⁵ The statement found approval with the whole ^[a]congregation; and they chose ^(A)Stephen, a man ^(B)full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and ^(C)Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and ^[b]Nicolas, a ^[c](D)proselyte from ^(E)Antioch. ⁶ And these they brought before the apostles; and after ^(F)praying, they ^(G)laid their hands on them.

^7 (H)The word of God kept on spreading; and ^(I)the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to ^(J)the faith.

⁸ And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great ^(K)wonders and ^[d]signs among the people. ⁹ But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both ^(L)Cyrenians and ^(M)Alexandrians, and some from ^(N)Cilicia and ^[e](O)Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.

⁵⁹ They went on stoning Stephen as he ^(A)called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

The Church at Antioch

^19 (A)So then those who were scattered because of the ^[a]persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way ^[b]to ^(B)Phoenicia and ^(C)Cyprus and ^(D)Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.

²⁰ And ^(A)when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.’