Apostelgeschichte 6
1 In den Tagen aber, da der Jünger viel wurden, erhub sich ein Murmeln unter den Griechen wider die Hebräer, darum daß ihre Witwen übersehen wurden in der täglichen Handreichung.
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 Da riefen die Zwölfe die Menge der Jünger zusammen und sprachen: Es taugt nicht, daß wir das Wort Gottes unterlassen und zu Tische 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 Darum, ihr lieben Brüder, sehet unter euch nach sieben Männern, die ein gut Gerücht haben und voll Heiligen Geistes und Weisheit sind, welche wir bestellen mögen zu dieser Notdurft.
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 Wir aber wollen anhalten am Gebet und am Amt des Worts.
and we [(exc)] will devote our time to pray and to preach and teach the message [about Jesus].”
5 Und die Rede gefiel der ganzen Menge wohl, und erwähleten Stephanus, einen Mann voll Glaubens und Heiligen Geistes, und Philippus und Prochorus und Nikanor und Timon und Parmenas und Nikolaus, den Judengenossen von Antiochien.
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 Diese stelleten sie vor die Apostel und beteten und legten die Hände auf sie.
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 Und das Wort Gottes nahm zu, und die Zahl der Jünger ward sehr groß zu Jerusalem. Es wurden auch viel Priester dem Glauben gehorsam.
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 Stephanus aber, voll Glaubens und Kräfte, tat Wunder und große Zeichen unter dem Volk.
God was enabling Stephen to do many things by God’s power. He was doing many amazing miracles among the [Jewish] people.
9 Da stunden etliche auf von der Schule, die da heißet der Libertiner und der Kyrener und der Alexanderer und derer, die aus Zilizien und Asien waren, und befragten sich mit Stephanus.
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 Und sie vermochten nicht, zu widerstehen der Weisheit und dem Geiste, aus welchem er redete.
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 Da richteten sie zu etliche Männer, die sprachen: Wir haben ihn gehöret Lästerworte reden wider Mose und wider Gott.
Then that group secretly persuaded [some] men to [falsely accuse Stephen. saying], “We [(exc)] heard him say bad things about Moses and God.”
12 Und bewegten das Volk und die Ältesten und die Schriftgelehrten; und traten herzu und rissen ihn hin und führeten ihn vor den Rat;
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 und stelleten falsche Zeugen dar, die sprachen: Dieser Mensch höret nicht auf, zu reden Lästerworte wider diese heilige Stätte und das Gesetz.
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 Denn wir haben ihn hören sagen: Jesus von Nazareth wird diese Stätte zerstören und ändern die Sitten, die uns Mose gegeben hat.
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 Und sie sahen auf ihn alle, die im Rat saßen, und sahen sein Angesicht wie eines Engels Angesicht.
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.
