What Does Acts 6:2 Mean in the King James?
Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Greek names serving tables and serving the word as two forms of the same service.
THE MEANING
When many needs press at once, your attention can be pulled between keeping the word in view and tending immediate material needs. The verse recognizes a limit of capacity while holding both works within a shared life of service; each calls for its own attention.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the belief that tending practical needs is lesser work: table service belongs to the same family of service as ministry of the word.
THE ROOT
διακονεῖν
diakonein
GROWS FROM
διακον-
diakon-
The shared Greek word stem for serving or attending to another’s needs.
“serve” in this verse is diakonein. English makes serving tables and attending to the word sound like different kinds of work, but Acts 6:4 uses this same word family for the ministry of the word. The passage distinguishes assignments while keeping both within service.
ALSO GROWS
diakonia: service, ministry
διακονία
In Acts 6:4, this noun describes the ministry of the word, linking it to the table service named here.
diakonos: servant, minister
διάκονος
This related word names a person through the same service family, keeping attention on the work of serving.
THE PATTERN
One shared service takes distinct forms according to the needs and gifts entrusted to each person.
For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.THE THREAD
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.“Ministry” here is διακονία (diakonia), from the same Greek word family as “serve” in verse 2. The two verses distinguish table service from word service without separating either from service itself.
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