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Acts 7:51

“Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, you do also.”

Acts 7:51 · direct translation from the Greek
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With the Greek beneath

51

Allusion · Exodus 33:3

Go to Exodus 33:3

Stephen calls his hearers “stiff-necked,” the expression with which YHWH describes Israel after the golden calf (Exodus 32:9; 33:3, 5).

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

  • ΣκληροτράχηλοιSklērotrachēloiG4644קְשֵׁהkesheH7186“stiff-necked”

Allusion · Jeremiah 9:26

Go to Jeremiah 9:26

Both texts speak of those uncircumcised in heart.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

  • ἀπερίτμητοιaperitmētoiG564עֲרֵלִיםarelimH6189“uncircumcised”
  • καρδίαιςkardiaisG2588לֵבlevH3820“heart”

Acts 7:51, word by word

Stiff-neckedΣκληροτράχηλοιSklērotrachēloi

stiff-necked

Stiff-necked, stubborn, refusing to be led.

Where else “Sklērotrachēloi” appears
uncircumcisedἀπερίτμητοιaperitmētoi

uncircumcised

Uncircumcised; said of the heart or ears, not truly belonging to God.

Where else “aperitmētoi” appears
in heartκαρδίαιςkardiais

heart

Heart: the center of the person, where one thinks, feels and decides.

Where else “kardiais” appears
earsὠσίνōsin

hearing

Being able to hear and understand: "whoever can hear, let him hear".

Where else “ōsin” appears
alwaysἀεὶaei

always

Always, ever, continually.

Where else “aei” appears
resistἀντιπίπτετεantipiptete

resist

Resist, oppose.

Where else “antipiptete” appears
the Holy Spiritπνεύματιpneumati

Spirit

God himself at work, giving life and dwelling in believers.

Where else “pneumati” appears
the Holy Spiritἁγίῳhagiōi

Holy Spirit

God's Spirit, who is his own and sets people apart for him.

Where else “hagiōi” appears
fathers didπατέρεςpateres

forefather

An ancestor: Abraham as the founder of the family.

Where else “pateres” appears

Translation note

Words of Scripture: “stiff-necked” (Exodus 33:3, 5), “uncircumcised in heart” (Leviticus 26:41; Jeremiah 9:26; Ezekiel 44:7) and “in ears” (Jeremiah 6:10). They are those who do not truly belong to God.

The context

50Did not my hand make all these things?’

51 · This verse (above)

52Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand about the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become,

Read all of Acts 7

To study Acts 7 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    At the end of his speech, what does Stephen see, and what does he pray while they stone him? (vv. 55-60)

  2. 2. What it means

    Stephen recounts Israel's story from Abraham. What point does he seem to be making with that survey? (vv. 2-53)

  3. 3. How I live it

    Stephen asked that this sin not be held against those who harmed him (v. 60). How do you respond when someone wrongs you?

How to use it