Acts 7 · Verse 54

Acts 7:54

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
Acts 7:54, King James Version

Acts 7:54 in other translations

BSBOn hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
WEBNow when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
ASVNow when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
YLTAnd hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts, and did gnash the teeth at him;
DARBYAnd hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him.
BBEHearing these things, they were cut to the heart and moved with wrath against him.
WebsterWhen they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

What does Acts 7:54 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 7:54-56
54-56. When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, &c.--If they could have answered him, how different would have been their temper of mind!

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 54. They were cut to the heart. They were exceedingly enraged and indignant. The whole course of the speech had been such as to excite their anger, and now they could restrain themselves no longer.

They gnashed on him, etc. Expressive of the bitterness and malignity.

(f) "heard these things" Acts 5:33

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 54 They were cut to the heart - Διεπριοντο, They were sawn through. See the note on Act 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 7:54-60
Nothing is so comfortable to dying saints, or so encouraging to suffering saints, as to see Jesus at the right hand of God: blessed be God, by faith we may see him there. Stephen offered up two short prayers in his dying moments. Our Lord Jesus is God, to whom we are to seek, and in whom we are to trust and comfort ourselves, living and dying. And if this has been our care while we live, it will be our comfort when we die. Here is a prayer for his persecutors. Though the sin was very great, yet if they would lay it to their hearts, God would not lay it to their charge. Stephen died as much in a hurry as ever any man did, yet, when he died, the words used are, he fell asleep; he applied himself to his dying work with as much composure as if he had been going to sleep. He shall awake again in the morning of the resurrection, to be received into the presence of the Lord, where is fulness of joy, and to share the pleasures that are at his right hand, for evermore.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Acts 7:54 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἈκούοντεςAkouontesHearingG191
δὲdenowG1161
ταῦταtautathese thingsG3778
διεπρίοντοdiepriontothey felt cut upG1282
ταῖςtaisin theG3588
καρδίαιςkardiaisheartsG2588
αὐτῶνautōnof themG846
καὶkaiandG2532
ἔβρυχονebruchonwere gnashingG1031
τοὺςtoustheG3588
ὀδόνταςodontasteethG3599
ἐπ᾽ep᾽atG1909
αὐτόν.¶autonhim.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 7:54

  • Acts 5:33

    When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

  • Psalms 35:16

    With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

  • Matthew 25:30

    And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

  • Job 16:9

    He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

  • Luke 13:28

    There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

  • Matthew 13:50

    And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

  • Psalms 112:10

    The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

  • Lamentations 2:16

    All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.

  • Matthew 8:12

    But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

  • Matthew 24:51

    And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

  • Matthew 22:13

    Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

  • Acts 22:22-23

    And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they were.
5:33; 22:22,23
they gnashed.
Job 16:9; Ps 35:16; 112:10; La 2:16; Mt 8:12; 13:42,50; 22:13; 24:51
Mt 25:30; Lu 13:28

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 7:53

    Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

  • Acts 7:54

    When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

  • Acts 7:55

    But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

Read all of Acts 7

Acts 7:54 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y oyendo estas cosas, regañaban de sus corazones, y crujían los dientes contra él.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		En entendant ces choses, ils frémissaient de rage dans leurs cœurs, et ils grinçaient des dents contre lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als sie aber dies hörten, wurden ihre Herzen durchbohrt, und sie knirschten mit den Zähnen gegen ihn.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Audientes autem hæc, dissecabantur cordibus suis, et stridebant dentibus in eum.