Acts 7:54-60 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 7:54-60

We have here the death of the first martyr of the Christian church, and there is in this story a lively instance of the outrage and fury of the persecutors (such as we may expect to meet with if we are called out to suffer for Christ), and of the courage and comfort of the persecuted, that are thus called out. Here is hell in its fire and darkness, and heaven in its light and brightness; and these serve as foils to set off each other. It is not here said that the votes of the council were... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 7:54-60

7:54-60 As they listened to this their very hearts were torn with vexation and they gnashed their teeth at him. But he was full of the Holy Spirit and he gazed steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God's right hand. So he said, "Look now, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand." They shouted with a great shout and held their ears and launched themselves at him in a body. They flung him outside the city and began to stone him.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:54

When they heard these things ,.... How that Abraham, the father of them, was called before he was circumcised, or the law was given to Moses, or the temple was built, which they were so bigoted to, and charged with speaking blasphemously of; and how that Joseph and Moses were very ill treated by the Jewish fathers, which seemed to resemble the usage Christ and his apostles met with from them; and how their ancestors behaved in the wilderness when they had received the law, and what idolatry... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:55

But he being full of the Holy Ghost ,.... That is, Stephen, as Beza's ancient copy, and some others express it; and so the Ethiopic version; the Syriac version reads, "full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost", as in Acts 6:5 and so some copies; being under the influences of the Spirit of God, and filled with his divine comforts, and strong in the faith of Jesus Christ, and having a holy boldness, courage, and intrepidity of mind; instead of being discouraged and dejected, of being cast down... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:56

And said, behold, I see the heavens opened ,.... As they were at the baptism of Christ; see Gill on Matthew 3:16 , and the son of man standing at the right hand of God ; he calls Jesus "the son of man"; a name by which he often called himself in his state of humiliation; and that though he was now glorified, it being the name of the Messiah in Psalm 80:17 as was well known to the Jews; and this Stephen said to show that God was on his side, and to let them know what honour was done... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:57

Then they cried out with a loud voice ,.... These were not the sanhedrim, but the common people; the Ethiopic version reads, "the Jews cried out"; which, they did, in a very clamorous way, either through rage and madness, or in a show of zeal against blasphemy; and cried out, either to God to avenge the blasphemy, or rather to the sanhedrim to pass a sentence on him, or, it may be, to excite one another to rise up at once, and kill him, as they did: and stopped their ears ; with their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:58

And cast him out of the city ,.... Of Jerusalem; for the place of stoning was without the city. The process, when regular, according to the sentence of the court, was after this manner F16 Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 6. sect. 1, 2, 3, 4. ; "judgment being finished, (or the trial over,) they brought him out (the person condemned) to stone him; the place of stoning was without the sanhedrim, as it is said, Leviticus 24:14 "bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp", when he was ten... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:59

And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God ,.... As he was praying, and putting up the following petition; and saying, Lord Jesus receive my Spirit ; from whence we learn, that the spirit or soul of man sleeps not, nor dies with the body, but remains after death; that Jesus Christ is a fit person to commit and commend the care of the soul unto immediately upon its separation; and that he must be truly and properly God; not only because he is equal to such a charge, which none but God is,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:60

And he kneeled down ,.... It seems as if he stood before while they were stoning him, and while he was commending his soul to Christ, but now he kneeled down; prayer may be performed either kneeling or standing: and cried with a loud voice ; not only to show that he was in good spirits, and not afraid to die, but chiefly to express his vehement and affectionate desire to have the following petition granted: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge : do not impute it to them, or place... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 7:54

They were cut to the heart - Διεπριοντο , They were sawn through. See the note on Acts 5:33 . They gnashed on him with their teeth - They were determined to hear him no longer; were filled with rage against him, and evidently thirsted for his blood. read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 7:54-60

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 7:54-60

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:54

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:55

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:56

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:57

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:58

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:59

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:60

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 7:54

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