Discovery BoxActs 6:8-12 
Context6:8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs 1 among the people. 6:9 But some men from the Synagogue 2 of the Freedmen (as it was called), 3 both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia, 4 stood up and argued with Stephen. 6:10 Yet 5 they were not able to resist 6 the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 6:11 Then they secretly instigated 7 some men to say, “We have heard this man 8 speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 6:12 They incited the people, the 9 elders, and the experts in the law; 10 then they approached Stephen, 11 seized him, and brought him before the council. 12
1 tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context. Here the work of miracles extends beyond the Twelve for the first time.
2 sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).
3 tn Grk “the so-called Synagogue of the Freedmen.” The translation of the participle λεγομένης (legomenh") by the phrase “as it was called” is given by L&N 87.86. “Freedmen” would be slaves who had gained their freedom, or the descendants of such people (BDAG 594-95 s.v. Λιβερτῖνος).
4 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
5 tn Grk “and.” The context, however, indicates that the conjunction carries an adversative force.
6 sn They were not able to resist. This represents another fulfillment of Luke 12:11-12; 21:15.
7 tn Another translation would be “they suborned” (but this term is not in common usage). “Instigate (secretly), suborn” is given by BDAG 1036 s.v. ὑποβάλλω.
8 tn Grk “heard him”; but since this is direct discourse, it is more natural (and clearer) to specify the referent (Stephen) as “this man.”
9 tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
10 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.
11 tn Grk “approaching, they seized him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). Stephen suffers just as Peter and John did.
