They were not referred to as deacons at the time they were chosen in (Acts 6). They were simply called “The Seven.” Even though they did not carry the title of deacons yet, they are widely viewed as the first deacons in the Bible. The roles these first seven men filled would not be called deacons until much later. The first seven deacons in the Bible are listed in (Acts 6:5). These seven men were chosen by the disciples because they were full of the Spirit and wisdom. Their responsibility was to take care of some of the daily needs of the Christian community so the Apostles could focus on prayer and teaching the Word.
The First Seven Deacons
1. Stephen
Stephen was described as a man full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. He would later become the first Christian martyr.
2. Philip
Also known as Philip the Evangelist, he makes several appearances in the book of Acts. He baptized an Ethiopian eunuch in (Acts 8:36-38) and was visited by Paul in (Acts 21:8).
3. Prochorus
Tradition says Prochorus was one of the seventy-two sent out by Jesus in (Luke 10).
4. Nicanor
Tradition says he was martyred.
5. Timon
Possibly martyred in Greece according to tradition.
6. Parmenas
Tradition says Parmenas preached in Asia Minor.
7. Nicolas from Antioch
Even though there is no biblical evidence for it, some are of the opinion Nicolas lost his way as a Christian and became the founder of the Nicolaitans.
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