Acts 6 explained: Fair Food and a Bold Witness

Widows left out (vv. 1-4)

Greek-speaking Jewish believers who had grown up abroad complained that their widows, who often had no other support, were missed in the daily food sharing, while the widows of local, Aramaic-speaking believers were not. The twelve apostles asked the whole group to pick trusted, wise people to run this so they could keep to prayer and teaching.

Seven helpers chosen (vv. 5-6)

All seven names are Greek, which may mean the group chose leaders from the community that had complained. Laying hands on them, with prayer, publicly gave them the task, and many Christians see this as the start of the role later called deacon, though that word is not used here.

The movement grows (v. 7)

With the dispute settled, the message spread and the number of followers rose sharply. Even many priests, who served at the temple, joined.

Stephen draws opposition (vv. 8-10)

Stephen did remarkable acts and debated members of a synagogue (a local Jewish meeting place) made up of freed slaves or their descendants, from North Africa, Egypt and what is now Turkey. They could not answer him, and since Cilicia was Saul's home region, some think the later apostle Paul was among them, though the text does not say.

False charges at trial (vv. 11-14)

Unable to win the argument, his opponents planted people to accuse him before the Sanhedrin, the top Jewish council, of speaking against the temple and the law of Moses. The text calls these witnesses false, though readers debate whether they invented the charges or twisted something he really said, and the accusations echo those once made against Jesus.

A face like an angel (v. 15)

As the council stared at him, they saw that his face looked like the face of an angel. The text does not explain what this means, and readers have taken it as a sign of deep calm or of God's presence with him.

Key verse: Acts 6:3

Where Christians differ

Christians differ on whether the seven were the first holders of a lasting church office of deacon or simply people appointed to meet one practical need at one moment.

Something to think about

When a group grows, who tends to be the first to get quietly overlooked, and what would it take for anyone to notice?