Acts 7:35-60

7:35 This same¹ Moses they had rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge?’² God sent as both ruler and deliverer³ through the hand of the angel⁴ who appeared to him in the bush. 7:36 This man led them out, performing wonders and miraculous signs⁵ in the land of Egypt,⁶ at⁷ the Red Sea, and in the wilderness⁸ for forty years. 7:37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites,⁹ ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’¹⁰ 7:38 This is the man who was in the congregation¹¹ in the wilderness¹² with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors,¹³ and he¹⁴ received living oracles¹⁵ to give to you.¹⁶ 7:39 Our¹⁷ ancestors¹⁸ were unwilling to obey¹⁹ him, but pushed him aside²⁰ and turned back to Egypt in their hearts, 7:40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go in front of us, for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt²¹ – we do not know what has happened to him!’²² 7:41 At²³ that time²⁴ they made an idol in the form of a calf,²⁵ brought²⁶ a sacrifice to the idol, and began rejoicing²⁷ in the works of their hands.²⁸ 7:42 But God turned away from them and gave them over²⁹ to worship the host³⁰ of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘It was not to me that you offered slain animals and sacrifices³¹ forty years in the wilderness, was it,³² house of Israel? 7:43 But you took along the tabernacle³³ of Moloch³⁴ and the star of the³⁵ god Rephan,³⁶ the images you made to worship, but I will deport³⁷ you beyond Babylon.’³⁸ 7:44 Our ancestors³⁹ had the tabernacle⁴⁰ of testimony in the wilderness,⁴¹ just as God⁴² who spoke to Moses ordered him⁴³ to make it according to the design he had seen. 7:45 Our⁴⁴ ancestors⁴⁵ received possession of it and brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors,⁴⁶ until the time⁴⁷ of David. 7:46 He⁴⁸ found favor⁴⁹ with⁵⁰ God and asked that he could⁵¹ find a dwelling place⁵² for the house⁵³ of Jacob. 7:47 But Solomon built a house⁵⁴ for him. 7:48 Yet the Most High⁵⁵ does not live in houses made by human hands,⁵⁶ as the prophet says,

7:49 ‘Heaven is my throne,

and earth is the footstool for my feet.

What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,

or what is my resting place?⁵⁷

7:50 Did my hand⁵⁸ not make all these things?’⁵⁹

7:51 “You stubborn⁶⁰ people, with uncircumcised⁶¹ hearts and ears!⁶² You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors⁶³ did! 7:52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors⁶⁴ not persecute?⁶⁵ They⁶⁶ killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One,⁶⁷ whose betrayers and murderers you have now become!⁶⁸ 7:53 You⁶⁹ received the law by decrees given by angels,⁷⁰ but you did not obey⁷¹ it.”⁷²

Stephen is Killed

7:54 When they heard these things, they became furious⁷³ and ground their teeth⁷⁴ at him. 7:55 But Stephen,⁷⁵ full⁷⁶ of the Holy Spirit, looked intently⁷⁷ toward heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing⁷⁸ at the right hand of God. 7:56 “Look!” he said.⁷⁹ “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 7:57 But they covered their ears,⁸⁰ shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent. 7:58 When⁸¹ they had driven him out of the city, they began to stone him,⁸² and the witnesses laid their cloaks⁸³ at the feet of a young man named Saul. 7:59 They⁸⁴ continued to stone Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 7:60 Then he fell⁸⁵ to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”⁸⁶ When⁸⁷ he had said this, he died.⁸⁸

¹sn This same. The reference to “this one” occurs five times in this speech. It is the way the other speeches in Acts refer to Jesus (e.g., Acts 2:23).

²sn A quotation from Exod 2:14 (see Acts 7:27). God saw Moses very differently than the people of the nation did. The reference to a ruler and a judge suggests that Stephen set up a comparison between Moses and Jesus, but he never finished his speech to make the point. The reader of Acts, however, knowing the other sermons in the book, recognizes that the rejection of Jesus is the counterpoint.

³tn Or “liberator.” The meaning “liberator” for λυτρωτήν (lutrwthn) is given in L&N 37.129: “a person who liberates or releases others.”

⁴tn Or simply “through the angel.” Here the “hand” could be understood as a figure for the person or the power of the angel himself. The remark about the angel appearing fits the first century Jewish view that God appears to no one (John 1:14-18; Gal 3:19; Deut 33:2 LXX).

⁵tn Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned.

sn Performing wonders and miraculous signs. Again Moses acted like Jesus. The phrase appears 9 times in Acts (2:19, 22, 43; 4:30; 5:12; 6:8; 7:36; 14:3; 15:12).

⁶tn Or simply “in Egypt.” The phrase “the land of” could be omitted as unnecessary or redundant.

⁷tn Grk “and at,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

⁸tn Or “desert.”

⁹tn Grk “to the sons of Israel.”

¹⁰sn A quotation from Deut 18:15. This quotation sets up Jesus as the “leader-prophet” like Moses (Acts 3:22; Luke 9:35).

¹¹tn This term, ἐκκλησία (ekklhsia), is a secular use of the term that came to mean “church” in the epistles. Here a reference to an assembly is all that is intended.

¹²tn Or “desert.”

¹³tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

¹⁴tn Grk “fathers, who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he” and a new clause introduced by “and” was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

¹⁵tn Or “messages.” This is an allusion to the law given to Moses.

¹⁶tc ‡ The first person pronoun ἡμῖν (Jhmin, “to us”) is read by A C D E Ψ 33 1739 Ï lat sy, while the second person pronoun ὑμῖν (Jumin, “to you”) is read by Ì⁷⁴ א B 36 453 al co. The second person pronoun thus has significantly better external support. As well, ὑμῖν is a harder reading in this context, both because it is surrounded by first person pronouns and because Stephen perhaps “does not wish to disassociate himself from those who received God’s revelation in the past, but only from those who misinterpreted and disobeyed that revelation” (TCGNT 307). At the same time, Stephen does associate himself to some degree with his disobedient ancestors in v. 39, suggesting that the decisive break does not really come until v. 51 (where both his present audience and their ancestors are viewed as rebellious). Thus, both externally and internally ὑμῖν is the preferred reading.

¹⁷tn Grk “whom our.” The continuation of the sentence as a relative clause is awkward in English, so a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.

¹⁸tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

¹⁹sn To obey. Again the theme of the speech is noted. The nation disobeyed the way of God and opted for Egypt over the promised land.

²⁰sn Pushed him aside. This is the second time Moses is “pushed aside” in Stephen’s account (see v. 27).

²¹tn Or simply “of Egypt.” The phrase “the land of” could be omitted as unnecessary or redundant.

²²sn A quotation from Exod 32:1, 23. Doubt (we do not know what has happened to him) expresses itself in unfaithful action. The act is in contrast to God’s promise in Exod 23:20.

²³tn Grk “And.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

²⁴tn Grk “In those days.”

²⁵tn Or “a bull calf” (see Exod 32:4-6). The term μοσχοποιέω (moscopoiew) occurs only in Christian writings according to BDAG 660 s.v.

²⁶tn Grk “and brought,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

²⁷tn The imperfect verb εὐφραίνοντο (eufrainonto) has been translated ingressively. See BDAG 414-15 s.v. εὐφραίνω 2.

²⁸tn Or “in what they had done.”

²⁹sn The expression and gave them over suggests similarities to the judgment on the nations described by Paul in Rom 1:18-32.

³⁰tn Or “stars.”

sn To worship the hosts of heaven. Their action violated Deut 4:19; 17:2-5. See Ps 106:36-43.

³¹tn The two terms for sacrifices “semantically reinforce one another and are here combined essentially for emphasis” (L&N 53.20).

³²tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “was it?”

³³tn Or “tent.”

sn A tabernacle was a tent used to house religious objects or a shrine (i.e., a portable sanctuary).

³⁴sn Moloch was a Canaanite deity who was believed to be the god of the sky and the sun.

³⁵tc ‡ Most mss, including several important ones (Ì⁷⁴ א A C E Ψ 33 1739 Ï h p vg sy^h mae bo Cyr), have ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “your”) here, in conformity with the LXX of Amos 5:26. But other significant and diverse witnesses lack the pronoun: The lack of ὑμῶν in B D 36 453 gig sy^p sa Ir^lat Or is difficult to explain if it is not the original wording here. NA²⁷ has the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

³⁶sn Rephan (῾Ραιφάν, RJaifan) was a pagan deity. The term was a name for Saturn. It was variously spelled in the mss (BDAG 903 s.v. has Rompha as an alternate spelling). The references cover a range of deities and a history of unfaithfulness.

³⁷tn Or “I will make you move.”

³⁸sn A quotation from Amos 5:25-27. This constituted a prediction of the exile.

³⁹tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

⁴⁰tn Or “tent.”

sn The tabernacle was the tent used to house the ark of the covenant before the construction of Solomon’s temple. This is where God was believed to reside, yet the people were still unfaithful.

⁴¹tn Or “desert.”

⁴²tn Grk “the one”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁴³tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

⁴⁴tn Grk “And.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

⁴⁵tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

⁴⁶tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

sn Before our ancestors. Stephen has backtracked here to point out how faithful God had been before the constant move to idolatry just noted.

⁴⁷tn Grk “In those days.”

⁴⁸tn Grk “David, who” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

⁴⁹tn Or “grace.”

⁵⁰tn Grk “before,” “in the presence of.”

⁵¹tn The words “that he could” are not in the Greek text, but are implied as the (understood) subject of the infinitive εὑρεῖν (Jeurein). This understands David’s request as asking that he might find the dwelling place. The other possibility would be to supply “that God” as the subject of the infinitive: “and asked that God find a dwelling place.” Unfortunately this problem is complicated by the extremely difficult problem with the Greek text in the following phrase (“house of Jacob” vs. “God of Jacob”).

⁵²tn On this term see BDAG 929 s.v. σκήνωμα a (Ps 132:5).

⁵³tc Some mss read θεῷ (qew, “God”) here, a variant much easier to understand in the context. The reading “God” is supported by א² A C E Ψ 33 1739 Ï lat sy co. The more difficult οἴκῳ (oikw, “house”) is supported by Ì⁷⁴ א* B D H 049 pc. Thus the second reading is preferred both externally because of better ms evidence and internally because it is hard to see how a copyist finding the reading “God” would change it to “house,” while it is easy to see how (given the LXX of Ps 132:5) a copyist might assimilate the reading and change “house” to “God.” However, some scholars think the reading “house” is so difficult as to be unacceptable. Others (like Lachmann and Hort) resorted to conjectural emendation at this point. Others (Ropes) sought an answer in an underlying Aramaic expression. Not everyone thinks the reading “house” is too difficult to be accepted as original (see Lake and Cadbury). A. F. J. Klijn, “Stephen’s Speech – Acts vii.2-53,” NTS 4 (1957): 25-31, compared the idea of a “house within the house of Israel” with the Manual of Discipline from Qumran, a possible parallel that seems to support the reading “house” as authentic. (For the more detailed discussion from which this note was derived, see TCGNT 308-9.)

⁵⁴sn See 1 Kgs 8:1-21.

⁵⁵sn The title the Most High points to God’s majesty (Heb 7:1; Luke 1:32, 35; Acts 16:7).

⁵⁶sn The phrase made by human hands is negative in the NT: Mark 14:58; Acts 17:24; Eph 2:11; Heb 9:11, 24. It suggests “man-made” or “impermanent.” The rebuke is like parts of the Hebrew scripture where the rebuke is not of the temple, but for making too much of it (1 Kgs 8:27; Isa 57:15; 1 Chr 6:8; Jer 7:1-34).

⁵⁷sn What kind…resting place? The rhetorical questions suggest mere human beings cannot build a house to contain God.

⁵⁸tn Or “Did I.” The phrase “my hand” is ultimately a metaphor for God himself.

⁵⁹tn The question in Greek introduced with οὐχί (ouci) expects a positive reply.

sn A quotation from Isa 66:1-2. If God made the heavens, how can a human building contain him?

⁶⁰sn Traditionally, “stiff-necked people.” Now the critique begins in earnest.

⁶¹tn The term ἀπερίτμητοι (aperitmhtoi, “uncircumcised”) is a NT hapax legomenon (occurs only once). See BDAG 101-2 s.v. ἀπερίτμητος and Isa 52:1.

⁶²tn Or “You stubborn and obstinate people!” (The phrase “uncircumcised hearts and ears” is another figure for stubbornness.)

⁶³tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

⁶⁴tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

⁶⁵sn Which…persecute. The rhetorical question suggests they persecuted them all.

⁶⁶tn Grk “And they.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

⁶⁷sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ.

⁶⁸sn Whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. The harsh critique has OT precedent (1 Kgs 19:10-14; Neh 9:26; 2 Chr 36:16).

⁶⁹tn Grk “whose betrayers and murderers you have now become, who received the law” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the pronoun “You” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English.

⁷⁰tn Traditionally, “as ordained by angels,” but εἰς (eis) with the accusative here should be understood as instrumental (a substitute for ἐν [en]); so BDAG 291 s.v. εἰς 9, BDF §206. Thus the phrase literally means “received the law by the decrees [orders] of angels” with the genitive understood as a subjective genitive, that is, the angels gave the decrees.

sn Decrees given by angels. According to Jewish traditions in the first century, the law of Moses was mediated through angels. See also the note on “angel” in 7:35.

⁷¹tn The Greek word φυλάσσω (fulassw, traditionally translated “keep”) in this context connotes preservation of and devotion to an object as well as obedience.

⁷²tn Or “did not obey it.”

⁷³tn This verb, which also occurs in Acts 5:33, means “cut to the quick” or “deeply infuriated” (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπρίω).

⁷⁴tn Or “they gnashed their teeth.” This idiom is a picture of violent rage (BDAG 184 s.v. βρύχω). See also Ps 35:16.

⁷⁵tn Grk “he”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁷⁶tn Grk “being full,” but the participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has not been translated since it would be redundant in English.

⁷⁷tn Grk “looking intently toward heaven, saw.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

⁷⁸sn The picture of Jesus standing (rather than seated) probably indicates his rising to receive his child. By announcing his vision, Stephen thoroughly offended his audience, who believed no one could share God’s place in heaven. The phrase is a variation on Ps 110:1.

⁷⁹tn Grk “And he said, ‘Look!’” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

⁸⁰sn They covered their ears to avoid hearing what they considered to be blasphemy.

⁸¹tn Grk “And when.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

⁸²sn They began to stone him. The irony of the scene is that the people do exactly what the speech complains about in v. 52.

⁸³tn Or “outer garments.”

sn Laid their cloaks. The outer garment, or cloak, was taken off and laid aside to leave the arms free (in this case for throwing stones).

⁸⁴tn Grk “And they.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

⁸⁵tn Grk “Then falling to his knees he cried out.” The participle θείς (qeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

⁸⁶sn The remarks Lord Jesus, receive my spirit and Lord, do not hold this sin against them recall statements Jesus made on the cross (Luke 23:34, 46).

⁸⁷tn Grk “And when.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

⁸⁸tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.