Discovery BoxActs 6:1--7:60
Context6:1 Now in those 1 days, when the disciples were growing in number, 2 a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews 3 against the native Hebraic Jews, 4 because their widows 5 were being overlooked 6 in the daily distribution of food. 7 6:2 So the twelve 8 called 9 the whole group 10 of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables. 11 6:3 But carefully select from among you, brothers, 12 seven 13 men who are well-attested, 14 full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge 15 of this necessary task. 16 6:4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 6:5 The 17 proposal pleased the entire group, so 18 they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with 19 Philip, 20 Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism 21 from Antioch. 22 6:6 They stood these men before the apostles, who prayed 23 and placed 24 their hands on them. 6:7 The word of God continued to spread, 25 the number of disciples in Jerusalem 26 increased greatly, and a large group 27 of priests became obedient to the faith.
6:8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs 28 among the people. 6:9 But some men from the Synagogue 29 of the Freedmen (as it was called), 30 both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia, 31 stood up and argued with Stephen. 6:10 Yet 32 they were not able to resist 33 the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 6:11 Then they secretly instigated 34 some men to say, “We have heard this man 35 speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 6:12 They incited the people, the 36 elders, and the experts in the law; 37 then they approached Stephen, 38 seized him, and brought him before the council. 39 6:13 They brought forward false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop saying things against this holy place 40 and the law. 41 6:14 For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs 42 that Moses handed down to us.” 6:15 All 43 who were sitting in the council 44 looked intently at Stephen 45 and saw his face was like the face of an angel. 46
7:1 Then the high priest said, “Are these things true?” 47 7:2 So he replied, 48 “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our forefather 49 Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, 7:3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your country and from your relatives, and come to the land I will show you.’ 50 7:4 Then he went out from the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God 51 made him move 52 to this country where you now live. 7:5 He 53 did not give any of it to him for an inheritance, 54 not even a foot of ground, 55 yet God 56 promised to give it to him as his possession, and to his descendants after him, 57 even though Abraham 58 as yet had no child. 7:6 But God spoke as follows: ‘Your 59 descendants will be foreigners 60 in a foreign country, whose citizens will enslave them and mistreat them for four hundred years. 61 7:7 But I will punish 62 the nation they serve as slaves,’ said God, ‘and after these things they will come out of there 63 and worship 64 me in this place.’ 65 7:8 Then God 66 gave Abraham 67 the covenant 68 of circumcision, and so he became the father of Isaac and circumcised him when he was eight days old, 69 and Isaac became the father of 70 Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. 71 7:9 The 72 patriarchs, because they were jealous of Joseph, sold 73 him into Egypt. But 74 God was with him, 7:10 and rescued him from all his troubles, and granted him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made 75 him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 7:11 Then a famine occurred throughout 76 Egypt and Canaan, causing 77 great suffering, and our 78 ancestors 79 could not find food. 7:12 So when Jacob heard that there was grain 80 in Egypt, he sent our ancestors 81 there 82 the first time. 7:13 On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph’s family 83 became known to Pharaoh. 7:14 So Joseph sent a message 84 and invited 85 his father Jacob and all his relatives to come, seventy-five people 86 in all. 7:15 So Jacob went down to Egypt and died there, 87 along with our ancestors, 88 7:16 and their bones 89 were later moved to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a certain sum of money 90 from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
7:17 “But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham, 91 the people increased greatly in number 92 in Egypt, 7:18 until another king who did not know about 93 Joseph ruled 94 over Egypt. 95 7:19 This was the one who exploited 96 our people 97 and was cruel to our ancestors, 98 forcing them to abandon 99 their infants so they would die. 100 7:20 At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful 101 to God. For 102 three months he was brought up in his father’s house, 7:21 and when he had been abandoned, 103 Pharaoh’s daughter adopted 104 him and brought him up 105 as her own son. 7:22 So Moses was trained 106 in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful 107 in his words and deeds. 7:23 But when he was about forty years old, it entered his mind 108 to visit his fellow countrymen 109 the Israelites. 110 7:24 When 111 he saw one of them being hurt unfairly, 112 Moses 113 came to his defense 114 and avenged the person who was mistreated by striking down the Egyptian. 7:25 He thought his own people 115 would understand that God was delivering them 116 through him, 117 but they did not understand. 118 7:26 The next day Moses 119 saw two men 120 fighting, and tried to make peace between 121 them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why are you hurting one another?’ 7:27 But the man who was unfairly hurting his neighbor pushed 122 Moses 123 aside, saying, ‘Who made 124 you a ruler and judge over us? 7:28 You don’t want to kill me the way you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ 125 7:29 When the man said this, 126 Moses fled and became a foreigner 127 in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
7:30 “After 128 forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the desert 129 of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. 130 7:31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and when he approached to investigate, there came the voice of the Lord, 7:32 ‘I am the God of your forefathers, 131 the God of Abraham, Isaac, 132 and Jacob.’ 133 Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look more closely. 134 7:33 But the Lord said to him, ‘Take the sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 135 7:34 I have certainly seen the suffering 136 of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. 137 Now 138 come, I will send you to Egypt.’ 139 7:35 This same 140 Moses they had rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge?’ 141 God sent as both ruler and deliverer 142 through the hand of the angel 143 who appeared to him in the bush. 7:36 This man led them out, performing wonders and miraculous signs 144 in the land of Egypt, 145 at 146 the Red Sea, and in the wilderness 147 for forty years. 7:37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, 148 ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’ 149 7:38 This is the man who was in the congregation 150 in the wilderness 151 with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors, 152 and he 153 received living oracles 154 to give to you. 155 7:39 Our 156 ancestors 157 were unwilling to obey 158 him, but pushed him aside 159 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 Egypt 160 – we do not know what has happened to him!’ 161 7:41 At 162 that time 163 they made an idol in the form of a calf, 164 brought 165 a sacrifice to the idol, and began rejoicing 166 in the works of their hands. 167 7:42 But God turned away from them and gave them over 168 to worship the host 169 of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘It was not to me that you offered slain animals and sacrifices 170 forty years in the wilderness, was it, 171 house of Israel? 7:43 But you took along the tabernacle 172 of Moloch 173 and the star of the 174 god Rephan, 175 the images you made to worship, but I will deport 176 you beyond Babylon.’ 177 7:44 Our ancestors 178 had the tabernacle 179 of testimony in the wilderness, 180 just as God 181 who spoke to Moses ordered him 182 to make it according to the design he had seen. 7:45 Our 183 ancestors 184 received possession of it and brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors, 185 until the time 186 of David. 7:46 He 187 found favor 188 with 189 God and asked that he could 190 find a dwelling place 191 for the house 192 of Jacob. 7:47 But Solomon built a house 193 for him. 7:48 Yet the Most High 194 does not live in houses made by human hands, 195 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? 196
7:50 Did my hand 197 not make all these things?’ 198
7:51 “You stubborn 199 people, with uncircumcised 200 hearts and ears! 201 You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors 202 did! 7:52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors 203 not persecute? 204 They 205 killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, 206 whose betrayers and murderers you have now become! 207 7:53 You 208 received the law by decrees given by angels, 209 but you did not obey 210 it.” 211
7:54 When they heard these things, they became furious 212 and ground their teeth 213 at him. 7:55 But Stephen, 214 full 215 of the Holy Spirit, looked intently 216 toward heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing 217 at the right hand of God. 7:56 “Look!” he said. 218 “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 7:57 But they covered their ears, 219 shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent. 7:58 When 220 they had driven him out of the city, they began to stone him, 221 and the witnesses laid their cloaks 222 at the feet of a young man named Saul. 7:59 They 223 continued to stone Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 7:60 Then he fell 224 to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” 225 When 226 he had said this, he died. 227
[6:1] 1 tn Grk “these.” The translation uses “those” for stylistic reasons.
[6:1] 2 tn Grk “were multiplying.”
[6:1] 3 tn Grk “the Hellenists,” but this descriptive term is largely unknown to the modern English reader. The translation “Greek-speaking Jews” attempts to convey something of who these were, but it was more than a matter of language spoken; it involved a degree of adoption of Greek culture as well.
[6:1] 4 tn Grk “against the Hebrews,” but as with “Hellenists” this needs further explanation for the modern reader.
[6:1] 5 sn The care of widows is a major biblical theme: Deut 10:18; 16:11, 14; 24:17, 19-21; 26:12-13; 27:19; Isa 1:17-23; Jer 7:6; Mal 3:5.
[6:1] 7 tn Grk “in the daily serving.”
[6:2] 8 sn The twelve refers to the twelve apostles.
[6:2] 9 tn Grk “calling the whole group…together, said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενοι (proskalesamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[6:2] 10 tn Or “the multitude.”
[6:2] 11 tn Grk “to serve tables.”
[6:3] 12 tn It is not clear from a historical standpoint (but it is unlikely) that women would have been involved in the selection process too. For this reason the translation “brothers” has been retained, rather than “brothers and sisters” (used in contexts where both male and female believers are clearly addressed).
[6:3] 13 sn Seven. Jewish town councils often had seven members (Josephus, Ant. 4.18.14 [4.214]).
[6:3] 14 tn Or “are of good reputation” (BDAG 618 s.v. μαρτυρέω 2.b).
[6:3] 15 tn The translation “put in charge” is given by BDAG 492 s.v. καθίστημι 2.
[6:3] 16 tn Grk “of this need”; translated “necessary work” or “needed task” by L&N 42.22.
[6:5] 17 tn Grk “And the.” 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.
[6:5] 18 tn The translation “so” has been used to indicate the logical sequence in English.
[6:5] 19 tn “With” is smoother English style for an addition like this. Because of differences between Greek and English style, καί (kai), which occurs between each name in the list, has not been translated except preceding the last element.
[6:5] 20 sn Philip. Note how many of the names in this list are Greek. This suggests that Hellenists were chosen to solve the problem they had been so sensitive about fixing (cf. 6:1).
[6:5] 22 map For location see JP1 F2; JP2 F2; JP3 F2; JP4 F2.
[6:6] 23 tn Literally this is a participle in the Greek text (προσευξάμενοι, proseuxamenoi). It could be translated as a finite verb (“and they prayed and placed their hands on them”) but much smoother English results if the entire coordinate clause is converted to a relative clause that refers back to the apostles.
[6:7] 25 tn Grk “kept on spreading”; the verb has been translated as a progressive imperfect.
[6:7] 26 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[6:7] 27 tn Grk “a great multitude.”
[6:8] 28 tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context. Here the work of miracles extends beyond the Twelve for the first time.
[6:9] 29 sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).
[6:9] 30 tn Grk “the so-called Synagogue of the Freedmen.” The translation of the participle λεγομένης (legomenh") by the phrase “as it was called” is given by L&N 87.86. “Freedmen” would be slaves who had gained their freedom, or the descendants of such people (BDAG 594-95 s.v. Λιβερτῖνος).
[6:9] 31 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
[6:10] 32 tn Grk “and.” The context, however, indicates that the conjunction carries an adversative force.
[6:10] 33 sn They were not able to resist. This represents another fulfillment of Luke 12:11-12; 21:15.
[6:11] 34 tn Another translation would be “they suborned” (but this term is not in common usage). “Instigate (secretly), suborn” is given by BDAG 1036 s.v. ὑποβάλλω.
[6:11] 35 tn Grk “heard him”; but since this is direct discourse, it is more natural (and clearer) to specify the referent (Stephen) as “this man.”
[6:12] 36 tn Grk “and the,” 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.
[6:12] 37 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.
[6:12] 38 tn Grk “approaching, they seized him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:12] 39 tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). Stephen suffers just as Peter and John did.
[6:13] 40 sn This holy place is a reference to the temple.
[6:13] 41 sn The law refers to the law of Moses. It elaborates the nature of the blasphemy in v. 11. To speak against God’s law in Torah was to blaspheme God (Deut 28:15-19). On the Jewish view of false witnesses, see Exod 19:16-18; 20:16; m. Sanhedrin 3.6; 5.1-5. Stephen’s speech in Acts 7 may indicate why the temple was mentioned.
[6:15] 43 tn Grk “And all.” 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.
[6:15] 44 tn Or “Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[6:15] 45 tn Grk “at him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:15] 46 sn His face was like the face of an angel. This narrative description of Stephen’s face adds to the mood of the passage. He had the appearance of a supernatural, heavenly messenger.
[7:1] 47 tn Grk “If it is so concerning these things” (see BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.a for this use).
[7:2] 49 tn Or “ancestor”; Grk “father.”
[7:3] 50 sn A quotation from Gen 12:1.
[7:4] 51 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:4] 52 tn The translation “made him move” for the verb μετοικίζω (metoikizw) is given by L&N 85.83. The verb has the idea of “resettling” someone (BDAG 643 s.v.); see v. 43, where it reappears.
[7:5] 53 tn Grk “And he.” 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.
[7:5] 54 tn Grk “He did not give him an inheritance in it.” This could be understood to mean that God did not give something else to Abraham as an inheritance while he was living there. The point of the text is that God did not give any of the land to him as an inheritance, and the translation makes this clear.
[7:5] 55 tn Grk “a step of a foot” (cf. Deut 2:5).
[7:5] 56 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:5] 57 sn An allusion to Gen 12:7; 13:15; 15:2, 18; 17:8; 24:7; 48:4. On the theological importance of the promise and to his descendants after him, see Rom 4 and Gal 3.
[7:5] 58 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:6] 59 tn Grk “that his”; the discourse switches from indirect to direct with the following verbs. For consistency the entire quotation is treated as second person direct discourse in the translation.
[7:6] 60 tn Or “will be strangers,” that is, one who lives as a noncitizen of a foreign country.
[7:6] 61 sn A quotation from Gen 15:13. Exod 12:40 specifies the sojourn as 430 years.
[7:7] 62 tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α states, “Oft. the emphasis is unmistakably laid upon that which follows the Divine Judge’s verdict, upon the condemnation or punishment: condemn, punish …Ac 7:7 (Gen 15:14).”
[7:7] 63 tn The words “of there” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[7:7] 64 tn Or “and serve,” but with religious/cultic overtones (BDAG 587 s.v. λατρεύω).
[7:7] 65 sn An allusion to Exod 3:12.
[7:8] 66 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:8] 67 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:8] 68 sn God gave…the covenant. Note how the covenant of promise came before Abraham’s entry into the land and before the building of the temple.
[7:8] 69 tn Grk “circumcised him on the eighth day,” but many modern readers will not understand that this procedure was done on the eighth day after birth. The temporal clause “when he was eight days old” conveys this idea more clearly. See Gen 17:11-12.
[7:8] 70 tn The words “became the father of” are not in the Greek text due to an ellipsis, but must be supplied for the English translation. The ellipsis picks up the verb from the previous clause describing how Abraham fathered Isaac.
[7:8] 71 sn The twelve patriarchs refers to the twelve sons of Jacob, the famous ancestors of the Jewish race (see Gen 35:23-26).
[7:9] 72 tn Grk “And the.” 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.
[7:9] 73 tn The meaning “sell” for the middle voice of ἀποδίδωμι (apodidwmi) is given by BDAG 110 s.v. 5.a. See Gen 37:12-36, esp. v. 28.
[7:9] 74 tn Though the Greek term here is καί (kai), in context this remark is clearly contrastive: Despite the malicious act, God was present and protected Joseph.
[7:10] 75 tn Or “appointed.” See Gen 41:41-43.
[7:11] 76 tn Grk “came upon all Egypt.”
[7:11] 77 tn Grk “and,” but logically causal.
[7:11] 78 sn Our. Stephen spoke of “our” ancestors (Grk “fathers”) in an inclusive sense throughout the speech until his rebuke in v. 51, where the nation does what “your” ancestors did, at which point an exclusive pronoun is used. This serves to emphasize the rebuke.
[7:11] 79 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:12] 80 tn Or possibly “food,” since in a number of extrabiblical contexts the phrase σιτία καὶ ποτά (sitia kai pota) means “food and drink,” where solid food is contrasted with liquid nourishment (L&N 3.42).
[7:12] 81 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:12] 82 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
[7:13] 83 tn BDAG 194 s.v. γένος 2. gives “family, relatives” here; another alternative is “race” (see v. 19).
[7:14] 84 tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[7:14] 85 tn Or “Joseph had his father summoned” (BDAG 121 s.v. ἀποστέλλω 2.b).
[7:14] 86 tn Grk “souls” (here an idiom for the whole person).
[7:15] 87 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
[7:15] 88 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:16] 90 sn See Gen 49:29-32.
[7:17] 91 tn Grk “But as the time for the fulfillment of the promise drew near that God had declared to Abraham.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to improve English style. See vv. 6-7 above.
[7:17] 92 tn Grk “the people increased and multiplied.”
[7:18] 93 tn Or simply “did not know.” However, in this context the point is that the new king knew nothing about Joseph, not whether he had known him personally (which is the way “did not know Joseph” could be understood).
[7:18] 94 tn Grk “arose,” but in this context it clearly refers to a king assuming power.
[7:18] 95 sn A quotation from Exod 1:8.
[7:19] 96 tn According to L&N 88.147 it is also possible to translate κατασοφισάμενος (katasofisameno") as “took advantage by clever words” or “persuaded by sweet talk.”
[7:19] 98 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:19] 99 tn Or “expose” (BDAG 303 s.v. ἔκθετος).
[7:19] 100 tn Grk “so that they could not be kept alive,” but in this context the phrase may be translated either “so that they would not continue to live,” or “so that they would die” (L&N 23.89).
[7:20] 101 tn Or “was well-formed before God,” or “was well-pleasing to God” (BDAG 145 s.v. ἀστεῖος suggests the meaning is more like “well-bred” as far as God was concerned; see Exod 2:2).
[7:20] 102 tn Grk “who was brought up for three months.” The continuation of the sentence as a relative clause is awkward in English, so a new sentence was started in the translation by changing the relative pronoun to a regular pronoun (“he”).
[7:21] 103 tn Or “exposed” (see v. 19).
[7:21] 104 tn Grk “Pharaoh’s daughter took him up for herself.” According to BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω, “The pap. exx. involve exposed children taken up and reared as slaves…The rendering ‘adopt’ lacks philological precision and can be used only in a loose sense (as NRSV), esp. when Gr-Rom. terminology relating to adoption procedures is taken into account.” In this instance both the immediate context and the OT account (Exod 2:3-10) do support the normal sense of the English word “adopt,” although it should not be understood to refer to a technical, legal event.
[7:21] 105 tn Or “and reared him” (BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατρέφω b).
[7:22] 106 tn Or “instructed.”
[7:22] 107 tn Or “was able” (BDAG 264 s.v. δυνατός 1.b.α).
[7:23] 109 tn Grk “brothers.” The translation “compatriot” is given by BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.
[7:23] 110 tn Grk “the sons of Israel.”
[7:24] 111 tn Grk “And when.” 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.
[7:24] 112 tn “Hurt unfairly” conveys a better sense of the seriousness of the offense against the Israelite than “treated unfairly,” which can sometimes refer to slight offenses, or “wronged,” which can refer to offenses that do not involve personal violence, as this one probably did.
[7:24] 113 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:24] 114 tn Or “he defended,” “he retaliated” (BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμύνομαι).
[7:25] 115 tn Grk “his brothers.”
[7:25] 116 tn Grk “was granting them deliverance.” The narrator explains that this act pictured what Moses could do for his people.
[7:25] 117 tn Grk “by his hand,” where the hand is a metaphor for the entire person.
[7:25] 118 sn They did not understand. Here is the theme of the speech. The people did not understand what God was doing through those he chose. They made the same mistake with Joseph at first. See Acts 3:17; 13:27. There is good precedent for this kind of challenging review of history in the ancient scriptures: Ps 106:6-46; Ezek 20; and Neh 9:6-38.
[7:26] 119 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:26] 120 tn Grk “saw them”; the context makes clear that two individuals were involved (v. 27).
[7:26] 121 tn Or “tried to reconcile” (BDAG 964-65 s.v. συναλλάσσω).
[7:27] 122 tn Or “repudiated Moses,” “rejected Moses” (BDAG 126-27 s.v. ἀπωθέω 2).
[7:27] 123 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:28] 125 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ at the end, “do you?”
[7:29] 126 tn Grk “At this word,” which could be translated either “when the man said this” or “when Moses heard this.” Since λόγος (logos) refers to the remark made by the Israelite, this translation has followed the first option.
[7:29] 127 tn Or “resident alien.” Traditionally πάροικος (paroiko") has been translated “stranger” or “alien,” but the level of specificity employed with “foreigner” or “resident alien” is now necessary in contemporary English because a “stranger” is a person not acquainted with someone, while an “alien” can suggest science fiction imagery.
[7:30] 128 tn Grk “And after.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and contemporary English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
[7:30] 129 tn Or “wilderness.”
[7:30] 130 sn An allusion to Exod 3:2.
[7:32] 131 tn Or “ancestors”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:32] 132 tn Grk “and Isaac,” 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.
[7:32] 133 sn A quotation from Exod 3:6. The phrase suggests the God of promise, the God of the nation.
[7:32] 134 tn Or “to investigate,” “to contemplate” (BDAG 522 s.v. κατανοέω 2).
[7:33] 135 sn A quotation from Exod 3:5. The phrase holy ground points to the fact that God is not limited to a particular locale. The place where he is active in revealing himself is a holy place.
[7:34] 136 tn Or “mistreatment.”
[7:34] 137 tn Or “to set them free.”
[7:34] 138 tn Grk “And now.” 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.
[7:34] 139 sn A quotation from Exod 3:7-8, 10.
[7:35] 140 sn 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).
[7:35] 141 sn 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.
[7:35] 142 tn Or “liberator.” The meaning “liberator” for λυτρωτήν (lutrwthn) is given in L&N 37.129: “a person who liberates or releases others.”
[7:35] 143 tn 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).
[7:36] 144 tn Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned.
[7:36] 145 tn Or simply “in Egypt.” The phrase “the land of” could be omitted as unnecessary or redundant.
[7:36] 146 tn 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.
[7:37] 148 tn Grk “to the sons of Israel.”
[7:37] 149 sn A quotation from Deut 18:15. This quotation sets up Jesus as the “leader-prophet” like Moses (Acts 3:22; Luke 9:35).
[7:38] 150 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.
[7:38] 152 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:38] 153 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.
[7:38] 154 tn Or “messages.” This is an allusion to the law given to Moses.
[7:38] 155 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.
[7:39] 156 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.
[7:39] 157 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:39] 158 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.
[7:39] 159 sn Pushed him aside. This is the second time Moses is “pushed aside” in Stephen’s account (see v. 27).
[7:40] 160 tn Or simply “of Egypt.” The phrase “the land of” could be omitted as unnecessary or redundant.
[7:40] 161 sn 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.
[7:41] 162 tn 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.
[7:41] 163 tn Grk “In those days.”
[7:41] 164 tn Or “a bull calf” (see Exod 32:4-6). The term μοσχοποιέω (moscopoiew) occurs only in Christian writings according to BDAG 660 s.v.
[7:41] 165 tn 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.
[7:41] 166 tn The imperfect verb εὐφραίνοντο (eufrainonto) has been translated ingressively. See BDAG 414-15 s.v. εὐφραίνω 2.
[7:41] 167 tn Or “in what they had done.”
[7:42] 168 sn The expression and gave them over suggests similarities to the judgment on the nations described by Paul in Rom 1:18-32.
[7:42] 170 tn The two terms for sacrifices “semantically reinforce one another and are here combined essentially for emphasis” (L&N 53.20).
[7:42] 171 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “was it?”
[7:43] 173 sn Moloch was a Canaanite deity who was believed to be the god of the sky and the sun.
[7:43] 174 tc ‡ Most
[7:43] 175 sn Rephan (῾Ραιφάν, RJaifan) was a pagan deity. The term was a name for Saturn. It was variously spelled in the
[7:43] 176 tn Or “I will make you move.”
[7:43] 177 sn A quotation from Amos 5:25-27. This constituted a prediction of the exile.
[7:44] 178 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:44] 181 tn Grk “the one”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:44] 182 tn 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.
[7:45] 183 tn 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.
[7:45] 184 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:45] 185 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:45] 186 tn Grk “In those days.”
[7:46] 187 tn 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.
[7:46] 189 tn Grk “before,” “in the presence of.”
[7:46] 190 tn 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”).
[7:46] 191 tn On this term see BDAG 929 s.v. σκήνωμα a (Ps 132:5).
[7:46] 192 tc Some
[7:47] 193 sn See 1 Kgs 8:1-21.
[7:48] 194 sn The title the Most High points to God’s majesty (Heb 7:1; Luke 1:32, 35; Acts 16:7).
[7:48] 195 sn 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).
[7:49] 196 sn What kind…resting place? The rhetorical questions suggest mere human beings cannot build a house to contain God.
[7:50] 197 tn Or “Did I.” The phrase “my hand” is ultimately a metaphor for God himself.
[7:50] 198 tn The question in Greek introduced with οὐχί (ouci) expects a positive reply.
[7:51] 199 sn Traditionally, “stiff-necked people.” Now the critique begins in earnest.
[7:51] 200 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.
[7:51] 201 tn Or “You stubborn and obstinate people!” (The phrase “uncircumcised hearts and ears” is another figure for stubbornness.)
[7:51] 202 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:52] 203 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:52] 204 sn Which…persecute. The rhetorical question suggests they persecuted them all.
[7:52] 205 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.
[7:52] 206 sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ.
[7:52] 207 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).
[7:53] 208 tn 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.
[7:53] 209 tn 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.
[7:53] 210 tn The Greek word φυλάσσω (fulassw, traditionally translated “keep”) in this context connotes preservation of and devotion to an object as well as obedience.
[7:53] 211 tn Or “did not obey it.”
[7:54] 212 tn This verb, which also occurs in Acts 5:33, means “cut to the quick” or “deeply infuriated” (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπρίω).
[7:54] 213 tn Or “they gnashed their teeth.” This idiom is a picture of violent rage (BDAG 184 s.v. βρύχω). See also Ps 35:16.
[7:55] 214 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:55] 215 tn Grk “being full,” but the participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has not been translated since it would be redundant in English.
[7:55] 216 tn Grk “looking intently toward heaven, saw.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[7:55] 217 sn 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.
[7:56] 218 tn 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.
[7:57] 219 sn They covered their ears to avoid hearing what they considered to be blasphemy.
[7:58] 220 tn 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.
[7:58] 221 sn They began to stone him. The irony of the scene is that the people do exactly what the speech complains about in v. 52.
[7:58] 222 tn Or “outer garments.”
[7:59] 223 tn 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.
[7:60] 224 tn 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.
[7:60] 225 sn 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).
[7:60] 226 tn 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.
[7:60] 227 tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.
