Journey
Stephen and Philip
Two of the seven chosen to serve at tables. Stephen's speech to the council cost him his life. Philip carried the message to Samaria and to an Ethiopian official on a desert road.
People in this journey
Opening stop: Seven men of honest report, Acts 6:1
Care for widows was written into the law (Deuteronomy 14:29), and here some are being passed over in the daily ministration. The apostles set that work beside their own ministry of the word in verse 4, two kinds of the same service. Of the seven, only Nicolas is called a proselyte, the word Acts 2:10 sets beside Jews in the crowd at Pentecost. Acts never calls the seven deacons.
And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
King James Version
As the number of the disciples grows, the Grecians murmur against the Hebrews because their widows are neglected in the daily ministration. The twelve call the disciples together, say it is not reason that they should leave the word of God and serve tables, and ask for seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, to be appointed over this business, while the twelve give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. The proposal pleases the multitude, and seven are chosen and named: Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch. They are set before the apostles, who pray and lay hands on them. The word of God increases, the disciples multiply and a great company of the priests are obedient to the faith. Stephen does great wonders and miracles. Men of the synagogue of the Libertines and others dispute with him and cannot resist his wisdom and spirit. They suborn men to accuse him of blasphemous words against Moses and against God, stir up the people, elders and scribes, seize him, bring him to the council and set up false witnesses. Those sitting in the council see his face as it had been the face of an angel.
Continue the journey
This journey has 8 stops. The opening stop is free. Premium opens the rest of the guided path, and every Scripture chapter stays free to read.