Acts 6:6 · Bible study
Acts 6:6 Commentary: Study: Apostolic Prayer and Laying on of Hands
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the meaning of the apostles' prayer and laying on of hands in Acts 6:6. Learn how congregation and apostles worked together to ordain the seven.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The apostles commission the seven chosen servants through prayer and the laying on of hands, formally setting them apart for ministry.
- Key words: proseuxamenoi (having prayed, aorist participle, prayer precedes the action), epethēkan (they laid, aorist indicative, the apostles perform the act).
- Main debate: Does the laying on of hands convey spiritual gifts, or is it purely a sign of commissioning? Most early commentators see it as a symbolic designation, with the Spirit supplying the actual gift.
- Theological theme: The interplay of congregational selection and apostolic appointment; prayer as essential for ministry; use of tangible symbols for spiritual realities.
- Best use: Explaining ordination practices; studying church governance; lessons on conflict resolution and qualifications of leaders.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
WEB World English Bible 2000
whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
KJV King James Version 1769
Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
whom they did set before the apostles, and they, having prayed, laid on them their hands.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
whom they set before the apostles; and, having prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
These they set before the apostles: and they praying, imposed hands upon them.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
A estos presentaron delante de los apóstoles, los cuales orando les pusieron las manos encima.
Aos quais se apresentaram diante dos apóstolos; e eles, orando, puseram as mãos sobre eles.
Ils les présentèrent aux apôtres, qui, après avoir prié, leur imposèrent les mains.
Diese stellten sie vor die Apostel und beteten und legten die Hände auf sie.
Welken zij voor de apostelen stelden; en dezen, als zij gebeden hadden, legden hun de handen op.
e li presentarono agli apostoli, i quali, dopo aver pregato, imposero loro le mani.
Tych stawili przed Apostołów, którzy pomodliwszy się, kładli na nich ręce.
их поставили перед Апостолами, и сии, помолившись, возложили на них руки.
叫他們 站 在 使徒面前。 使徒禱告了，就按 手 在他們頭上。
These they took to the Apostles, who, after prayer, put their hands on them.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Acts 6:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Acts 6:6 describes the formal commissioning of the seven men chosen by the Jerusalem church. The apostles pray first, commending these men to God for their new work. Then they lay hands on them, an act rooted in Jewish tradition (Numbers 8:10; 27:18). Adam Clarke highlights seven steps in the process: necessity seen, church gathered, criteria given, men chosen, presented to apostles, prayer offered, hands laid. Prayer invokes God's blessing; the laying on of hands designates authority and consecrates for service. John Calvin stresses that the rite has no power in itself, the effect depends on the Spirit. Albert Barnes sees it as a sign of commissioning from the apostles. The congregation selected the men; the apostles confirmed them. Both actions together establish a pattern: the whole church identifies leaders, while recognized leaders set them apart through prayer and the laying on of hands.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The apostles prayed for and laid hands on men whom the congregation had chosen, thereby setting them apart for their service.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of laying on of hands | All traditions see it as a solemn sign of setting apart for ministry, rooted in Jewish precedent (Numbers 8:10; 27:18). | Some emphasize that it conveys spiritual authority or gifts (Gill, Barnes), while others insist it is a ceremony without inherent power, dependent on the Spirit (Calvin). |
| Role of the congregation | The congregation selected the seven; the apostles confirmed and commissioned them. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions see apostolic succession as essential for valid ordination, so the apostles' role is irreplaceable. Protestant traditions vary: some stress congregational call, others the need for recognized leaders to ordain. |
| Prayer before ordaining | Prayer is essential to seek God's blessing on those being set apart. | Some view prayer primarily as consecration, others as supplication for gifts; the difference is one of emphasis rather than substance. |
| Identity of the seven | They were chosen to serve tables, addressing a practical need in the church. | Many traditions call them the first deacons and see this as the origin of the diaconate. Others note the term 'deacon' is not used in the text and see the office as later developing. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse sits in a pivotal moment. The church in Jerusalem had grown rapidly, and internal tensions emerged between Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews) and Hebrews (Aramaic speakers). Widows from the Hellenist group were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The apostles responded by calling the community together. They decided to delegate the practical work of serving tables so they could focus on prayer and the ministry of the word. The congregation was instructed to select seven men of good repute, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. The seven names reflect diversity: Stephen, Philip, and others, including Nicolaus a proselyte from Antioch, the church chose leaders who fit its membership.
These men were then presented to the apostles 'in the presence of' (enōpion) the apostles. The apostles prayed, using an aorist participle (proseuxamenoi, having prayed) that shows prayer preceded the laying on of hands. Prayer was essential; it acknowledged that God alone equips for service. Then the apostles 'laid their hands on them' (epethēkan tas cheiras). This gesture has deep roots in Scripture. In Numbers 8:10, the Israelites laid hands on the Levites to set them apart. It was used in ordaining Joshua (Numbers 27:18). Among rabbis, the act called semikhah (leaning on) was used for ordaining teachers. For the apostles, laying on of hands was the visible sign that these men were now authorized to serve. The combination of prayer and physical gesture made clear that the commissioning was both spiritual and communal.
The immediate result? Acts 6:7 says the word of God spread, and even many priests became obedient to the faith. The crisis was resolved, and the church grew.
Textual Notes
The text of Acts 6:6 is generally stable. Adam Clarke notes that the Codex Bezae reads hoitines ("who") instead of kai ("and"), making explicit that the apostles did the praying. This variant removes a potential ambiguity, could the congregation have prayed?, but the context makes the apostles the likely subjects. No other significant manuscript differences are reported by the consulted commentaries. The verse as it stands is clear enough for the sense.
Reception History
This verse has shaped ordination rites across Christian history. The early church widely adopted the pattern of prayer and laying on of hands for appointing deacons. During the Reformation, both Luther and Calvin appealed to Acts 6 to argue that ordination should include congregational involvement and prayer, not merely priestly ceremony. In modern times, the verse is often cited to support shared leadership and spiritual qualifications. Despite different emphases, whether the rite is sacramental or symbolic, the verse remains a common reference for understanding Christian ministry as both prayerful and communal.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The People Choose, The congregation identifies leaders qualified by character and spiritual maturity.
- The Apostles Pray, Prayer is not a formality; it is the essential act of consecration and dependence on God.
- The Apostles Lay Hands, This visible sign communicates authority and partnership in ministry.
Five-point outline
- The Problem: A murmuring disrupts unity, revealing a need for new leadership.
- The Plan: The apostles propose selecting seven qualified servants.
- The Selection: The whole church chooses men full of the Spirit and wisdom.
- The Presentation: The chosen men are brought before the apostles.
- The Commissioning: Prayer and laying on of hands set them apart for service.
Illustration hooks
- A church board votes on a new ministry leader, then the pastor prays and lays hands during a service.
- A local sports team elects a captain, but the coach officially announces and certifies the role.
- A building contractor hires workers, but the architect approves their qualifications and signs off on their assignment.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why do we pray before ordaining leaders? Does the prayer change anything?
- Is the laying on of hands required for a leader to be effective?
- How should we choose church leaders today, what does this story teach about qualifications and process?
Leading a Discussion
Acts 6:6 shows a critical moment in the early church's life, a conflict resolved by shared leadership, wise criteria, and prayerful commissioning. This small-group guide helps your group explore the principles behind the process.
Discussion questions
- What problem did the church face in Acts 6:1, and why was it serious?
- What qualifications did the apostles suggest for the seven men (v.3)? Why those?
- Who chose the men, and who commissioned them? What does this tell us about authority in the early church?
- Why did the apostles pray before laying on hands? What would be missing if they skipped prayer?
- How does this passage shape your understanding of Christian leadership?
- In what ways does your church today follow (or depart from) this pattern when selecting leaders?
- What can we learn about handling disagreements within a church community from this passage?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 8:10 | You shall present the Levites before Yahweh. The children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites, |
| Acts 1:24 | They prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen |
| Acts 8:17 | Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. |
| Acts 9:17 | Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” |
| Acts 13:3 | Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. |
| I Timothy 4:14 | Don’t neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the elders. |
| I Timothy 5:22 | Lay hands hastily on no one. Don’t be a participant in other people’s sins. Keep yourself pure. |
| II Timothy 1:6 | For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke emphasizes that the apostles did not consider the church's choice sufficient by itself. After the congregation selected qualified men, the apostles prayed over them and laid hands on them, consecrating them to God. This shows that apostolic confirmation through prayer was an essential part of the appointment, not merely an endorsement.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that the laying on of hands did not convey any spiritual power. It was a public sign that the deacons received their authority from the apostles, comparable to Jesus' healing touch as a token that power came from him. Though the church chose them, their commission derived directly
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that laying on of hands is a valid ceremony for order and propriety, but it has no power in itself. The effect depends entirely on the Spirit of God, which is why the apostles paired it with prayer, the true means of commending ministers to God.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator sees the narrative's odd details as marks of truth: an inventor would have made an apostle the first martyr, not a deacon, and would not have used a widow-relief dispute to launch missionary expansion. The very unexpectedness of these events argues for their historical reality.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Which they set before the Apostles: and they prayed, and layed their hands on them.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the laying on of hands used by the apostles was a ceremony borrowed from Jewish ordination, called semikah. However, Jewish tradition itself did not treat this rite as essential, allowing ordination by word alone. This indicates the ceremony was not indispensable.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown see a twofold meaning in the laying on of hands: it both proclaimed that all ministry gifts come from Christ, the Church's glorified Head, and symbolized that these gifts are passed to chosen office-bearers through the recognized human channels.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that the church's growth brought an unexpected problem: internal friction between Greek-speaking and Hebrew-speaking believers. He calls this an unhappy disagreement that could have caused real harm, but was wisely settled in time. The apostles protected their calling to prayer and preaching by delegating the daily service to qualified men.