Hellenistes refers specifically to Greek-speaking Jews — diaspora Jews who had adopted Greek language and culture while maintaining Jewish religious identity. The word appears 3 times in Acts and represents a significant social and linguistic division within early Christianity that led to the first church conflict.
Acts 6:1 records the first internal dispute in the Jerusalem church: the Hellenistai (Greek-speaking Jewish Christians) complained that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food compared to the 'Hebrews' (Aramaic-speaking Jewish Christians). This conflict led to the appointment of the Seven (Acts 6:5) — the first structural organization of the church beyond the apostles. Significantly, all seven have Greek names, suggesting they came from the Hellenistic community. Stephen and Philip, two of the Seven, became the first great evangelist-missionaries. The persecution that followed Stephen's martyrdom (Acts 8:1) scattered the Hellenistai throughout Judea and Samaria — inadvertently fulfilling Acts 1:8's commission to be witnesses to the ends of the earth.