The Seven Helpers
1 Some time later, as the number of disciples kept growing, there was a quarrel between the Greek-speaking Jews and the native Jews. The Greek-speaking Jews claimed that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of funds. 2 So the twelve apostles called the whole group of believers together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the preaching of God's word in order to handle finances. 3 So then, friends, choose seven men among you who are known to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and we will put them in charge of this matter. 4 We ourselves, then, will give our full time to prayer and the work of preaching.”
5 The whole group was pleased with the apostles' proposal, so they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a Gentile from Antioch who had earlier been converted to Judaism. 6 The group presented them to the apostles, who prayed and placed their hands on them.
7 And so the word of God continued to spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem grew larger and larger, and a great number of priests accepted the faith.
The Arrest of Stephen
8 Stephen, a man richly blessed by God and full of power, performed great miracles and wonders among the people. 9 But he was opposed by some men who were members of the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), which had Jews from Cyrene and Alexandria. They and other Jews from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia started arguing with Stephen. 10 But the Spirit gave Stephen such wisdom that when he spoke, they could not refute him. 11 So they bribed some men to say, “We heard him speaking against Moses and against God!” 12 In this way they stirred up the people, the elders, and the teachers of the Law. They seized Stephen and took him before the Council. 13 Then they brought in some men to tell lies about him. “This man,” they said, “is always talking against our sacred Temple and the Law of Moses. 14 We heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will tear down the Temple and change all the customs which have come down to us from Moses!” 15 All those sitting in the Council fixed their eyes on Stephen and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.
VI.
Diakonata īstateišona.
1 Bet tamōs, dīnōs mōcekļu skaitam pīaugūt, elenisti sōce kūrnēt pret ebrejim, ka jūs atraitnes nateikūt īvārōtas pi ikdīniškūs dōvonu izdaleišonas. 2 Tōpēc tī divpadsmit sasauce mōcekļu sapuļci un paskaidrōja: Tys nabyutu pareizi, jo mes, atstōjuši Dīva vōrda sludynōšonu, kolpōtu pi golda. 3 Tōpēc, brōli, izlosit nu sova vyds septeņus veirus, kurim ir loba slava, kuri ir piļni (Svātō) Gora un gudreibas, un mes jim šytū omotu uzticēsim. 4 Mums tadei jōnūsadūd lyugšonai un Dīva vōrda sludynōšonai. 5 Šytys prīkšlykums patyka vysai sapuļcei. Jī izlaseja Stepōnu, pylnu ticeibas un Svātō Gora veiru, tad Filipu, Prochoru, Nikanoru, Timonu, Parmenasu un vīnu Antiochijas prozelitu Meikulu, 6 un atvede jūs apostolu prīškā. Tī lyugšonā uzlyka uz jim rūkas. 7 Tam laikam Dīva vōrds izaplateja arvīnu vairōk, un mōcekļu skaits Jeruzalemā stipri pasalelynōja. Ari lels skaits goreidznīku pījēme ticeibu.
Pyrmais mūceklis.
8 Stepōns beja pylns žēlesteibas un spāka un dareja tautā lelus breinumus un zeimes. 9 Bet daži nu tai saucamōs libertinu, cyreneju un aleksandrīšu synagogas un tūs, kas beja nu Cilicijas un Azijas, uzastōja runā Stepōnam pretim. 10 Tūmār jī pret gudreibu un Goru, kurā tys runōja, nūsaturēt navarēja. 11 Tad jī pīrunōja cylvākus, ka saceitu: Mes dzērdējom zaimōšonas vōrdus pret Dīvu un Moizešu. 12 Tai jī uzbūdynōja pret jū ļaudis, tautas vacōkūs un Rokstim mōceitūs. Un tī jam uzbruka, apcītynōja jū un aizvede augstōs padūmes prīškā. 13 Jī uzstōdeja nataisneigus līcinīkus, kas līcynōja: Šytys cylvāks napōrstoj runōt pret svātajom vītom un pret lykumu. 14 Mes dzērdējom jū runojam: Jezus nu Nazaretes izjauks šytū vītu un pōrmejs tūs īrodumus, kurus mums deve Moizešs.
15 Visi augstōs padūmes daleibnīki pagrīze uz jū sovas acis un redzēja jō vaigu, kurs beja kai eņgeļa vaigs.
