¹And in these days, the disciples multiplying, there came a murmuring of the Hellenists at the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily ministration,

¹Baadaye, idadi ya wanafunzi ilipokuwa inazidi kuongezeka, kulitokea manung'uniko kati ya wanafunzi waliosema Kigiriki na wale waliosema Kiebrania. Wale waliosema Kigiriki walinung'unika kwamba wajane wao walikuwa wanasahauliwa katika ugawaji wa mahitaji ya kila siku.

²and the twelve, having called near the multitude of the disciples, said, `It is not pleasing that we, having left the word of God, do minister at tables;

²Kwa hiyo, mitume kumi na wawili waliita jumuiya yote ya wanafunzi, wakasema, "Si vizuri sisi tuache kulihubiri neno la Mungu ili tushughulikie ugawaji wa mahitaji.

³look out, therefore, brethren, seven men of you who are well testified of, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may set over this necessity,

³Hivyo, ndugu zetu, chagueni miongoni mwenu watu saba wenye sifa njema, waliojawa na Roho na wenye hekima; nasi tutawakabidhi jukumu hilo.

⁴and we to prayer, and to the ministration of the word, will give ourselves continually.`

⁴Sisi, lakini, tutashughulika na sala na kazi ya kuhubiri neno la Mungu."

⁵And the thing was pleasing before all the multitude, and they did choose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch,

⁵Jambo hilo likaipendeza jumuiya yote ya waumini. Wakawachagua Stefano, mtu mwenye imani kubwa na mwenye kujawa na Roho Mtakatifu, Filipo, Prokoro, Nikanora, Timona, Parmena na Nikolao wa Antiokia ambaye hapo awali alikuwa ameongokea dini ya Kiyahudi.

⁶whom they did set before the apostles, and they, having prayed, laid on them [their] hands.

⁶Wakawaweka mbele ya mitume, nao wakawaombea na kuwawekea mikono.

⁷And the word of God did increase, and the number of the disciples did multiply in Jerusalem exceedingly; a great multitude also of the priests were obedient to the faith.

⁷Neno la Mungu likazidi kuenea na idadi ya waumini huko Yerusalemu ikaongezeka zaidi, na kundi kubwa la makuhani wakaipokea imani.

⁸And Stephen, full of faith and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people,

⁸Mungu alimjalia Stefano neema tele, akampa nguvu nyingi hata akawa anatenda miujiza na maajabu kati ya watu.

⁹and there arose certain of those of the synagogue, called of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia, and Asia, disputing with Stephen,

⁹Lakini watu fulani wakatokea ili wabishane na Stefano. Baadhi ya watu hao walikuwa wa sunagogi moja lililoitwa "Sunagogi la Watu Huru", nao walitoka Kurene na Aleksandria; wengine walitoka Kilikia na Asia.

¹⁰and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking;

¹⁰Lakini hawakuweza kumshinda kwa sababu ya hekima yake na kwa sababu ya yule Roho aliyeongoza maneno yake.

¹¹then they suborned men, saying — `We have heard him speaking evil sayings in regard to Moses and God.`

¹¹Kwa hiyo waliwahonga watu kadhaa waseme: "Tumemsikia Stefano akisema maneno ya kumkashifu Mose na kumkashifu Mungu."

¹²They did stir up also the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and having come upon [him], they caught him, and brought [him] to the sanhedrim;

¹²Kwa namna hiyo, waliwachochea watu, wazee na walimu wa Sheria. Basi, wakamjia Stefano, wakamkamata na kumleta mbele ya Baraza kuu.

¹³they set up also false witnesses, saying, `This one doth not cease to speak evil sayings against this holy place and the law,

¹³Walileta Barazani mashahidi wa uongo ambao walisema, "Mtu huyu haachi kamwe kusema maneno ya kupakashifu mahali hapa patakatifu na Sheria ya Mose.

¹⁴for we have heard him saying, That this Jesus the Nazarean shall overthrow this place, and shall change the customs that Moses delivered to us;`

¹⁴Kwa maana tulikwisha msikia akisema eti huyo Yesu wa Nazareti atapaharibu kabisa mahali hapa na kufutilia mbali desturi zile tulizopokea kutoka kwa Mose."

¹⁵and gazing at him, all those sitting in the sanhedrim saw his face as it were the face of a messenger.

¹⁵Wote waliokuwa katika kile kikao cha Baraza walimkodolea macho Stefano, wakauona uso wake umekuwa kama wa malaika.