The Choosing of the Seven
(1 Timothy 3:8–13)

1And in those dayes, when the number of ye disciples grewe, there arose a grudge among the Grekes agaynst ye Hebrues, because their wydowes were despysed in the dayly ministerie. 2Then the twelue called the multitude of the disciples together, and sayde: It is not good that we shoulde leaue the worde of God, and serue tables. 3Wherfore brethren, loke ye out among you seuen men of honest report, & full of the holy ghost, and wysedome, to who we may commit this busynesse. 4But we wyll geue our selues continually to prayer, and to the ministerie of the worde. 5And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Steuen, a man full of fayth, and of the holy ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, & Timon, and Permenas, and Nicolas a conuert of Antioche. 6These they set before the apostles: and whe they had prayed, they layde their handes on them.

7And the worde of God encreased, & the number of ye disciples multiplied in Hierusalem greatly, and a great companie of the priestes were obedient to ye fayth.

The Arrest of Stephen

8And Steuen full of fayth & power, dyd great wonders & miracles among the people. 9Then there arose certaine of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and of Alexandria, and of Cilicia, & of Asia, disputyng with Steuen. 10And they coulde not resiste the wisedome and the spirite by the whiche he spake. 11Then they priuilie prepared men, whiche sayde, we haue heard him speake blasphemous wordes agaynst Moyses, and agaynst God. 12And they moued the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came vppon hym, and caught him, and brought him to the counsell. 13And brought foorth false witnesses, which sayde: This man ceasseth not to speake blasphemous wordes agaynste this holy place and the lawe. 14For we hearde hym say, that this Iesus of Nazareth shal destroy this place, & shall chaunge the ordinaunces which Moyses gaue vs: 15And all that sate in the counsell, loking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had ben the face of an angell.