Acts

6 And in those days, as the disciples increased in number, there came to be a grumbling of the Greek-speaking members against the Hebrews, that their widows were disregarded in the daily distribution. 2 And the Twelve called in the body of disciples and said “It is not desirable that we should leave God’s word and act as bank-tellers. 3 But, brothers, nominate out of your number seven men of attested reputations, whom we will appoint to this duty; 4 and we will devote ourselves to prayer and the distribution of the word.” 5 And all the body approved the idea, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolaus, an Antiochene proselyte, 6 all of whom they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God grew, and the numbers of the disciples at Jerusalem increased extremely, and a great mass of the priests yielded obedience to the faith. 8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and tokens among the people. 9 But some from what is known as the Freedmen’s Synagogue, and some of the Cyrenians and Alexandrians and those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up to debate with Stephen, 10 and were not able to stand their ground against the wisdom and inspiration by which he spoke. 11 Then they put out men who said “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God” 12 and stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and came down on him and carried him off and brought him into the Sanhedrin, 13 and produced false witnesses who said “This man never stops uttering words against the holy place and the law; 14 for we have heard him say that this Nazarene Jesus is to break down this place and to change the usages that Moses handed down to us.”

15 And all those who were sitting in the Sanhedrin fixed their eyes on him and saw his face looking as if it were an angel’s.