(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. Verbs with an asterisk (*) are in the Greek perfect tense.)
The first deacons
- And in these days, with the disciples multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenistic believers against the Hebrew believers because their widows were being overlooked in the daily ministry of food.
- And having summoned the multitude of the disciples, the twelve said: “It isn’t fitting for us to abandon the word of God to serve tables.
- “And brothers, select seven well-attested menfn“men” this Greek word refers to males only, never females. from among yourselves who are full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will appoint over this need.
- “And we will steadfastly devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.”
- And the statement was pleasing in the sight of all the multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a convert to Judaism from Antioch,
- men whom they stood before the apostles. And having prayed, they laid hands on them.
Stephen is arrested
- And the word of God was increasing, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem was multiplying exceedingly, and a numerous multitude of priests were obeying the faith.
- And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great signs and wonders among the people.
- But some men from the synagogue called “Freedmen”fn“Freedmen” likely refers to former slaves who had been freed. (which also included Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and Asia) arose, arguing with Stephen.
- And they weren’t able to stand against the wisdom and the Spirit by which he was speaking.
- And they convinced men to perjure themselves by saying: “We *heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
- They stirred up both the people and the elders, and the scribes. And having ambushed him, they seized him and brought him into the Sanhedrin.
- They also set up lying witnesses who were saying: “This man doesn’t cease speaking words against this holy place and the law,
- “for we *heard him saying that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs that Moses handed down to us.
- And having fixed their eyes on him, all the men sitting in the Sanhedrin saw that his face was like an angel’s face.
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