Acts 6:3

Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

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Other translations

WEBBE

Therefore, select from amongst you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

BSB

Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will assign this responsibility to them

KJV

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

ASV

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.

BBE

Take then from among you seven men of good name, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, to whom we may give control of this business.

Original Greek

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ἐπισκέψασθε episkepsasthe do select G1980 δέ de therefore G1161 ἀδελφοί adelphoi brothers G80 ἄνδρας andras men G435 ἐξ ex out from G1537 ὑμῶν humōn yourselves G4771 μαρτυρουμένους marturoumenous being well attested G3140 ἑπτὰ hepta seven G2033 πλήρεις plēreis full G4134 πνεύματος pneumatos of [the] Spirit G4151 ἁγίου hagiou Holy G40 καὶ kai and G2532 σοφίας sophias wisdom G4678 οὓς hous whom G3739 καταστήσομεν katastēsomen we will appoint G2525 ἐπὶ epi over G1909 τῆς tēs (the) G3588 χρείας chreias task G5532 ταύτης tautēs this G3778

The early church

"Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." And so here they showed the necessity; and they did it not sooner, but waited till the murmuring arose; nor, on the other hand, did they suffer this to spread far. And, lo! they leave the decision to them: those who pleased all, those who of all were honestly reputed, them they present: not now twelve, but "seven, full of the Spirit and of wisdom: well reported of" for their conversation. Now when Matthias was to be presented, it was said, "Therefore must one of these men which have companied with us all the time": but not so here: for the case was not alike. And they do not now put it to the lot; they might indeed themselves have made the election, as moved by the Spirit: but nevertheless, they desire the testimony of the people. The fixing the number, and the ordaining them, and for this kind of business, rested with them: but the choice of the men they make over to the people, that they might not seem to act from favor.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts
"Look you out seven men," etc. It is not simply, spiritual men, but, "full of the Spirit and of wisdom," for it needed very great superiority of mind to bear the complainings of widows. For what profits it, that the dispenser of alms steal not, if nevertheless he waste all, or be harsh and easily provoked?
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–7

Hitherto the disciples had been of one accord; this often had been noticed to their honour; but now they were multiplied, they began to murmur. The word of God was enough to take up all the thoughts, cares, and time of the apostles. The persons chosen to serve tables must be duly qualified. They must be filled with gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, necessary to rightly managing this trust; men of truth, and hating covetousness. All who are employed in the service of the church, ought to be commended to the Divine grace by the prayers of the church. They blessed them in the name of the Lord. The word and grace of God are greatly magnified, when those are wrought upon by it, who were least likely.

Read Matthew Henry on Acts 6 →

Cross-references

28

Topics

ChurchMinister, ChristianHoly SpiritSevenStephen

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.