6:1 Now in those ¹  days, when the disciples were growing in number, ²  a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews ³  against the native Hebraic Jews, ⁴  because their widows ⁵  were being overlooked ⁶  in the daily distribution of food. ⁷  6:2 So the twelve ⁸  called ⁹  the whole group ¹⁰  of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables. ¹¹  6:3 But carefully select from among you, brothers, ¹²  seven ¹³  men who are well-attested, ¹⁴  full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge ¹⁵  of this necessary task. ¹⁶  6:4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 6:5 The ¹⁷  proposal pleased the entire group, so ¹⁸  they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with ¹⁹  Philip, ²⁰  Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism ²¹  from Antioch. ²²  6:6 They stood these men before the apostles, who prayed ²³  and placed ²⁴  their hands on them. 6:7 The word of God continued to spread, ²⁵  the number of disciples in Jerusalem ²⁶  increased greatly, and a large group ²⁷  of priests became obedient to the faith.

9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.