The Meaning of Acts 6:8 Explained

Acts 6:8

KJV: And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

YLT: And Stephen, full of faith and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people,

Darby: And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought wonders and great signs among the people.

ASV: And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  Stephen,  full  of faith  and  power,  did  great  wonders  and  miracles  among  the people. 

What does Acts 6:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Stephen was full of grace (cf. cf. Acts 4:33; Luke 4:22) and power (cf. Acts 2:22; Acts 4:33) as well as the Holy Spirit ( Acts 6:3; Acts 6:5), wisdom ( Acts 6:3), and faith ( Acts 6:5). His ability to perform miracles seems unrelated to his having been appointed as one of the Seven ( Acts 6:5; cf. Acts 21:8). Jesus and the Twelve were not the only ones who had the ability to perform miracles (cf. Acts 2:22; Acts 2:43; Acts 5:12).
Luke presented the events surrounding Stephen"s martyrdom in Jerusalem next. He did so to explain the means God used to scatter the Christians and the gospel from Jerusalem into Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. This record also throws more light on the spiritual strength and vitality of the church at this time. Stephen"s experiences as recorded here resemble those of our Lord, as Peter"s did in the earlier chapters. Witherington listed10 parallels between the passions of Jesus and Stephen. [1]

Context Summary

Acts 6:1-15 - Meeting Murmuring Within And Persecution Without
The Grecians here mentioned were Jews who had lived abroad and spoke Greek. There were as yet no Gentiles in the Church. It was regarded as an annex to Judaism, and people had to become Jews before they were admitted to its privileges.
What a glimpse is here afforded of the simplicity and fervor of the primitive Church! The daily ministration of relief; the choice of godly men to attend to secular details; the prime importance of prayer and the ministry of the Word; the recognition by the Apostles of the rights of the people-all is so spiritual and so worthy of the era of the Holy Spirit. Alas, that so fair a dawn should ever have been overcast!
The Church must dedicate to God those whom she has chosen under the guidance of His Spirit. Stephen on the one hand, and Saul on the other, were the leaders of their respective parties. We see traces of the latter in the references to them of Cilicia, Acts 6:9. Stephen's enemies prevailed over him by brute force, but he was conqueror through the blood of the Lamb and the word of his testimony. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 6

1  The apostles, desirous to have the poor cared for,
2  as also careful themselves to dispense the word of God, the food of the soul,
3  recommend,
5  and with the church's consent ordain seven chosen men to the office of deaconship
7  The word of God prevails,
8  Stephen, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, confuting those with whom he disputed,
12  is brought before the council,
13  and falsely accused of blasphemy against the law and the temple

Greek Commentary for Acts 6:8

Wrought [εποιει]
Imperfect active, repeatedly wrought. Evidently a man like Stephen would not confine his “ministry” to “serving tables.” He was called in Acts 6:5 ”full of faith and the Holy Spirit.” Here he is termed “full of grace (so the best MSS., not faith) and power.” The four words give a picture of remarkable attractiveness. The grace of God gave him the power and so “he kept on doing great wonders and signs among the people.” He was a sudden whirlwind of power in the very realm of Peter and John and the rest. [source]
Did [ἐποίει]
Imperfect: was working wonders during the progress of the events described in the previous verse. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 6:8

Philippians 1:1 Deacons [διακόνοις]
The word means servant, and is a general term covering both slaves and hired servants. It is thus distinct from δοῦλος bond-servantIt represents a servant, not in his relation, but in his activity. In the epistles it is often used specifically for a minister of the Gospel, 1 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 3:7. Here it refers to a distinct class of officers in the apostolic church. The origin of this office is recorded Acts 6:1-6. It grew out of a complaint of the Hellenistic or Graeco-Jewish members of the Church, that their widows were neglected in the daily distribution of food and alms. The Palestinian Jews prided themselves on their pure nationality and looked upon the Greek Jews as their inferiors. Seven men were chosen to superintend this matter, and generally to care for the bodily wants of the poor. Their function was described by the phrase to serve tables, Acts 6:2, and their appointment left the apostles free to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. The men selected for the office are supposed to have been Hellenists, from the fact that all their names are Greek, and one is especially described as a proselyte, Acts 6:5; but this cannot be positively asserted, since it was not uncommon for Jews to assume Greek names. See on Romans 16:5. The work of the deacons was, primarily, the relief of the sick and poor; but spiritual ministrations naturally developed in connection with their office. The latter are referred to by the term helps, 1 Corinthians 12:28. Stephen and Philip especially appear in this capacity, Acts href="/desk/?q=ac+6:8-11&sr=1">Acts 6:8-11. Such may also be the meaning of ministering, Romans 12:7. Hence men of faith, piety, and sound judgment were recommended for the office by the apostles, Acts 6:3; 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Women were also chosen as deaconesses, and Phoebe, the bearer of the epistle to the Romans, is commonly supposed to have been one of these. See on Romans 16:1. Ignatius says of deacons: “They are not ministers of food and drink, but servants ( ὐπηρέται , see on Matthew 5:25) of the Church of God” (“Epistle to Tralles,” 2). “Let all pay respect to the deacons as to Jesus Christ” (“Tralles,” 3). “Respect the deacons as the voice of God enjoins you” (“Epistle to Smyrna,” 8). In “The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles” the local churches or individual congregations are ruled by bishops and deacons. “Elect therefore for yourselves bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord; men meek and not lovers of money, and truthful and approved; for they too minister to you the ministry of the prophets and teachers. Therefore despise them not, for they are those that are the honored among you with the prophets and teachers” (xv., 1,2). Deaconesses are not mentioned. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

What do the individual words in Acts 6:8 mean?

Stephen now full grace and power was performing wonders signs great among the people
Στέφανος δὲ πλήρης χάριτος καὶ δυνάμεως ἐποίει τέρατα σημεῖα μεγάλα ἐν τῷ λαῷ

Στέφανος  Stephen 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Στέφανοσ1  
Sense: one of the seven deacons in Jerusalem and the first Christian martyr.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
πλήρης  full 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: πλήρης  
Sense: full, i.e. filled up (as opposed to empty).
χάριτος  grace 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: χάρις  
Sense: grace.
δυνάμεως  power 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: δύναμις  
Sense: strength power, ability.
ἐποίει  was  performing 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
τέρατα  wonders 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: τέρας  
Sense: a prodigy, portent.
σημεῖα  signs 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: σημεῖον  
Sense: a sign, mark, token.
μεγάλα  great 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: μέγας  
Sense: great.
λαῷ  people 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: λαός  
Sense: a people, people group, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock and language.