1 E N aquellos días, creciendo el número de los discípulos, hubo murmuración de los Griegos contra los Hebreos, de que sus viudas eran menospreciadas en el ministerio cotidiano.

In 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.

2 A sí que, los doce convocaron la multitud de los discípulos, y dijeron: No es justo que nosotros dejemos la palabra de Dios, y sirvamos á las mesas.

So 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.

3 B uscad pues, hermanos, siete varones de vosotros de buen testimonio, llenos de Espíritu Santo y de sabiduría, los cuales pongamos en esta obra.

Brothers, 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.

4 Y nosotros persistiremos en la oración, y en el ministerio de la palabra.

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

5 Y plugo el parecer á toda la multitud; y eligieron á Esteban, varón lleno de fe y de Espíritu Santo, y á Felipe, y á Prócoro, y á Nicanor, y á Timón, y á Parmenas, y á Nicolás, prosélito de Antioquía:

These 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.

6 A estos presentaron delante de los apóstoles, los cuales orando les pusieron las manos encima.

These men were taken to the missionaries. After praying, the missionaries laid their hands on them.

7 Y crecía la palabra del Señor, y el número de los discípulos se multiplicaba mucho en Jerusalem: también una gran multitud de los sacerdotes obedecía á la fe.

The 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

8 E mpero Esteban, lleno de gracia y de potencia, hacía prodigios y milagros grandes en el pueblo.

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

9 L evantáronse entonces unos de la sinagoga que se llama de los Libertinos, y Cireneos, y Alejandrinos, y de los de Cilicia, y de Asia, disputando con Esteban.

But 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.

10 M as no podían resistir á la sabiduría y al Espíritu con que hablaba.

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

11 E ntonces sobornaron á unos que dijesen que le habían oído hablar palabras blasfemas contra Moisés y Dios.

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

12 Y conmovieron al pueblo, y á los ancianos, y á los escribas; y arremetiendo le arrebataron, y le trajeron al concilio.

In 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.

13 Y pusieron testigos falsos, que dijesen: Este hombre no cesa de hablar palabras blasfemas contra este lugar santo y la ley:

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

14 P orque le hemos oído decir, que Jesús de Nazaret destruirá este lugar, y mudará las ordenanzas que nos dió Moisés.

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

15 E ntonces todos los que estaban sentados en el concilio, puestos los ojos en él, vieron su rostro como el rostro de un ángel.

The men sitting in the religious leaders’ court were looking at Stephen. They all saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.