New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Acts 7
1
Then the high priest questioned Stephen. "Is what these people are saying true?" he asked.
2
"Brothers and fathers, listen to me!" Stephen replied. "The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham. At that time Abraham was still in Mesopotamia. He had not yet begun living in Haran.
Reference
Glory
Psalm 29:3
Hebrews 1:3
John 1:14
Parallel theme
Acts 22:1
Genesis 11:31
Genesis 15:7
References God
Nehemiah 9:7
3
'Leave your country and your people,' God said. 'Go to the land I will show you.'--(Genesis 12:1)
Reference
4
"So Abraham left the land of Babylonia. He settled in Haran. After his father died, God sent Abraham to this land where you are now living.
5
God didn't give him any property here. He didn't give him even a foot of land. But God made a promise to him and to all his family after him. He said they would possess the land. The promise was made even though at that time Abraham had no child.
Reference
6
"Here is what God said to him. 'Your family after you will be strangers in a country that is not their own. They will be slaves and will be treated badly for 400 years.
Reference
7
But I will punish the nation that makes them slaves,' God said. 'After that, they will leave that country and worship me here.'--(Genesis 15:13,14)
Reference
References God
Exodus 3:12
8
"Then God made a covenant with Abraham. God told him that circumcision would show who the members of the covenant were. Abraham became Isaac's father. He circumcised Isaac eight days after he was born. Later, Isaac became Jacob's father. Jacob had 12 sons. They became the founders of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Reference
9
"Jacob's sons were jealous of their brother Joseph. So they sold him as a slave. He was taken to Egypt. But God was with him.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 105:17
Isaiah 43:2
Matthew 27:18
References Egypt
Genesis 39:2
Genesis 45:4
Genesis 39:5
References God
Isaiah 41:10
10
He saved Joseph from all his troubles. God made Joseph wise. He helped him to become the friend of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made Joseph ruler over Egypt and his whole palace.
Reference
Creation
Revelation 7:14
Kingdom
2 Timothy 4:18
Parallel theme
Proverbs 2:6
Proverbs 3:4
Genesis 48:16
Psalm 22:24
Genesis 42:6
Psalm 37:40
Proverbs 16:7
James 5:11
11
"There was not enough food for all Egypt and Canaan. This brought great suffering. Jacob and his sons couldn't find food.
12
But Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt. So he sent his sons on their first visit.
13
On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was. Pharaoh learned about Joseph's family.
14
"After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family. The total number of people was 75.
Reference
16
Some of their bodies were brought back to Shechem. They were placed in a tomb Abraham had bought. He had purchased it from Hamor's sons at Shechem for a certain amount of money.
Reference
17
"In Egypt the number of our people grew and grew. It was nearly time for God to make his promise to Abraham come true.
Reference
18
Another king became ruler of Egypt. He knew nothing about Joseph.
Reference
Kingdom
Exodus 1:8
19
He was very evil and dishonest with our people. He beat them down. He forced them to throw out their newborn babies to die.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 105:25
20
"At that time Moses was born. He was not an ordinary child. For three months he was taken care of by his family.
Reference
References Moses
Hebrews 11:23
21
Then he was placed outside. But Pharaoh's daughter took him home. She brought him up as her own son.
22
Moses was taught all the knowledge of the people of Egypt. He became a powerful speaker and a man of action.
Reference
23
"When Moses was 40 years old, he decided to visit the people of Israel. They were his own people.
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 21:1
24
He saw one of them being treated badly by a man of Egypt. So he went to help him. He got even by killing the man.
25
Moses thought his own people would realize that God was using him to save them. But they didn't.
26
"The next day Moses saw two men of Israel fighting. He tried to make peace between them. 'Men, you are both of Israel,' he said. 'Why do you want to hurt each other?'
27
"But the man who was treating the other one badly pushed Moses to one side. He said, 'Who made you ruler and judge over us?
Reference
28
Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'--(Exodus 2:14)
29
When Moses heard this, he escaped to Midian. He lived there as a stranger. He became the father of two sons there.
30
"Forty years passed. Then an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush. This happened in the desert near Mount Sinai.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 43:2
Acts 7:35
Isaiah 63:9
Acts 7:32
Acts 7:17
Psalm 66:12
Mark 12:26
Exodus 3:6
Exodus 7:7
References Lord
Deuteronomy 4:20
31
When Moses saw the bush, he was amazed. He went over for a closer look. There he heard the Lord's voice.
32
'I am the God of your fathers,' the Lord said. 'I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.'--(Exodus 3:6) Moses shook with fear. He didn't dare to look.
Reference
33
"Then the Lord said to him, 'Take off your sandals. The place you are standing on is holy ground.
Reference
34
I have seen my people beaten down in Egypt. I have heard their groans. I have come down to set them free. Now come. I will send you back to Egypt.'--(Exodus 3:5,7,8,10)
Reference
35
"This is the same Moses the two men of Israel would not accept. They had said, 'Who made you ruler and judge?' But God himself sent Moses to rule the people of Israel and set them free. He spoke to Moses through the angel who had appeared to him in the bush.
Reference
36
So Moses led them out of Egypt. He did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for 40 years in the desert.
Reference
37
"This is the same Moses who spoke to the people of Israel. 'God will send you a prophet,' he said. 'He will be like me. He will come from your own people.'--(Deuteronomy 18:15)
Reference
38
Moses was with the Israelites in the desert. He was with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai. Moses was with our people of long ago. He received living words to pass on to us.
Reference
Parallel theme
Romans 3:2
Hebrews 5:12
Acts 7:53
1 Peter 4:11
John 1:17
Deuteronomy 33:4
Isaiah 63:9
39
"But our people refused to obey Moses. They would not accept him. In their hearts, they wished they were back in Egypt.
Reference
40
They told Aaron, 'Make us a god who will lead us. This fellow Moses led us out of Egypt. But we don't know what has happened to him!'--(Exodus 32:1)
Reference
41
That was the time they made a statue to be their god. It looked like a calf. They brought sacrifices to it. They were glad because of what they had made with their own hands.
Reference
Creation
Nehemiah 9:18
42
But God turned away from them. He left them to worship the sun, moon and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets. There it says, " 'People of Israel, did you bring me sacrifices and offerings for 40 years in the desert?
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 63:10
Isaiah 66:4
Acts 7:36
Hosea 4:17
References God
Ezekiel 20:39
Joshua 24:20
Sacrifice
Jeremiah 19:13
Worship
Deuteronomy 4:19
Ezekiel 8:16
2 Kings 17:16
43
You lifted up the place where Molech was worshiped. You lifted up the star of your god Rephan. You made statues of them to worship. So I will send you away from your country.' --(Amos 5:25-27) God sent them to Babylon and even farther.
Reference
44
"Long ago our people had with them in the desert the holy tent where the tablets of the covenant were kept. Moses had made the holy tent as God had commanded him. It was made like the pattern he had seen.
Reference
45
Our people received the tent from God. They brought it with them when they took the land of Canaan. God drove out the nations that were in their way. At that time Joshua was Israel's leader. "The tent remained in the land until David's time.
Reference
46
David was blessed by God. So David asked if he could build a house for the God of Jacob.
Reference
48
"But the Most High God does not live in houses made by human hands. As God says through the prophet,
Reference
Creation
Psalm 91:9
Parallel theme
1 Kings 8:27
2 Chronicles 6:18
Psalm 91:1
Daniel 4:17
Psalm 92:8
Psalm 7:17
Daniel 4:34
Deuteronomy 32:8
Temple
Psalm 46:4
49
" 'Heaven is my throne. The earth is under my control. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Where will my resting place be?
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 3:21
John 4:21
Matthew 24:2
Matthew 23:22
References Lord
Isaiah 66:1
Psalm 11:4
Jeremiah 23:24
1 Kings 22:19
51
"You people! You won't obey! You are stubborn! You won't listen! You are just like your people of long ago! You always oppose the Holy Spirit!
Reference
Holy
Isaiah 63:10
Ephesians 4:30
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 10:16
Leviticus 26:41
Jeremiah 4:4
Exodus 32:9
Exodus 33:5
Exodus 33:3
Spirit
Philippians 3:3
Acts 6:10
52
Was there ever a prophet your people didn't try to hurt? They even killed those who told about the coming of the Blameless One. And now you have handed him over to his enemies. You have murdered him.
Reference
54
When the Sanhedrin heard this, they became very angry. They ground their teeth at Stephen.
Reference
55
But he was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked up to heaven and saw God's glory. He saw Jesus standing at God's right hand.
Reference
Glory
Hebrews 1:3
2 Corinthians 4:6
John 12:41
Holy
Acts 6:5
Acts 2:4
Parallel theme
Hebrews 8:1
Acts 6:8
References God
Mark 16:19
Spirit
Acts 6:10
56
"Look!" he said. "I see heaven open. The Son of Man is standing at God's right hand."
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 19:11
Acts 10:11
Revelation 4:1
Acts 10:16
References God
Revelation 11:19
Matthew 3:16
57
When the Sanhedrin heard this, they covered their ears. They yelled at the top of their voices. They all rushed at him.
Reference
58
They dragged him out of the city. They began to throw stones at him to kill him. The witnesses took off their coats. They placed them at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Acts 22:20
Acts 8:1
Acts 22:4
Luke 4:29
Numbers 15:35
Witness
Acts 6:13
Deuteronomy 17:7
1 Kings 21:13
59
While the members of the Sanhedrin were throwing stones at Stephen, he prayed. "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," he said.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 9:14
References Jesus
1 Corinthians 1:2
References Lord
Acts 22:16
Acts 2:21
Joel 2:32
Spirit
Luke 23:46
Psalm 31:5
Chapter Summary
Acts 7 records Stephen's long defense before the Jewish council, his explanation of Israel's history, his accusation that the leaders have continued the same pattern of rejecting God's messengers, and his death as the first Christian martyr described in Acts.
The chapter begins with the high priest asking Stephen whether the accusations against him are true.
Instead of giving a short defense, Stephen presents a sweeping overview of Israel's history, beginning with Abraham and continuing through Joseph, Moses, the Exodus, the wilderness, David, Solomon, the prophets, and finally Jesus.
His argument is carefully structured around a recurring pattern: God chooses and sends His servants, but people repeatedly reject the very individuals God appoints to bring them deliverance.
Stephen begins with Abraham, emphasizing that God appeared to him in Mesopotamia before Israel possessed the promised land and long before the temple existed.
Abraham trusted God's command, left his homeland, and began a journey toward a land that God promised to give to his descendants.
Stephen then moves to Joseph.
Joseph was chosen by God, but his brothers became jealous and sold him into Egypt.
Nevertheless, God remained with Joseph, rescued him from his suffering, and eventually raised him to a position of authority where he could preserve his family during a famine.
Stephen uses Joseph's story as an early example of a pattern that will become increasingly important in his argument: a person rejected by his own people can nevertheless be God's chosen instrument of salvation.
Stephen then turns to Moses.
Moses was born during a period of severe oppression in Egypt, when Pharaoh had ordered Israelite newborn boys to be destroyed.
Moses was preserved, adopted by Pharaoh's daughter, and educated in Egyptian society.
At the age of forty, Moses attempted to defend an Israelite who was being mistreated by an Egyptian, but his own people rejected his authority.
They asked who had appointed him ruler and judge.
Moses then fled to Midian.
Forty years later, God appeared to Moses through the burning bush and commissioned him to return to Egypt and deliver Israel.
Stephen emphasizes the irony: the same Moses whom Israel had rejected became the man God appointed as their ruler and deliverer.
Moses then led Israel out of Egypt through signs and wonders and guided the people through the wilderness.
Yet even after experiencing God's miraculous deliverance, Israel repeatedly resisted Moses and turned toward idolatry.
Stephen recalls the golden calf and other forms of idol worship, demonstrating that Israel's history includes a repeated struggle between God's faithfulness and human unfaithfulness.
Stephen then discusses the tabernacle and temple.
The tabernacle accompanied Israel through the wilderness and into the promised land.
David later desired to build a permanent dwelling place for God, but Solomon ultimately built the temple.
Stephen then makes one of the most important statements in his defense: God does not live in houses made by human hands.
He quotes Isaiah to demonstrate that heaven is God's throne and the earth is His footstool.
The point is not that the temple was meaningless, but that God's presence and authority cannot be confined to one physical building.
This directly addresses the accusation that Stephen had spoken against the temple.
Stephen then turns the argument directly against the council.
He tells them that they are stubborn and resistant to God, just as their ancestors were.
Their ancestors persecuted the prophets, and Stephen claims that they have now continued that pattern by betraying and killing the Righteous One, Jesus.
He argues that although they received the law, they have not faithfully obeyed it.
This is the climax of Stephen's speech.
The council becomes furious.
Stephen, however, is filled with the Holy Spirit and looks toward heaven.
He sees God's glory and Jesus standing at God's right hand.
Stephen announces what he sees, declaring that heaven is open and that the Son of Man is standing at God's right hand.
The council refuses to listen.
They cover their ears, shout, rush toward Stephen, drag him outside the city, and begin stoning him.
As Stephen is being killed, the witnesses place their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul, who is introduced for the first time in Acts.
Stephen's final words demonstrate remarkable faith and forgiveness.
He calls upon Jesus to receive his spirit and then asks the Lord not to hold this sin against his attackers.
He falls asleep in death, becoming the first Christian martyr specifically described in the book of Acts.
The central message of Acts 7 is that God's presence and purposes cannot be confined to one place, and throughout Israel's history people have repeatedly rejected God's chosen messengers even when those messengers were sent to bring salvation and deliverance.
Stephen's speech also establishes a strong connection between Joseph, Moses, the prophets, and Jesus.
Each was connected with God's purposes, yet each faced rejection.
Joseph was rejected by his brothers but became their means of survival.
Moses was initially rejected by Israel but became their deliverer.
The prophets were persecuted because they spoke God's message.
Jesus was rejected and killed even though He was God's appointed Messiah.
Stephen therefore presents Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of this recurring pattern.
The chapter also marks a major turning point in Acts.
Until this point, the story has focused heavily on the apostles' ministry in Jerusalem.
Stephen's death demonstrates that opposition has become much more severe, and the appearance of Saul at the scene prepares the reader for a dramatic transformation in the story.
The man who witnesses Stephen's death as an opponent of the church will eventually become one of Christianity's most important missionaries.
Stephen's death therefore does not end the Christian mission.
Instead, it becomes part of the chain of events that will lead to the church's expansion beyond Jerusalem.
Acts 7 ultimately portrays Stephen as a faithful witness who remains committed to Jesus even when his testimony costs him his life.
His final response is particularly significant: he does not respond to violence with hatred or revenge, but entrusts himself to Jesus and asks forgiveness for those killing him.
His death therefore reflects the same pattern of faithful suffering, forgiveness, and trust that Stephen has just identified throughout the history of God's people.
The chapter begins with the high priest asking Stephen whether the accusations against him are true.
Instead of giving a short defense, Stephen presents a sweeping overview of Israel's history, beginning with Abraham and continuing through Joseph, Moses, the Exodus, the wilderness, David, Solomon, the prophets, and finally Jesus.
His argument is carefully structured around a recurring pattern: God chooses and sends His servants, but people repeatedly reject the very individuals God appoints to bring them deliverance.
Stephen begins with Abraham, emphasizing that God appeared to him in Mesopotamia before Israel possessed the promised land and long before the temple existed.
Abraham trusted God's command, left his homeland, and began a journey toward a land that God promised to give to his descendants.
Stephen then moves to Joseph.
Joseph was chosen by God, but his brothers became jealous and sold him into Egypt.
Nevertheless, God remained with Joseph, rescued him from his suffering, and eventually raised him to a position of authority where he could preserve his family during a famine.
Stephen uses Joseph's story as an early example of a pattern that will become increasingly important in his argument: a person rejected by his own people can nevertheless be God's chosen instrument of salvation.
Stephen then turns to Moses.
Moses was born during a period of severe oppression in Egypt, when Pharaoh had ordered Israelite newborn boys to be destroyed.
Moses was preserved, adopted by Pharaoh's daughter, and educated in Egyptian society.
At the age of forty, Moses attempted to defend an Israelite who was being mistreated by an Egyptian, but his own people rejected his authority.
They asked who had appointed him ruler and judge.
Moses then fled to Midian.
Forty years later, God appeared to Moses through the burning bush and commissioned him to return to Egypt and deliver Israel.
Stephen emphasizes the irony: the same Moses whom Israel had rejected became the man God appointed as their ruler and deliverer.
Moses then led Israel out of Egypt through signs and wonders and guided the people through the wilderness.
Yet even after experiencing God's miraculous deliverance, Israel repeatedly resisted Moses and turned toward idolatry.
Stephen recalls the golden calf and other forms of idol worship, demonstrating that Israel's history includes a repeated struggle between God's faithfulness and human unfaithfulness.
Stephen then discusses the tabernacle and temple.
The tabernacle accompanied Israel through the wilderness and into the promised land.
David later desired to build a permanent dwelling place for God, but Solomon ultimately built the temple.
Stephen then makes one of the most important statements in his defense: God does not live in houses made by human hands.
He quotes Isaiah to demonstrate that heaven is God's throne and the earth is His footstool.
The point is not that the temple was meaningless, but that God's presence and authority cannot be confined to one physical building.
This directly addresses the accusation that Stephen had spoken against the temple.
Stephen then turns the argument directly against the council.
He tells them that they are stubborn and resistant to God, just as their ancestors were.
Their ancestors persecuted the prophets, and Stephen claims that they have now continued that pattern by betraying and killing the Righteous One, Jesus.
He argues that although they received the law, they have not faithfully obeyed it.
This is the climax of Stephen's speech.
The council becomes furious.
Stephen, however, is filled with the Holy Spirit and looks toward heaven.
He sees God's glory and Jesus standing at God's right hand.
Stephen announces what he sees, declaring that heaven is open and that the Son of Man is standing at God's right hand.
The council refuses to listen.
They cover their ears, shout, rush toward Stephen, drag him outside the city, and begin stoning him.
As Stephen is being killed, the witnesses place their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul, who is introduced for the first time in Acts.
Stephen's final words demonstrate remarkable faith and forgiveness.
He calls upon Jesus to receive his spirit and then asks the Lord not to hold this sin against his attackers.
He falls asleep in death, becoming the first Christian martyr specifically described in the book of Acts.
The central message of Acts 7 is that God's presence and purposes cannot be confined to one place, and throughout Israel's history people have repeatedly rejected God's chosen messengers even when those messengers were sent to bring salvation and deliverance.
Stephen's speech also establishes a strong connection between Joseph, Moses, the prophets, and Jesus.
Each was connected with God's purposes, yet each faced rejection.
Joseph was rejected by his brothers but became their means of survival.
Moses was initially rejected by Israel but became their deliverer.
The prophets were persecuted because they spoke God's message.
Jesus was rejected and killed even though He was God's appointed Messiah.
Stephen therefore presents Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of this recurring pattern.
The chapter also marks a major turning point in Acts.
Until this point, the story has focused heavily on the apostles' ministry in Jerusalem.
Stephen's death demonstrates that opposition has become much more severe, and the appearance of Saul at the scene prepares the reader for a dramatic transformation in the story.
The man who witnesses Stephen's death as an opponent of the church will eventually become one of Christianity's most important missionaries.
Stephen's death therefore does not end the Christian mission.
Instead, it becomes part of the chain of events that will lead to the church's expansion beyond Jerusalem.
Acts 7 ultimately portrays Stephen as a faithful witness who remains committed to Jesus even when his testimony costs him his life.
His final response is particularly significant: he does not respond to violence with hatred or revenge, but entrusts himself to Jesus and asks forgiveness for those killing him.
His death therefore reflects the same pattern of faithful suffering, forgiveness, and trust that Stephen has just identified throughout the history of God's people.