1 I n those days the group of followers was getting larger. Greek-speaking Jews in the group complained against the Jews living in the country around Jerusalem. The Greek-speaking Jews said that their women whose husbands had died were not taken care of when the food was given out each day.

Ora, naqueles dias, crescendo o número dos discípulos, houve uma murmuração dos helenistas contra os hebreus, porque as viúvas daqueles estavam sendo esquecidas na distribuição diária.

2 S o the twelve missionaries called a meeting of the many followers and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God to hand out food.

E os doze, convocando a multidão dos discípulos, disseram: Não é razoável que nós deixemos a palavra de Deus e sirvamos

3 B rothers, choose from among you seven men who are respected and who are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will have them take care of this work.

Escolhei, pois, irmãos, dentre vós, sete homens de boa reputação, cheios do Espírito Santo e de sabedoria, aos quais encarreguemos deste serviço.

4 T hen we will use all of our time to pray and to teach the Word of God.”

Mas nós perseveraremos na oração e no ministério da palavra.

5 T hese words pleased all of them. They chose Stephen who was a man full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. They also chose Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas of Antioch who had become a Jew.

O parecer agradou a todos, e elegeram a Estevão, homem cheio de fé e do Espírito Santo, Filipe, Prócoro, Nicanor, Timão, Pármenas, e Nicolau, prosélito de Antioquia,

6 T hese men were taken to the missionaries. After praying, the missionaries laid their hands on them.

e os apresentaram perante os apóstolos; estes, tendo orado, lhes impuseram as mãos.

7 T he Word of God spread further. The group of followers became much larger in Jerusalem. Many of the religious leaders believed in the faith of the Christians. Stephen Is Brought in Front of the Religious Leaders’ Court

E divulgava-se a palavra de Deus, de sorte que se multiplicava muito o número dos discípulos em Jerusalém e muitos sacerdotes obedeciam ã fé.

8 S tephen was a man full of faith and power. He did many great things among the people.

Ora, Estêvão, cheio de graça e poder, fazia prodígios e grandes sinais entre o povo.

9 B ut some men came from their place of worship who were known as the Free people. They started to argue with Stephen. These men were from the countries of Cyrene and Alexandria and Cilicia and Asia.

Levantaram-se, porém, alguns que eram da sinagoga chamada dos libertos, dos cireneus, dos alexandrinos, dos da Cilícia e da Ásia, e disputavam com Estêvão;

10 S tephen spoke with wisdom and power given by the Holy Spirit. They were not able to say anything against what he said.

e não podiam resistir ã sabedoria e ao Espírito com que falava.

11 S o they told other men to say, “We have heard him say things against Moses and God.”

Então subornaram uns homens para que dissessem: Temo-lo ouvido proferir palavras blasfemas contra Moisés e contra Deus.

12 I n this way they got the people talking against Stephen. The leaders of the people and the teachers of the Law came and took him to the religious leaders’ court.

Assim excitaram o povo, os anciãos, e os escribas; e investindo contra ele, o arrebataram e o levaram ao sinédrio;

13 T he people were told to lie and say, “This man keeps on talking against this place of worship and the Law of Moses.

e apresentaram falsas testemunhas que diziam: Este homem não cessa de proferir palavras contra este santo lugar e contra a lei;

14 W e have heard him say, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is going to pull down this place. He is going to change what Moses taught us.’”

porque nós o temos ouvido dizer que esse Jesus, o nazareno, há de destruir este lugar e mudar os costumes que Moisés nos transmitiu.

15 T he men sitting in the religious leaders’ court were looking at Stephen. They all saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.

Então todos os que estavam assentados no sinédrio, fitando os olhos nele, viram o seu rosto como de um anjo.