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,
Acts 7:55 in other translations
| BSB | But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. |
|---|---|
| WEB | But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, |
| ASV | But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, |
| YLT | and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked stedfastly to the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, |
| DARBY | But being full of the Holy Spirit, having fixed his eyes on heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, |
| BBE | But he was full of the Holy Spirit, and looking up to heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus at the right hand of God. |
| Webster | But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, |
What does Acts 7:55 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!
Barnes' Notes
Looked up stedfastly. Fixed his eyes intently on heaven. Foreseeing his danger, and the effect his speech had produced--seeing that there was no safety in the great council of the nation, and no prospect of justice at their hands-he cast his eyes to heaven and sought protection them. When dangers threaten us, our hope of safety lies in heaven. When men threaten our persons, reputation, or lives, it becomes us to fix our eyes on the heavenly world; and we shall not look in vain.
And saw the glory of God. This phrase is commonly used to denote the visible symbols of God. It means some magnificent representation; a splendour, or light, that is the appropriate exhibition of the presence of God, Mt 16:27, 24:30. Lk 2:9. In the case of Stephen there is every indication of a vision, or supernatural representation of the heavenly objects; something in advance of mere faith, such as dying Christians now have. What was its precise nature, we have no means of ascertaining. Objects were often represented to prophets by visions; and probably something similar is intended here. It was such an elevation of view, such a representation of truth, and of the glory of God, as to be denoted by the word see; though it is not to be maintained that Stephen really saw the Saviour with the bodily eye.
On the right hand of God. That is, exalted to a place of honour and power in the heavens. Mt 26:64. Acts 2:25.
(g) "being full of" Acts 6:5 (*) "Holy Ghost" "Holy Spirit"
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
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…
Acts 7:55 in the original Greek
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Cross references for Acts 7:55
- Mark 16:19
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
- Hebrews 1:3
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
- 2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
- Psalms 109:31-110:1
For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul. A Psalm of David. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
- Acts 6:8
And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
- Acts 6:10
And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
- Hebrews 8:1
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
- Acts 6:5
And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
- Revelation 4:1-3
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
- Acts 2:4
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
- John 12:41
These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
- 2 Corinthians 12:2-4
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- 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,
- Acts 7:56
And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Acts 7:55 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Mas él, estando lleno de Espíritu Santo, puestos los ojos en el cielo, vió la gloria de Dios, y á Jesús que estaba á la diestra de Dios, |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Mais lui, étant plein de l’Esprit Saint, et ayant les yeux attachés sur le ciel, vit la gloire de Dieu, et Jésus debout à la droite de Dieu; |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Als er aber, voll Heiligen Geistes, unverwandt gen Himmel schaute, sah er die Herrlichkeit Gottes, und Jesum zur Rechten Gottes stehen; |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Cum autem esset plenus Spiritu Sancto, intendens in cælum, vidit gloriam Dei, et Jesum stantem a dextris Dei. Et ait: Ecce video cælos apertos, et Filium hominis stantem a dextris Dei. |