Acts 7:51-53 NIV

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Acts 7:52

Which of the prophets ... - The interrogative form here is a strong mode of saying that they had persecuted “all” the prophets. It was “the characteristic of the nation” to persecute the messengers of God. This is not to be taken as literally and universally true; but it was a general truth; it was the national characteristic. See the notes on Matthew 21:33-40; Matthew 23:29-35.And they have slain them ... - That is, they have slain the prophets, whose main message was that the Messiah was to... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Acts 7:53

Who have received the law - The Law of Moses, given on Mount Sinai.By the disposition of angels - There has been much diversity of opinion in regard to this phrase, εἰς διαταγὰς ἀγγέλων eis diatagas angelōn. The word translated “disposition” does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It properly means the “constituting” or “arranging” of an army; disposing it into ranks and proper divisions. Hence, it has been supposed to mean that the Law was given “amidst” the various ranks of... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Acts 7:51-53

Acts 7:51-53. Ye stiff-necked, &c. Stephen, finding by a confused murmur in the place that they understood whither his discourse tended, and perceiving by the eagerness of their countenances that they would soon interrupt him, applied himself more closely to his persecutors in these remarkable words, which he boldly addressed to them under the influence of the Holy Spirit, by whose direction he spoke; Ye stiff-necked Inflexible and obstinate sinners, not bowing your necks to God’s... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Acts 7:1-60

Stephen before the Sanhedrin (7:1-60)The defence that Stephen made before the Sanhedrin was not designed to win its approval. He outlined Israel’s history to demonstrate two main points. First, God had never shown himself to be limited to one dwelling place, or even one locality (therefore the Jews were mistaken in attaching such importance to the temple in Jerusalem). Second, the people of Israel had always rejected the messengers of God (therefore their rejection of the Messiah Jesus was not... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Acts 7:51

stiffrieoked. Greek. sklerotrachelos. Only here in NT., but in Sept, in Exodus 33:3 , Exodus 33:5 ; Exo 33:34 , Exodus 33:9 . Deuteronomy 9:6 , Deuteronomy 9:13 . Compare Deuteronomy 31:27 . 2 Chronicles 30:8 . Proverbs 29:1 . This is an instance of Figure of speech Ecphonesis. App-6 . uncircumcised. Greek. aperitmetos. Only here. resist = fall against. Greek. antipipto. Only here. the Holy Ghost. App-101 . This verse is quoted in support of the idea that men can successfully withstand... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Acts 7:52

have, &c. = did . . . persecute. have slain = slew. shewed before. Greek. prokatangello. See Acts 3:18 . coming. Greek. eleusis. Only here. the Just One. Greek. dikaios. App-191 . Compare Acts 3:14 ; Act 22:14 . 1 John 2:1 . have been = became. the. Omit. betrayers. Greek. prodot e s . Here, Luk 6:16 . 2 Timothy 3:4 . read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Acts 7:53

have. Omit. by = unto. Greek. eis. App-104 . disposition. Greek. diatage. Only here and Romans 13:2 . The Syriac reads, "by the precept". Compare Acts 7:38 and Galatians 1:3 , Galatians 1:19 . have, &c. = guarded it not. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Acts 7:51

Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One: of whom ye now have become betrayers and murderers; ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.This pronouncement was not an outburst of temper on the part of Stephen, but the announcement of God's judgment upon evil men... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Acts 7:51-53

Acts 7:51-53. Ye stiff-necked, &c.— "Thus have I given you a brief account of the various periods of revelation, or the several dispensations of God to man, from the time in which Abraham, our renowned ancestor, was called out of idolatry to the knowledge of the true God, unto this very day when the kingdom of the Messiah has begun to take place—that seed of Abraham, in whom all the nations of the earth are to be blessed. And what I would have you understand by all that has been said, is... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Acts 7:51

51-53. Ye stiffnecked . . . ye do always resist the Holy Ghost, &c.—It has been thought that symptoms of impatience and irritation in the audience induced Stephen to cut short his historical sketch. But as little farther light could have been thrown upon Israel's obstinacy from subsequent periods of the national history on the testimony of their own Scriptures, we should view this as the summing up, the brief import of the whole Israelitish history—grossness of heart, spiritual deafness,... read more

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Acts 7:52

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Acts 7:53

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Acts 7:51-53

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Acts 7:1-60

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Acts 7:51

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Acts 7:52

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Acts 7:53

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Acts 7:51

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Acts 7:51-53

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Acts 7:51

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