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Acts 7:24-29

Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian. He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn’t understand.

“The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’ But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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“But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, until there arose a different king, who didn’t know Joseph. The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive. At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome. He was nourished three months in his father’s house. When he was thrown out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up and reared him as her own son. Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works. But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian. He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn’t understand.

“The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’ But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian.

    He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn’t understand.

    “The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’

    But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

    Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’

    Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

  • TYNDALE Tyndale New Testament (1534)

    And when he sawe one of them suffre wronge he defended him and avenged his quarrell that had the harme done to him and smote the Egypcian.

    For he supposed hys brethren wolde have vnderstonde how that God by his hondes shuld save them But they vnderstode not.

    And the next daye he shewed him selfe vnto them as they strove and wolde have set the at one agayne sayinge: Syrs ye are brethren why hurte ye one another?

    But he that dyd his neghbour wronge thrust him awaye sayinge: who made the a rular and a iudge amonge vs?

    What wilt thou kyll me as thou dyddest the Egyptian yester daye?

    Then fleed Moses at that sayenge and was a stranger in the londe of Madian where he begat two sonnes.

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  • GNV Geneva Bible (1599)

    And whe he saw one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and auenged his quarell that had the harme done to him, and smote the Egyptian.

    For hee supposed his brethren would haue vnderstand, that God by his hande should giue them deliuerance: but they vnderstoode it not.

    And the next day, he shewed himselfe vnto them as they stroue, and woulde haue set them at one againe, saying, Syrs, ye are brethren: why doe ye wrong one to another?

    But he that did his neighbour wrong, thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a prince, and a iudge ouer vs?

    Wilt thou kill mee, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?

    Then fled Moses at that saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begate two sonnes.

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Cross-references (46)

  • Exodus 2:13-15 (v26) He went out the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews were fighting with each other. He said to him who did the wrong, “Why do you…
  • Luke 12:14 (v27) But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
  • John 18:10-11 (v24) Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was…
  • Exodus 18:2-4 (v29) Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away, and her two sons. The name of one son was…
  • Proverbs 9:7-8 (v27) One who corrects a mocker invites insult. One who reproves a wicked man invites abuse. Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a…
Show all 46 cross-references
  • Luke 9:45 (v25) But they didn’t understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about…
  • Luke 18:34 (v25) They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn’t understand the things that were said.
  • John 18:25-27 (v24) Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, “You aren’t also one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it…
  • Acts 7:28 (v24) Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
  • Acts 7:35 (v27) “This Moses, whom they refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—God has sent him as both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of…
  • 1 Corinthians 15:10 (v25) But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was given to me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but…
  • 2 Corinthians 6:1 (v25) Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain,
  • Genesis 13:8 (v26) Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are relatives.
  • Genesis 19:19 (v27) See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown to me in saving my…
  • Genesis 45:24 (v26) So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, “See that you don’t quarrel on the way.”
  • Exodus 2:14-22 (v29) He said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you plan to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?” Moses was afraid, and said,…
  • Exodus 4:19-20 (v29) Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return into Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” Moses took his wife and his sons,…
  • 1 Samuel 14:45 (v25) The people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, there shall not…
  • 1 Samuel 19:5 (v25) for he put his life in his hand, and struck the Philistine, and Yahweh worked a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why…
  • 1 Samuel 25:14-15 (v27) But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to Greet our master; and…
  • 2 Kings 5:1 (v25) Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him Yahweh had given…
  • Psalms 106:7 (v25) Our fathers didn’t understand your wonders in Egypt. They didn’t remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses, but were rebellious at…
  • Psalms 133:1 (v26) See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!
  • Proverbs 18:19 (v26) A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city. Disputes are like the bars of a fortress.
  • Matthew 21:23 (v27) When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what…
  • Mark 9:32 (v25) But they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
  • John 15:17-18 (v26) “I command these things to you, that you may love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.
  • John 18:36-37 (v27) Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be…
  • John 19:12-15 (v27) At this, Pilate was seeking to release him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you release this man, you aren’t Caesar’s friend! Everyone…
  • Acts 3:13-15 (v27) The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied in the…
  • Acts 4:7 (v27) When they had stood Peter and John in the middle of them, they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”
  • Acts 4:11-12 (v27) He is ‘the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’ There is salvation in no…
  • Acts 5:33 (v27) But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were determined to kill them.
  • Acts 7:39 (v27) to whom our fathers wouldn’t be obedient, but rejected him, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,
  • Acts 7:54 (v27) Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
  • Acts 14:27 (v25) When they had arrived, and had gathered the assembly together, they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had…
  • Acts 15:4 (v25) When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported everything that God…
  • Acts 15:7 (v25) When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you…
  • Acts 21:19 (v25) When he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry.
  • Romans 15:18 (v25) For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,
  • 1 Corinthians 3:9 (v25) For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building.
  • 1 Corinthians 6:6-8 (v26) But brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers! Therefore it is already altogether a defect in you, that you have…
  • Philippians 2:1 (v26) If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and…
  • Philippians 2:3 (v26) doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;
  • Colossians 1:29 (v25) for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.
  • 1 John 3:11-15 (v26) For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (17 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv24, 26 24. When he saw a certain man. Moses came…

24. When he saw a certain man. Moses came not to this spectacle by chance, but forasmuch as God had appointed him to be the deliverer of his people, he would have him show forth this token, and, as it were, make this beginning. For Stephen doth plainly express that he did attempt nothing unadvisedly, but did that which became him that was appointed to be a deliverer of the people, knowing that he was thereunto called. For unless God had armed him, (and made him puissant,) it had been a thing altogether unlawful for him to kill any man, how wicked soever he had been. It is a godly deed, and praiseworthy, for a man to set himself against the wicked, to defend the good against the injuries of the wicked, to bridle their violence; but it is not for a private person to punish, (or take vengeance.) Therefore, it was unlawful for Moses to slay the Egyptian, save only inasmuch as the Lord had put the sword in his hand according to the right of his calling. But this heroical courage and nobleness of heart was a work of the Holy Ghost; because God doth mightily show forth his power in those whom he appointeth unto great matters, that they may be able to fulfill their function. In sum, Stephen meaneth that Moses was even then offered to be the minister of deliverance when the day was at hand, according to the covenant made with Abraham, yet did the people hope for nothing less.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv24–29 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv24–29 This fact of Moses some defend by the law…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv24–29 And seeing one of them suffer wrong,.... Beza's Cambridge…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv24–27 Seeing one wronged - Probably by one of the…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv24–26 Verse 24. Smote the Egyptian] See this explained, Ex…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v26 Act 7:26-29. The next day he showed himself unto…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv24–29 Suffer wrong - The wrong or injury was, that…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v29 Moses fled upon this word; because he perceived the…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv24, 25, 26, 28, 29 avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian--going…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv24–29 24. Pray ye—For a moment the Magus is overawed.…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv24, 25, 26, 28, 29 24. and smote the Egyptian] i.e. killed him. See…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv24, 25, 26, 27, 29 (24) And avenged him.—The Greek phrase is noticeable as…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv24, 25, 26, 28, 29 Smiting for and smote, A.V.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain On v24 24-29. Cultured all his life in the Egyptian idolatry,…
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain On vv24–29 See notes on verse 17
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv26, 29 General Information:
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