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parallelVerse INT GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOS JDG RUTH 1SA 2SA 1KI 2KI 1CH 2CH EZRA NEH EST JOB PSA PRO ECC SNG ISA JER LAM EZE DAN HOS JOEL AMOS OBA YNA MIC NAH HAB ZEP HAG ZEC MAL YHN MARK MAT LUKE ACTs ROM 1COR 2COR GAL EPH PHP COL 1TH 2TH 1TIM 2TIM TIT PHM HEB YAC 1PET 2PET 1YHN 2YHN 3YHN YUD REV
Acts Intro C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 C25 C26 C27 C28
Acts 6 V1 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15
Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. This view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
OET (OET-RV) So the twelve missionaries assembled the believers together and told them, “We’re not pleased about having to take time off sharing the message of God to be serving here at the distribution tables.
OET-LV And the twelve having_called_to the multitude of_the apprentices/followers said:
It_is not pleasing us, having_left the message of_ the _god, to_be_serving unto_tables.
SR-GNT Προσκαλεσάμενοι δὲ οἱ δώδεκα τὸ πλῆθος τῶν μαθητῶν εἶπαν, “Οὐκ ἀρεστόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς, καταλείψαντας τὸν λόγον τοῦ ˚Θεοῦ, διακονεῖν τραπέζαις. ‡
(Proskalesamenoi de hoi dōdeka to plaʸthos tōn mathaʸtōn eipan, “Ouk areston estin haʸmas, kataleipsantas ton logon tou ˚Theou, diakonein trapezais.)
Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
ULT So summoning the multitude of the disciples, the Twelve said, “It is not acceptable for us to leave behind the word of God to serve tables.
UST So after the twelve Representatives had heard what they were saying, they summoned all the other believers in Jerusalem to meet together. Then they said to them, “We would not be doing the right thing if we stopped telling people the message God told us to share about Jesus in order to distribute food to people!
BSB § So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, “It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.
BLB So the Twelve, having called near the multitude of the disciples, said, "It is not desirable for us, having neglected the word of God, to attend tables.
AICNT So the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to leave the word of God and serve tables.
OEB The Twelve, therefore, called together the general body of the disciples and said to them, ‘It is not well for us to see to the distribution at the tables and neglect God’s message.
WEB The twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables.
NET So the twelve called the whole group of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables.
LSV and the Twelve, having called near the multitude of the disciples, said, “It is not pleasing that we, having left the word of God, minister at tables;
FBV The twelve apostles called all the believers together, and told them, “It's not appropriate for us to give up spreading the word of God so we can wait at tables.
TCNT So the twelve called the multitude of the disciples together and said, “It is not proper for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables.
T4T So, after the twelve apostles had heard what they were complaining about, they summoned all the other believers in Jerusalem to meet together. Then the apostles said to those other believers, “We (exc) would not be doing right if we stopped preaching and teaching God’s message about Jesus in order to distribute food [MTY] and money to the widows!
LEB So the twelve summoned the community of disciples and[fn] said, “It is not desirablethat we neglect the word of God to serve tables.
?:? *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“summoned”) has been translated as a finite verb
BBE And the Apostles sent for all the disciples and said, It is not right for us to give up preaching the word of God in order to make distribution of food.
MOF No MOF ACTs book available
ASV And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables.
DRA Then the twelve calling together the multitude of the disciples, said: It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
YLT and 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;
DBY And the twelve, having called the multitude of the disciples to [them], said, It is not right that we, leaving the word of [fn]God, should serve tables.
6.2 Elohim
RV And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables.
WBS Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
KJB Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
(Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. )
BB Then 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.
(Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples together, and said: It is not good that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.)
GNV Then the twelue called the multitude of the disciples together, and sayd, It is not meete that we should leaue the worde of God to serue the tables.
(Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples together, and said, It is not meet that we should leave the word of God to serve the tables. )
CB Then the twolue called the multitude of the disciples together, and sayde: It is not mete that we shulde leaue the worde of God, and to serue at the tables.
(Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples together, and said: It is not meet that we should leave the word of God, and to serve at the tables.)
TNT Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to gether and sayde: it is not mete that we shuld leave the worde of God and serve at the tables.
(Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to gether and said: it is not meet that we should leave the word of God and serve at the tables. )
WYC And the twelue clepiden togidere the multitude of disciplis, and seiden, It is not ryytful, that we leeuen the word of God, and mynystren to boordis.
(And the twelve called together the multitude of disciples, and said, It is not ryytful, that we leeven the word of God, and mynystren to boordis.)
LUT Da riefen die Zwölfe die Menge der Jünger zusammen und sprachen: Es taugt nicht, daß wir das Wort Gottes unterlassen und zu Tische dienen.
(So riefen the Zwölfe the Menge the Yünger together and said: It taugt not, that wir the Wort God’s unterlassen and to Tische dienen.)
CLV Convocantes autem duodecim multitudinem discipulorum, dixerunt: Non est æquum nos derelinquere verbum Dei, et ministrare mensis.[fn]
(Convocantes however duodecim multitudinem discipulorum, dixerunt: Non it_is æquum nos derelinquere verbum God, and ministrare mensis.)
6.2 Non est æquum nos, etc. Ostendunt Apostoli episcopos et doctores Ecclesiæ non debere corporalibus rebus implicari.
6.2 Non it_is æquum nos, etc. Ostendunt Apostoli episcopos and doctores Ecclesiæ not/no debere corporalibus rebus implicari.
UGNT προσκαλεσάμενοι δὲ οἱ δώδεκα τὸ πλῆθος τῶν μαθητῶν εἶπαν, οὐκ ἀρεστόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς, καταλείψαντας τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, διακονεῖν τραπέζαις.
(proskalesamenoi de hoi dōdeka to plaʸthos tōn mathaʸtōn eipan, ouk areston estin haʸmas, kataleipsantas ton logon tou Theou, diakonein trapezais.)
SBL-GNT προσκαλεσάμενοι δὲ οἱ δώδεκα τὸ πλῆθος τῶν μαθητῶν εἶπαν· Οὐκ ἀρεστόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς καταλείψαντας τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ διακονεῖν τραπέζαις·
(proskalesamenoi de hoi dōdeka to plaʸthos tōn mathaʸtōn eipan; Ouk areston estin haʸmas kataleipsantas ton logon tou theou diakonein trapezais; )
TC-GNT Προσκαλεσάμενοι δὲ οἱ δώδεκα τὸ πλῆθος τῶν μαθητῶν, [fn]εἶπον, Οὐκ ἀρεστόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς, καταλείψαντας τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, διακονεῖν τραπέζαις.
(Proskalesamenoi de hoi dōdeka to plaʸthos tōn mathaʸtōn, eipon, Ouk areston estin haʸmas, kataleipsantas ton logon tou Theou, diakonein trapezais.)
6:2 ειπον ¦ ειπαν CT
Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).
6:2-6 Wisely, the apostles called a meeting of all the believers to address the dispute. They recognized the seriousness of the problem, as well as their own priority of teaching the word of God. The solution was to select wise and Spirit-filled men to oversee the food distribution. The community accepted the apostles’ solution and chose good leaders from the ranks of the Greek-speaking believers (all of their names are Greek). These seven devoted themselves to this special ministry, allowing the apostles to spend their time in prayer and teaching the word.
• These seven men are sometimes called the first deacons because of the similarity of their role to the office of deacon (see 1 Tim 3:8-13). Although the Greek term translated “deacon” (Greek diakonos, “servant”) is not used here, a related Greek word is translated running a food program (6:2; Greek diakonein, “to serve”).
Empowering Leadership
In Acts 6:1-7 the new Christian community faced a crisis of leadership. The Hellenists, the Greek-speaking Jews in Jerusalem, were upset because the needs of their widows were being overlooked in “the daily distribution of food” (6:1). This disruption threatened the development of the church with “rumblings of discontent” (6:1) and had to be seriously addressed. Wisely, the apostles recognized the problem (6:2-3) and called for the selection of seven men to administer the food program (6:5-6). Many interpreters see these seven as the first deacons (see study note on 6:2-6). A clear division of labor was agreed upon, with the apostles attending to preaching and teaching, and the material needs of the people being handled by other Spirit-filled leaders. The apostles provided empowering leadership by sensitively listening to genuine community needs. This wise handling of the issue, with the united, responsible action of all involved, resulted in spiritual growth and an increased number of believers (6:7).
Different gifts were recognized in the church and put to work for the common good (see 1 Cor 12:4-11; 1 Pet 4:10-11). And every believer has the opportunity to exercise some kind of ministry. This usefulness of every Christian in the service of God is sometimes called the “priesthood of all believers” (1 Pet 2:5, 9; Rev 1:6; 5:10; see Exod 19:6; Isa 61:6; Rev 20:6). Not everyone has the same role, but all have the same calling to use their gifts in God’s service.
God has given the church its leaders, not to “lord it over” other people, but to serve the community (Matt 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-45; Luke 22:25-27; 1 Pet 5:1-4). The leaders of the church do well when they recognize both the needs of the community and those whom God has prepared to meet those needs. Good leaders recognize gifted people and help them develop, empowering the members of the body to use their God-given gifts (Eph 4:11-12).
Passages for Further Study
Exod 19:6; Isa 61:6; Matt 20:25-28; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Cor 12:4-11; Eph 4:11-12; 1 Pet 2:5, 9; 4:10-11; Rev 1:6; 5:10; 20:6
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
δὲ
and
Luke is using the word So to introduce the results of what the previous sentence described. Use a word, phrase, or other method in your language that is natural for this same purpose.
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj
οἱ δώδεκα
the twelve
Luke is using the adjective Twelve as a noun in order to indicate a group of people, the apostles who led the church. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this word with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: “the 12 apostles” or see the next note for a further possibility.
Note 3 topic: translate-names
οἱ δώδεκα
the twelve
Alternatively, even if your language does not ordinarily use adjectives as nouns, you may be able to do that in this case, since this is a title by which the apostles were known. Even though it is a number, if you translate it as a title, as ULT does, follow the conventions for titles in your language. For example, capitalize main words and write out numbers rather than use digits.
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
καταλείψαντας τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ
/having/_left the word ¬the ˱of˲_God
The apostles are speaking as if they would walk away from the word of God and leave it behind them. Alternate translation: “to stop preaching and teaching the word of God”
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ
the word ¬the ˱of˲_God
Luke is using the term word to mean the message that God wanted the believers to share by using words. Alternate translation: “the message from God”
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
διακονεῖν τραπέζαις
/to_be/_serving ˱unto˲_tables
To describe the work that would be required for them personally to monitor the church’s program of distributing food to people in need, the apostles speak as if they would be bringing food to people who were sitting at tables. Alternate translation: “to give our attention to food distribution”