1 ف ِي تِلكَ الأيّامِ كانَ عَدَدُ التَّلامِيذِ يَتَزايَدُ. فَتَذَمَّرَ اليَهُودُ النّاطِقُونَ بِاليُونانِيَّةِ مِنَ اليَهُودِ النّاطِقِينَ بِالأرامِيَّةِ، لِأنَّهُ كانَ يَتِمُّ تَجاهُلُ أرامِلِهُمْ فِي التَّوزِيعِ اليَومِيِّ.

Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

2 ف َدَعا الاثنا عَشَرَ كُلَّ جَماعَةِ التَّلامِيذِ مَعاً وَقالُوا: «لا يَصِحُّ لَنا أنْ نُهمِلَ التَّعلِيمَ بِكَلِمَةِ اللهِ لِنَخدِمَ فِي إعدادِ مَوائِدِ الطَّعامِ.

And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables.

3 ف َاختارُوا أيُّها الإخوَةُ مِنْ بَينِكُمْ سَبعَةَ رِجالٍ لَهُمْ سُمْعَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ وَمُمتَلِئِينَ مِنَ الرُّوحِ وَالحِكْمَةِ فَنوكِلَ إلَيْهِمْ هَذِهِ الخِدمَةَ.

Look ye out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

4 أ مّا نَحنُ فَسَنُكَرِّسُ أنفُسَنا لِلصَّلاةِ وَخِدمَةِ الكَلِمَةِ.»

But we will continue stedfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.

5 ف َاسْتَحْسَنَ الجَمِيعُ هَذا الاقتِراحُ، وَاختارُوا إستِفانُوسَ، وَهُوَ رَجُلٌ مَملُوءٌ مِنَ الإيمانِ وَمِنَ الرُّوحِ القُدُسِ. وَاختارُوا أيضاً فِيلِبُّسَ وَبُرُوخُورُسَ وَنِيكانُورَ وَتِيمُونَ وَبَرْمِيناسَ وَنِيقُولاوُسَ الأنطاكِيَّ، وَهُوَ رَجُلٌ كانَ قَدْ دَخَلَ اليَهُودِيَّةَ.

And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus a proselyte of Antioch;

6 و َقَدَّمُوا هَؤُلاءِ الرِّجالَ إلَى الرُّسُلِ، فَصَلَّى الرُّسُلُ وَوَضَعُوا عَلَيهِمُ الأياديْ.

whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.

7 و َانتَشَرَتْ رِسالَةُ اللهِ، وَتَكاثَرَ عَدَدُ التَّلامِيذِ فِي القُدسِ بِشَكلٍ كَبيرٍ، وَأطاعَ الإيمانَ عَدَدٌ كَبِيرٌ مِنَ الكَهَنَةِ. اليَهُودُ ضِدَّ إستِفانُوس

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

8 و َكانَ إستِفانُوسُ مَملُوءاً نِعمَةً وَقُوَّةً. فَأجرَى عَجائِبَ وَمُعْجِزاتٍ عَظيمَةً بَينَ النّاسِ.

And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people.

9 ف َتَصَدَّى لَهُ بَعضُ أعضاءِ مَجمَعِ «المُتَحَرِّرونَ،» كَما كانَ يُدعَى. وَكانَ هَؤُلاءِ يَهُوداً مِنَ قِيرِينَ وَالاسكَندَرِيَّةِ، وَمِنْ كِيلِيْكِيّا وَأسِيّا، فَراحُوا يُجادِلُونَ إستِفانُوسَ.

But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue called the synagogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen.

10 ل َكِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَستَطِيعُوا الصُّمُودَ أمامَ الحِكْمَةِ وَالرُّوحِ اللَّذَيْنِ كانَ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِما.

And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake.

11 ف َقَدَّمُوا رِشْوَةً لِبَعضِ الرِّجالِ لِيَقُولُوا: «سَمِعناهُ يَتَكَلَّمُ كَلاماً يُهِينُ بِهِ مُوسَى وَاللهَ.»

Then they suborned men, who said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

12 و َهَكَذا أهاجُوا عَلَيهِ النّاسَ وَالشُّيُوخَ وَمُعَلِّمِي الشَّرِيعَةِ. فَجاءُوا وَأمسَكُوا بِهِ، وَأحضَرُوهُ أمامَ مَجلِسِ اليَهُودِ.

And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the council,

13 و َقَدَّمُوا شُهُودَ زُورٍ قالُوا: «لا يَتَوَقَّفُ هَذا الرَّجُلُ أبَداً عَنْ سَبِّ الهَيكَلِ وَالشَّرِيعَةِ.

and set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law:

14 ف َنَحنُ سَمِعناهُ يَقُولُ إنَّ يَسُوعَ النّاصِرِيَّ سَيُدَمِّرُ الهَيكَلَ وَيُبَدِّلُ العاداتِ الَّتِي سَلَّمَنا إيّاها مُوسَى.»

for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us.

15 ف َوَجَّهَ جَمِيعُ الجالِسِينَ فِي المَجلِسِ أنظارَهُمْ إلَيهِ، وَرَأَوْا أنَّ وَجهَهُ بَدا كَوَجهِ مَلاكٍ.

And all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.