As in verse 2, the whole group refers to the entire church community. Another reflection of Luke’s Semitic style lies behind the translation of the whole group was pleased with the apostles’ proposal, which is literally “the word was pleasing before all the group.” The phrase the apostles’ proposal may be simply “what the apostles said.”

They chose refers to the whole congregation (see v. 3). Of the seven men chosen, only two are mentioned further in Acts: Stephen (other than Chapter 7, see 8.2; 11.19; 22.20) and Philip (Chapter 8; 21.8). The Philip mentioned here should not be confused with Philip the apostle. The Antioch from which Nicolaus came was probably Antioch in Syria. On the phrase, a Gentile … who had been converted to Judaism, see 2.11.

It is important in introducing the phrase a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit that this not be related to Stephen in such a way as to suggest that the other men were not in this same category. It is only that for Stephen this expression is an emphatic qualifier. In some languages this portion of verse 5 is translated as “they chose Stephen. He was a man who believed firmly, and the Holy Spirit possessed him; they also chose Philip, Prochorus, ….”

As indicated, the phrase full of faith must frequently be restructured as “believe strongly,” “believe very much,” or “even believe without any doubting.” The expression had been converted to in this type of context may be rendered as “had become” or, as in some languages, “had made himself into a Jew” or “had come to be just like a Jew.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .