen Moses en tegen God.
Then that group secretly persuaded [some] men to [falsely accuse Stephen. saying], “We [(exc)] heard him say bad things about Moses and God.”
12 Ze hitsten ook het volk, en de oudsten met de schriftgeleerden tegen hem op, overvielen hem, sleepten hem mee, en brachten hem voor de Hoge Raad.
So, [by saying that], they made the [other Jewish] people angry [at Stephen, including] the elders and the teachers of the [Jewish] laws. Then [they all] seized Stephen and took him to the Jewish Council.
13 Daar lieten ze valse getuigen komen, die zeiden: Deze man spreekt onophoudelijk tegen de heilige plaats en tegen de Wet;
They [also] brought in some other men who accused Stephen falsely [about several things]. They said, “This fellow continually says bad things about this holy Temple and about the laws [that Moses received from God].
14 want we hebben hem horen zeggen, dat die Jesus van Názaret deze plaats zal verwoesten, en de instellingen wijzigen, die Moses ons heeft overgeleverd.
Specifically, we [(exc)] have heard him say that this Jesus from Nazareth [town] will destroy this Temple and will tell us to obey different customs than Moses [taught our ancestors].”
15 Allen, die in de Raad zaten, staarden hem aan, en aanschouwden zijn gelaat als dat van een engel.
When all [the people] who were sitting in the Council [room heard that, and as they] all stared at Stephen, they saw that his face was [shining] [SIM] like the face of an angel.
