Acts 7
7
Stephen’s Defense
1Now the #7:1 Probably Caiaphas. See 4:6.high priest asked [Stephen], “Are these charges true?”
2And he answered, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory [the Shekinah, the radiance of God] appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, [Gen 11:31; 15:7; Ps 29:3] 3and He said to him, ‘Leave your country and your relatives, and come to the land that I will show you.’ [Gen 12:1] 4Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, God sent him to this country in which you now live. [Gen 11:31; 12:5; 15:7] 5But He did not give him inheritable property, not even enough ground to take a step on, yet He promised that He would give it to Him as a possession, and to his descendants after him. [Gen 12:7; 17:8; Deut 2:5] 6And this is, in effect, what God spoke [to him]: That his descendants would be aliens (strangers) in a foreign land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years. 7‘And I will judge any nation to whom they will be in bondage,’ said God, ‘and after that they will come out and serve Me [in worship] in this place.’ [Gen 15:13, 14; Ex 3:12] 8And God gave Abraham a covenant [a formal agreement to be strictly observed] of [which] circumcision [was the sign]; and so [under these circumstances] Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac [became the father] of #7:8 Jacob’s name was changed to Israel (Gen 32:28).Jacob, and Jacob [became the father] of the #7:8 Ancestral fathers of the twelve tribes: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.twelve patriarchs. [Gen 17:10-14; 21:2-4; 25:26; 29:31-35; 30:1-24; 35:16-26]
9“The [ten elder] patriarchs, overwhelmed with jealousy, sold [their younger brother] Joseph into [slavery in] Egypt; but God was with him, [Gen 37:11, 28; 45:4] 10and He rescued him from all his suffering, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made Joseph governor over Egypt and over his entire household. [Gen 39:2, 3, 21; 41:40-46; Ps 105:21]
11“Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great distress and our fathers could not find food [for their households and livestock]. [Gen 41:54, 55; 42:5] 12But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time. [Gen 42:2] 13And on the second visit Joseph identified himself to his brothers, and Joseph’s family and background were revealed to Pharaoh. [Gen 45:1-4] 14Then Joseph sent and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five persons in all. [Gen 45:9, 10] 15And Jacob (Israel) went down into Egypt, and #7:15 Jacob was buried in Abraham’s tomb at Machpelah in Canaan.there he died, as did our fathers; [Gen 49:33] 16and [from Egypt] #7:16 Lit they, i.e. the bodies of Joseph and his brothers.their bodies were taken back to Shechem and placed in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. [Gen 50:13; Josh 24:32]
17“But as the time [for the fulfillment] of the promise which God had made to Abraham was approaching, the [Hebrew] people increased and multiplied in Egypt, [Deut 10:22] 18until [the time when] there arose another king over egypt who did not know joseph [nor his history and the merit of his service to Egypt]. [Ex 1:7, 8] 19He shrewdly exploited our race and mistreated our fathers, forcing them to expose their [male] babies so that they would die. [Ex 1:7-11, 15-22] 20It was at this [critical] time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and for three months he was nourished in his father’s house. [Ex 2:2] 21Then when he was set outside [to die], Pharaoh’s daughter rescued him and claimed him for herself, and cared for him as her own son. [Ex 2:5, 6, 10] 22So Moses was educated in all the wisdom and culture of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds. 23But when he reached the age of forty, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel. 24And when he saw one [of them] being treated unfairly, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking and killing the Egyptian. 25He expected his countrymen to understand that God was granting them freedom through him [assuming that they would accept him], but they did not understand. 26Then on the next day he suddenly appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you wrong one another?’ 27But the man who was injuring his neighbor pushed Moses away, saying, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? 28Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29At this remark Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he fathered two sons. [Ex 2:11-15, 22; 18:3, 4]
30“After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount #7:30 Horeb is the range of mountains of which Sinai is a peak (Ex 3:1).Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn bush. 31When Moses saw it, he was astonished at the sight; but as he went near to look more closely, the voice of the Lord came [to him, saying]: 32‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. 33Then the Lord said to him, ‘Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground [worthy of reverence and respect]. 34I have most certainly seen the oppression of My people in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Now come, and I will send you to Egypt [as My messenger].’ [Ex 3:1-10]
35“This Moses whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the very one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer, with the [protecting and helping] hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. [Ex 2:14] 36This man led them out [of Egypt] after performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. [Ex 7:3; 14:21; Num 14:33] 37This is the Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a Prophet #7:37 Or as He raised up me.like me from your countrymen.’ [Deut 18:15, 18] 38This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles [divine words that still live] to be handed down to you. [Ex 19] 39Our fathers were unwilling to be subject to him [and refused to listen to him]. They rejected him, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. [Num 14:3, 4] 40They said to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’ [Ex 32:1, 23] 41In those days they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced and celebrated over the works of their hands. [Ex 32:4, 6] 42But God turned away [from them] and handed them over to serve the #7:42 A mythological group of gods represented by the heavenly bodies and constellations.host of heaven. As it is written and forever remains written in the book of the prophets, ‘It was not [really] to Me that you offered victims and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel? [Jer 19:13] 43You also took along the tabernacle (portable temple) of Moloch and the star of the god Rompha, the images which you made to worship; and I will remove you beyond Babylon [carrying you away into exile].’ [Amos 5:25-27]
44“Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as God directed Moses to make it according to the pattern which he had seen. [Ex 25:9-40] 45Our fathers also brought it in [with them into the land] with Joshua when they dispossessed the #7:45 Or Gentiles.nations whom God drove out before our fathers, [and so it remained here] until the time of David, [Deut 32:49; Josh 3:14-17] 46who found favor (grace, spiritual blessing) in the sight of God and asked that he might [be allowed to] find a dwelling place for the #7:46 The earliest mss read house instead of “God”; the Septuagint reads God.God of Jacob. [2 Sam 7:8-16; Ps 132:1-5] 47But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. [1 Kin 6] 48However, the Most High [the One infinitely exalted above humanity] does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet [Isaiah] says, [1 Kin 8:27]
49‘Heaven is My throne,
And the earth is the footstool for My feet;
What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord,
‘Or what place is there for My rest?
50‘Was it not My hand that made all these things?’ [Is 66:1, 2]
51“You stiff-necked and stubborn people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are always actively resisting the Holy Spirit. You are doing just as your fathers did. [Ex 33:3, 5; Num 27:14; Is 63:10; Jer 6:10; 9:26] 52Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; 53you who received the law as ordained and delivered to you by angels, and yet you did not obey it!”
Stephen Put to Death
54Now when #7:54 This would include the members of the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) and those witnessing the proceedings.they heard this [accusation and understood its implication], they were cut to the heart, and they began grinding their teeth [in rage] at him. 55But he, being full of the Holy Spirit and led by Him, gazed into heaven and saw the glory [the great splendor and majesty] of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56and he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened up [in welcome] and #7:56 The vision acknowledged Stephen’s right standing with God.the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and together rushed at him [considering him guilty of blasphemy]. 58Then they drove him out of the city and began stoning him; and the witnesses placed their outer robes at the feet of a young man named #7:58 At this time Saul (later known as the apostle Paul) was an active and devoted Pharisee.Saul. [Acts 22:20] 59They continued stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive and accept and welcome my spirit!” 60Then falling on his knees [in worship], he cried out loudly, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them [do not charge them]!” When he had said this, he fell asleep [in death].
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Acts 7
7
Stephen’s Speech
1Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?”
2#Ge 11:31; Ps 29:3He said, “Brothers and fathers, listen! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran, 3#Ge 12:1and said to him, ‘Leave your country and your relatives, and come to the land which I will show you.’#Ge 12:1.
4#Ge 12:4–5; 11:31–32“Then he departed from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Harran. When his father died, He removed him from there to this land in which you now live. 5#Ge 12:7; 17:8He gave him no inheritance in it, nor a foothold, and promised to give it to him as a possession and to his descendants after him while he had no child. 6#Ge 15:13God spoke in this way, ‘Your descendants shall be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who will enslave them and mistreat them four hundred years.#Ge 15:13. 7#Ex 3:12And I will judge the nation to whom they will be enslaved,’#Ge 15:14. said God. ‘After that they shall come out and worship Me in this place.’#Ex 3:12. 8#Ge 17:9–14; 35:23–26Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
9#Ge 39:2; 45:4“The patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him, 10#Ge 42:6and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him governor over Egypt and all his house.
11#Ps 105:16“Then a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan with great affliction, and our fathers found no sustenance. 12But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time. 13During the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14#Dt 10:22; Ge 46:26–27Then Joseph sent and called for his father Jacob and all his kindred, seventy-five souls. 15#Ge 49:33; Ex 1:6Then Jacob went down into Egypt. And he and our fathers died, 16#Jos 24:32; Ge 23:16; Ex 13:19and were carried to Shechem and put in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a price of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.
17#Ac 7:6; 13:17“When the time of the promise drew near, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt 18#Ex 1:8until another king rose up who did not know Joseph.#Ex 1:8. 19#Ex 1:9–22; Ps 105:25He dealt deceitfully with our people and mistreated our fathers, forcing them to put out their young children, that they might not live.
20#Heb 11:23“At that time Moses was born, and was fair in the sight of God. And he was reared for three months in his father’s house. 21When he was put out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up and reared him as her own son. 22#Isa 19:11; Da 1:4Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in words and in deeds.
23#Ex 2:11–12; Heb 11:24–26“When he was forty years old, it came to his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel. 24But seeing one being wronged, he defended him, and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck the Egyptian. 25He supposed that his brothers would understand that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand. 26On the next day he appeared to them as they fought and tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’#Ex 2:13.
27#Ac 7:35; Lk 12:14“But the one wronging his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘Who appointed you a ruler and a judge over us? 28Will you kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’#Gk. 15 orguias, about 27 meters. 29Moses fled at this word and became a sojourner in the land of Midian,#Ex 2:11–15. where he became the father of two sons.
30#Ac 7:35; Ex 3:1–2“When forty years had passed, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.#Ex 3:1–4. 31#Ex 3:3–4When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight. As he drew near to look at it, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, 32#Ex 3:6; Mt 22:32‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’#Ex 3:6. Moses trembled and dared not look.
33#Ex 3:5; Jos 5:15“Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the shoes from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.#Ex 3:5. 34#Ex 3:7–10I have indeed seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt. I have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you to Egypt.’#Ex 3:7, 10.
35#Ex 14:19; Nu 20:16“This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who appointed you a ruler and a judge?’#Ex 2:14. God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36#Ex 12:41; 14:21; 33:1He led them out after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.
37“This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. Him you shall hear.’#Dt 18:15. 38#Ro 3:2; Ac 7:53; Heb 5:12This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living oracles to give to us, 39#Nu 14:3–4; Ex 16:3whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust away. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, 40#Ex 32:1; 32:23saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods to go before us. For we do not know what has become of this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt.’#Ex 32:1, 23. 41So they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands. 42#Jer 19:13; Eze 20:39But God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets:
‘O House of Israel, have you offered to Me slain animals and sacrifices
for forty years in the wilderness?
43Yes, you even raised the shrine of Moloch,
and the star of your god Remphan,
idols which you made to worship;
therefore I will exile you beyond Babylon.’
44#Ex 25:40; 38:21“Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, telling Moses to make it as He had commanded, according to the pattern that he had seen, 45#Ps 44:2; Jos 18:1which our fathers, having received it, brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out in front of our fathers until the days of David, 46#Ps 132:1–5; Ac 13:22who found favor in the presence of God and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. 47#1Ki 8:20; 2Sa 7:13But Solomon built Him a house.
48#1Ki 8:27“However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands. As the prophet says:
49#Mt 5:34–35; Ps 11:4 ‘Heaven is My throne,
and the earth is My footstool.
What house will you build for Me? says the Lord,
or what is the place of My rest?
50Has not My hand made all these things?’
51#Ex 32:9; Lev 26:41“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52#Mt 5:12; 2Ch 36:16Which of the prophets have your fathers not persecuted? They have even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become the betrayers and murderers, 53#Gal 3:19; Heb 2:2; Dt 33:2who have received the law by the disposition of angels, but have not kept it.”
The Stoning of Stephen
54#Ac 5:33; Job 16:9When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed their teeth at him. 55#Mk 16:19; Jn 12:41But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56#Mt 3:16and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
57Then they cried out with a loud voice, closed their ears, and rushed at him in unison. 58#Ac 22:20; Lk 4:29; Ac 8:1And they threw him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59#Ps 31:5; Lk 23:46They stoned Stephen as he was calling on God, praying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60#Mt 5:44; Lk 22:41Then he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Having said this, he fell asleep.
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