7:51 “You stubborn 13 people, with uncircumcised 14 hearts and ears! 15 You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors 16 did! 7:52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors 17 not persecute? 18 They 19 killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, 20 whose betrayers and murderers you have now become! 21
1 tn Grk “to the sons of Israel.”
2 sn A quotation from Deut 18:15. This quotation sets up Jesus as the “leader-prophet” like Moses (Acts 3:22; Luke 9:35).
3 tn 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.
4 tn Or “desert.”
5 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
6 tn 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.
7 tn Or “messages.” This is an allusion to the law given to Moses.
8 tc ‡ 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.
9 tn 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.
10 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
11 sn 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.
12 sn Pushed him aside. This is the second time Moses is “pushed aside” in Stephen’s account (see v. 27).
13 sn Traditionally, “stiff-necked people.” Now the critique begins in earnest.
14 tn The term ἀπερίτμητοι (aperitmhtoi, “uncircumcised”) is a NT hapax legomenon (occurs only once). See BDAG 101-2 s.v. ἀπερίτμητος and Isa 52:1.
15 tn Or “You stubborn and obstinate people!” (The phrase “uncircumcised hearts and ears” is another figure for stubbornness.)
16 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
17 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
18 sn Which…persecute. The rhetorical question suggests they persecuted them all.
19 tn 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.
20 sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ.
21 sn 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).