Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
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And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.
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Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty.
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But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
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And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Proch'orus, and Nica'nor, and Ti'mon, and Par'menas, and Nicola'us, a proselyte of Antioch.
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These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them.
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And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious;
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and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
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For it stands in scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame."
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To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not believe, "The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner,"
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and "A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall"; for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
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But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
"Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.
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In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
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And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
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And you know the way where I am going."
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Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?"
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Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.
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If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him."
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Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied."
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Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
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Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
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Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.
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"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.