SEV Biblia, Chapter 6:5
Y agrad el parecer a toda la multitud; y eligieron a Esteban, varn lleno de fe y del Espíritu Santo, a Felipe, a Prcoro, a Nicanor, a Timn, a Parmenas, y a Nicols, proslito de Antioquía;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 6:5
Verse 5. Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost] A person every way properly fitted for his work; and thus qualified to be the first martyr of the Christian Church. Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch] A heathen Greek, who had not only believed in the God of Israel, but had also received circumcision, and consequently was a proselyte of the covenant; for, had he been only a proselyte of the gate, the Jews could not have associated with him. On the word proselyte, see the note on Exod. xii. 43. As this is the only proselyte mentioned here, we may presume that all the rest were native Jews. From this Nicolas, it is supposed that the sect called Nicolaitans, mentioned Rev. ii. 6, 15, derived their origin. Dr. Lightfoot doubts this, and rather inclines to derive the name "from alwkyn nicola, let us eat together; those brutes encouraging each other to eat meats offered to idols, like those in Isa. xxii. 13, who said, Let us eat flesh and drink wine, &c." Both Irenaeus and Epiphanius derive this sect from Nicolas the deacon.
Clemens Alexandrinus gives this Nicolas a good character, even while he allows that the sect who taught the community of wives pretended to derive their origin from him. See on Rev. ii. 6.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 5. And the saying pleased the whole multitude , etc.] The speech the apostles made took with them; all things they proposed were universally approved of; the whole body of the church came into it at once unanimously; they all judged it highly reasonable, that the apostles should be eased of the burden in taking care of the poor, and that it should be transferred to some other persons, and they fixed on the following: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost ; he was a man eminent for his faith in Christ, and his faithfulness to him, and in everything he was concerned, and for his courage and boldness in the cause of Christ and for other gifts and graces of the Spirit, with which he was filled; he was, it is very likely, the most eminent person of all the seven, and is therefore named first; he is afterwards taken notice of, and was the first that suffered martyrdom for Christ, with which he was crowned, answerable to his name, which signifies a crown: and Philip ; who was also an evangelist, and had four daughters that prophesied; and perhaps is the same that went down to Samaria, and preached Christ there with great success, and after that baptized the Ethiopian eunuch; and Prochorus ; of this and the rest, no other mention is made in the sacred writings. He is said by some to be a nephew of Stephens, and first bishop of Nicomedia; but these are things not certain; and as for the life of the Apostle John, said to be written by him, it is a spurious and fabulous piece. And Nicanor ; of this man we have no other certain account; for that he suffered martyrdom with Stephen is not to be depended on. It is a Grecian name; there is one of this name who was a general in Demetriuss army, who was sent by him against the Jews, Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his honourable princes, a man that bare deadly hate unto Israel, with commandment to destroy the people. (1Mac 7:26) and there was a gate of the temple, which was called the gate, of Nicanor: and Timon ; he is said to be afterwards bishop of Bersea; though others make him bishop, of Bostra; but with what truth cannot be asserted: and Parmenus ; of him no other account is given, than in the Roman martyrology, which is not to be depended upon, that he suffered martyrdom under Trajan: and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch ; who was first a Greek or Gentile, and then became a Jew, a proselyte of righteousness, and then a Christian, and now made a deacon. Some think, that from this man sprung the sect of the Nicolaitanes, spoken of in the Revelations; though others think, that that wicked set of men only covered themselves with his name, or that they abused some words of his, and perverted the right meaning of them; though was it certain he did turn out a wicked man, it is not to be wondered at, that since there was a devil among the twelve apostles, there should be a hypocrite and a vicious man among the first seven deacons. It is observable, that the names of all these deacons are Greek names; from whence, it seems, that they were of the Grecian or Hellenistic Jews; so that the church thought fit to chose men out of that part of them which made the complaint, in order to make them easy; which is an instance of prudence and condescension, and shows of what excellent spirits they were of.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - Hitherto the disciples had been of one accord; this often had bee noticed to their honour; but now they were multiplied, they began to murmur. The word of God was enough to take up all the thoughts, cares and time of the apostles. The persons chosen to serve tables must be duly qualified. They must be filled with gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, necessary to rightly managing this trust; men of truth, an hating covetousness. All who are employed in the service of the church ought to be commended to the Divine grace by the prayers of the church They blessed them in the name of the Lord. The word and grace of God are greatly magnified, when those are wrought upon by it, who wer least likely.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ηρεσεν 700 5656 V-AAI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM λογος 3056 N-NSM ενωπιον 1799 ADV παντος 3956 A-GSN του 3588 T-GSN πληθους 4128 N-GSN και 2532 CONJ εξελεξαντο 1586 5668 V-AMI-3P στεφανον 4736 N-ASM ανδρα 435 N-ASM πληρη 4134 A-ASM πιστεως 4102 N-GSF και 2532 CONJ πνευματος 4151 N-GSN αγιου 40 A-GSN και 2532 CONJ φιλιππον 5376 N-ASM και 2532 CONJ προχορον 4402 N-ASM και 2532 CONJ νικανορα 3527 N-ASM και 2532 CONJ τιμωνα 5096 N-ASM και 2532 CONJ παρμεναν 3937 N-ASM και 2532 CONJ νικολαον 3532 N-ASM προσηλυτον 4339 N-ASM αντιοχεα 491 N-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. Stephen, etc. The names are all Greek. There is no reason to infer from this that they were all Hellenists. It was customary among the Jews to have two names, the one Hebrew and the other Greek. They were probably partly Hebrews and partly Hellenists.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
6:5 {Pleased} (eresen). Aorist active indicative of areskw like Latin _placuit_ when a vote was taken. The use of enwpion before "the whole multitude" is like the LXX. {They chose} (exelexanto). First aorist middle indicative of eklegw, to pick out for oneself. Each one of the seven has a Greek name and was undoubtedly a Hellenist, not an Aramaean Jew. Consummate wisdom is here displayed for the murmuring had come from the Hellenists, seven of whom were chosen to take proper care of the widows of Hellenists. this trouble was settled to stay settled so far as we know. Nothing is here told of any of the seven except Stephen who is "a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit" and Nicolas "a proselyte of Antioch" (who was not qen born a Jew, but had come to the Jews from the Greek world).
