Acts 7:39

Translations

Modern

But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

Traditional

To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

Literal

…to whom our fathers were not willing to be obedient, but pushed away, and they turned back in their hearts to Egypt,

Latin

Cui noluerunt obedire patres nostri: sed repulerunt, et aversi sunt cordibus suis in Ægyptum,

Original

Greek

English

But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

Notes

Acts 7:39–40

The ancient Jews rejected the law Moses gave to them for their salvation. Stephen was speaking to the people of his time who were physical and spiritual descendants from those Jews. His point was that they were still rejecting God's messengers. In this case, it was Jesus, the ultimate savior.

Acts 7:1–53

Stephen answered the accusations by speaking about his Lord (see Luke 21:12–17). Instead of defending himself, he became a witness in God's legal case against them. This revealed how contrary they were and their lack of loyalty. Stephen gave a history of Israel's past and reminded them of their repeated rejections of those who announced God's messages.
Stephen's review of Israel's history has three main parts:
1. The work of the patriarchs. This refers to Abraham and those descended from him who founded the nation of Israel (Acts 7:2–16).
2. The ministry of Moses (7:17–43).
3. The role of the tabernacle and the temple (7:44–50).
  Stephen ended his historical survey with a strong criticism of his people's lack of obedience. Like a prophet, he challenged them to stop resisting the Holy Spirit. He told them to turn to God with grief for their sins (repentance) and faith.

Theme notes and profiles

Aaron Moses Simon Peter Stephen The Jewish High Council Encounters with Jesus Fearing People Persecution The Exodus as History The Holy Spirit’s Presence The Righteous Suffer

Events

Stephen addresses the councilc. AD 30

Related verses

Numbers 14:3–4
Why is the LORD bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
Numbers 11:5
We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic.
Nehemiah 9:16–17
But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.
Acts 7:51–52
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
Ezekiel 20:6–14
On that day I swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands.
Exodus 16:3
“If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us into this desert to starve this whole assembly to death!”
Numbers 21:5
…and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”
Judges 11:2
And Gilead’s wife bore him sons who grew up, drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, because you are the son of another woman.”
Exodus 17:3
But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
1 Kings 2:27
So Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled the word that the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli.
Exodus 14:11–12
They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us into the wilderness to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?
Psalm 106:32–33
At the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them.

Parallels

Exodus 32:1–35 Deuteronomy 9:7–29 Amos 5:16–27

Places

Egypt: Ancient nation; Israelites enslaved there; plagues and Exodus

Glossary

Apocalypse of James Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Book of the Acts of the Apostles Circumcision Courts and Trials Golden Calf Hellenism Jerusalem Council Paul the Apostle Persecution Peter, the Apostle Stephen

Topics

Apostasy: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Calf of Gold was Made: After an Egyptian Model Court: Accused Spoke in his own Defense Government: Constitutes Idolatry: The Jews: Brought, out of Egypt with Them Jesus, the Christ: Unclassified Scriptures Relating to the Divinity of Select Readings: Stephen's Defense

Acts 7:39

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