More and more people were becoming followers of Jesus. But during this same time, the Greek-speaking followers had an argument with the other Jewish followers. They said that their widows F107 were not getting their share of the things that the followers received every day.
The twelve apostles F108 called the whole group of followers together. The apostles said to them, "Our work of teaching God's word has stopped. That's not good! It is better for us to continue teaching God's word than to help people have something to eat.
So, brothers and sisters, choose seven of your own men. They must be men that people say are good. They must be full of wisdom and full of the Spirit. F109 We will give them this work to do.
The whole group liked the idea. So they chose these seven men: Stephen (a man with great faith and full of the Holy Spirit F110 ), Philip, F111 Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus (a man from Antioch, who had become a Jew).
The word of God was reaching more and more people. The group of followers in Jerusalem became larger and larger. Even a big group of Jewish priests believed and obeyed.
But some Jews came and argued with Stephen. These Jews were from a synagogue. F115 It was called a synagogue for Libertines. F116 (This synagogue was also for Jews from Cyrene, and for Jews from Alexandria.) Jews from Cilicia and Asia F117 were with them. They all came and argued with Stephen.
By doing this, these Jews upset the people, the older Jewish leaders, and the teachers of the law. They became so angry that they came and grabbed Stephen. They took him to a meeting of the Jewish leaders.
The Jews brought some men into the meeting. They told these men to tell lies about Stephen. The men said, "This man (Stephen) always says bad things about this holy place (the temple). And he always says bad things against the law {of Moses}.
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