Acts 6:5
IntermediateActs 6:5 · World English Bible (WEB)
“These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch;”
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Overview
The church receives the apostles’ wisdom and chooses Spirit-filled men to serve a practical need.
Acts 6:5 shows the early church responding in unity to a problem that could have divided them. The men chosen were not selected merely for administrative usefulness, but for godly character—Stephen especially is marked as “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.”
What Makes This Verse Confusing?
The seven names listed are Greek names. This matters because the problem in Acts 6:1 concerned the Hellenistic widows being overlooked in the daily distribution. The church appears to choose men who could be trusted by the very group that had been wounded, showing Spirit-led wisdom and humility.
The verse lists names without explaining their linguistic background or how they relate to the conflict described in Acts 6:1.
This turns the verse from a mere list of names into a beautiful picture of reconciliation: the church does not minimize the complaint, but entrusts the solution to faithful men who likely understood the affected community.
Cultural & Historical Context
Luke writes to believers needing to see how the risen Lord Jesus continued His work through the Spirit-filled church.
The Jerusalem church had grown rapidly, and a complaint arose that Hellenistic widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. Acts 6:5 records the congregation’s response to the apostles’ proposal.
- ✦Widows were especially vulnerable, and the church took responsibility for their care. The naming of men with Greek names is significant because the neglected group in the immediate context was Greek-speaking Jewish believers.
Theological Insights
The church’s practical ministries must be entrusted to people of proven spiritual character.
Believers should not treat service roles as spiritually small simply because they involve material needs. God is honored when mercy, administration, and fairness are carried out by people full of faithFaithTrust and reliance upon God and His promises, especially the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ. Biblical faith is not blind — it rests on the evidence of who God has revealed Himself to be. and the Holy Spirit.
Original Language
to select — ἐκ-λέγω [in LXX chiefly for בָּחַר ;] to pick out, choose . In NT always mid. (exc. Luk.9:35 , ἐκλελεγμένος, WH, ἀγαπητός, R, mg.), to pick out for oneself, choose (cf. M, Pr. , 157 f.): with accusative of thing(s), Luk.10:42 14:7 ; with accusative of person(s), Act.6:5 15:22, 25 ; of Christ (see supr.), Luk.9:35; of Christ's choice of disciples, Luk.6:13 , Jhn.6:70 13:18 15:16, 19 Act.1:2 ; of th…
The word translated “chose” emphasizes that the congregation made a deliberate selection. This was not accidental or casual; the church responded to the apostles’ instruction with intentional discernment.
full — πλήρης , -ες [in LXX chiefly for מָלֵא ;] __1. full, filled : Mat.14:20 15:37 ; with genitive of thing(s), Mrk.8:19; λέπρας, Luk.5:12; metaphorically, of the soul: πνεύματος ἀγίου, Luk.4:1 , Act.6:3 7:55 11:24 ; πίστεως, Act.6:5; χάριτος, ib. Act.6:8; χ. καὶ ἀληθείας (where π. is indecl.; see M, Pr. , 50; Milligan, NTD , 65, with reff. in each), Jhn.1:14; δόλου, Act.13:10; θυμοῦ, Act.19:28; ἔργων…
“Full” describes Stephen as characterized by faith and the Holy Spirit, not merely touched by them occasionally. Luke presents spiritual fullness as the defining mark of the man.
Lexicon & word tagging: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0)
Related Passages
Acts 11:24
BackgroundActs 21:8
parallelPhilip is later called “the evangelist,” confirming his continued fruitful ministry.
Acts 8:5-40
parallelPhilip, named in Acts 6:5, later preaches Christ in Samaria and is used by God in the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch.
Acts 6:3
backgroundActs 6:3 gives the qualifications the apostles required: men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.
Acts 6:8
parallelStephen is again described in unusually strong spiritual terms, “full of grace and power,” doing great wonders and signs among the people.
Acts 7:1
BackgroundActs 11:19
BackgroundActs 13:1
BackgroundCross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · openbible.info (CC-BY)
Key Takeaway
Acts 6:5 shows the church healing a practical problem through Spirit-filled wisdom, unity, and trustworthy servants.
In Christ’s church, even the care of tables is too sacred to be separated from the fullness of the Holy Spirit.“
Analysis generated on August 24, 2026 · version 2.0
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