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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Acts 7:51

ACTS—NOTE ON Acts 7:51 Stephen concludes with a direct attack on Israel for rejecting the Messiah. This seems harsh, but Luke will soon say that Stephen was “full of the Holy Spirit” (v. Acts 7:55; Acts 6:10, Acts 6:15) and so his accusation was also led by the Spirit. Using the OT, he accused his Jewish listeners of being stiff-necked (see Exodus 34:9), uncircumcised in heart and ears (Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 6:10), and resisting the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:10).

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See also Acts 7:51 in other biblical comments:

  • A Textual Commentary On The Greek New Testament by Bruce M. Metzger

    ACTS 7:3-51 In addition to several direct quotations from the Septuagint, Stephen’s speech consists of a series of allusions to and summaries of Israelitish history. In these phrases drawn from the O...

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 51. _YE STIFF-NECKED_] σκληροτραχηλοι. A metaphor taken from _untoward oxen_, who cannot be broken into the yoke; and whose strong necks cannot be bended to the right or the left. _UNCIRCUMCIS...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    YE STIFF-NECKED - The discourse of Stephen has every appearance of having been interrupted by the clamors and opposition of the Sanhedrin. This verse has no immediate connection with what precedes, an...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 7 _ 1. The Address of Stephen (Acts 7:1)._ 2. The Martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7:54). This is the largest chapter in this book and concludes the first section. Stephen is the chosen instrumen...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    STEPHEN'S DEFENCE (Acts 7:1-7) When Oliver Cromwell was outlining the education he thought necessary for his son Richard, he said, "I would have him know a little history." It was to the lesson of hi...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    "It was this man who said to the sons of Israel, 'God will raise up a prophet from among your brothers, like me.' It was this Moses who was in the gathering of the people in the wilderness, with the a...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    STIFFRIEOKED. Greek. _sklerotrachelos._ Only here in NT., but in Sept, in Exodus 33:3; Exodus 33:5. Exo 33:34, Exodus 33:9; Deuteronomy 9:6;...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Ye stiffnecked_ A charge often brought against the Jews in the Old Testament, cp. Exodus 32:9; Exodus 33:3, &c., so that it is a very suitable expression when Stephen is declaring that the people of...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΚΑΡΔΊΑΙΣ for τῇ καρδίᾳ with אACD. _Vulg_. ‘cordibus.’ 51. ΣΚΛΗΡΟΤΡΆΧΗΛΟΙ, _Ye stiffnecked_. A charge often brought against the Jews in the Old Testament, cf. Exodus 32:9; Exodus 33:3, &c., so that it...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    Acts 7:1-53. STEPHEN’S DEFENCE...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _STEPHEN, THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR ACTS 7:51-60:_ Stephen charged the people with: (1) being stiff necked, (2) uncircumcised in heart, (3) resisting the Holy Ghost, and (4) failing to keep the word...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΣΚΛΗΡΟΤΡΆΧΗΛΟΙ _voc. pl. от_ ΣΚΛΗΡΟΤΡΆΧΗΛΟΣ (G4644) жестоковыйный. Когда конь или осел отказывается идти дальше, он напрягает шею; следовательно, это выражение обозначает упрямую непокорность, упорств...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    YE STIFF-NECKED, &C.— "Thus have I given you a brief account of the various periods of revelation, or the several dispensations of God to man, from the time in which Abraham, our renowned ancestor, wa...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    c. Stephen's defence. Acts 7:1-53. Acts 7:1 And the high priest said, Are these things so? Acts 7:2 And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham,...

  • Combined Bible Commentary

    51-53. As Joseph, the divinely-selected savior of his brethren, had been sold by those brethren into slavery; and as Moses, divinely selected to deliver Israel from bondage, was at first rejected by t...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. YE STIFF-NECKED AND UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART AND EARS. [Lachmann adopts the plur...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    41 Idolatry is, etymologically, the offering of divine service to that which can be perceived by the senses. In this way, all objects of worship, even if they are supposed to be representations of the...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DEFENCE AND MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN 1-53. Speech of Stephen. There is every reason to believe that this speech was really delivered by St. Stephen, and not composed by St. Luke; for, (1) the speech does...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE ACTS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 7 STEPHEN’S SPEECH, PART 1: ABRAHAM’S *FAITH IN GOD, 7:1-8 V1 The *high priest asked Stephen, ‘Is this true?’ V2 Stephen replied, ‘Listen, brot...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    YE STIFFNECKED AND UNCIRCUMCISED... — The sudden change of tone from calm argument to vehement indignation cannot be thought of as spontaneous. The excitement of the Sanhedrin, perhaps of the listenin...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    σκληροτράχηλοι καὶ ἀπερίτμητοι τῇ καρδίᾳ, _cf._ Exodus 33:3; Exodus 33:5; Exodus 34:9; Deuteronomy 9:6, Bar 2:30, etc., Sir 16:11 (_cf._ Cicero, Verr

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    A MARTYR'S GLORIOUS DEATH Acts 7:47-60 Words like these could not be forgiven. The growing irritation of the audience seems to have extorted those burning remonstrances, and to have hastened the fin...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The charge against Stephen was that he had spoken against the Temple and the Law. His reply consisted of a masterly review of the history of the nation from the calling of Abraham to the rejection of...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    Stephen Slain For Preaching the Truth Like their fathers before them, Stephen accused the members of the council of having necks so rock hard that they could not bow before God. Though they had been c...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (7) Ye stiffnecked and (x) uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers [did], so [do] ye. (7) Steven, moved with the zeal of God, at length judges his own jud...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart. St. Stephen, inspired by the Holy Ghost, knowing he should die a martyr, boldly reproaches them for persecuting the prophets, for putting to death the jus...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    STEPHEN'S CULMINATION 51. _“Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye._ 52. _“Which one of the prophets did not your fa...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. (52) Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    First of all we see man in an entirely new place man risen from among the dead and ascending to heaven. The risen ascended man, Christ Jesus, is the new starting-point of the dealings of God. The firs...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    51.Forasmuch as Stephen doth not expressly answer the points of the accusation, I am of their mind who think that he would have said more, if his oration had not been broken off with some uproar. For...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Stephen, [11] as far as we are told, had not known the Lord during His life on earth. Certainly he was not appointed, like the apostles, to be a witness of that life. He was simply the instrument of t...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    YE STIFFNECKED,.... Or "hard necked", the same with קשה עורף, which is a character frequently given of this people, Exodus 32:9 and elsewhere, and is expressive of their obstinacy, stubbornness and r...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers _did_, so _do_ ye. Ver. 51. _Ye stiffnecked, &c._] Henry Lawrence, martyr, being required to pu...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Ye stiff-necked_, &c. Stephen, finding by a confused murmur in the place that they understood whither his discourse tended, and perceiving by the eagerness of their countenances that they would soon...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    STIFF - NECKED; unwilling to bow to the authority or regard the voice of God. RESIST THE HOLY GHOST; by refusing to follow his directions. AS YOUR FATHERS DID, SO DO YE; he comes now to the applicati...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The peroration:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    YE STIFF-NECKED AND UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART AND EARS, YE DO ALWAYS RESIST THE HOLY GHOST; AS YOUR FATHERS DID, SO DO YE....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    The high priest only asks the question, "Are these things so?" Then God provides room for Stephen to speak without interruption for some time. This stands in striking contrast to the way in which the...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    51 "_ YOU_ STIFF-NECKED AND UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART AND EARS! YOU ALWAYS RESIST THE HOLY SPIRIT; AS YOUR FATHERS _DID,_ SO _DO_ YOU. 1. Stephen now becomes bold. He responds with a charge against thos...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. 'STIFFNECKED'-4644. sklerotrachelos sklay-rot-rakh'-ay-los; from 4642 and 5137;...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    51-53 Stephen was going on, it seems, to show that the temple and the temple service must come to an end, and it would be the glory of both to give way to the worship of the Father in spirit and in t...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    STIFF NECKED; a metaphor taken from heifers that are unaccustomed to the yoke. UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART; such as had still depraved affections, which they ought to have put away rather than the foreskin...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    51-53. As Joseph, the divinely-selected savior of his brethren, had been sold by those brethren into slavery; and as Moses, divinely selected to deliver Israel from bondage, was at first rejected by t...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Tertullian An Answer to the Jews -a fact which they cannot deny.[299]...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Acts 7:51 stiffnecked G4644 and G2532 uncircumcised G564 heart G2588 and G2532 ears G3775 You G5210 always G104 resist...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    REPLY TO THE CHARGE OF SPEAKING AGAINST THE LAW AND THE TEMPLE (7:44-53). Having been accused of speaking against the Law Stephen defends himself by speaking in favour of the oracles of God and point...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    “You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.” Their attitude towards the Temple, exalting what God had not exalted, and t...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Acts 7:51. YE STIFF-NECKED AND UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART AND EARS. Thus far had Stephen pursued his great argument calmly and without passion, though, as one great division of the history after the other...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    _Third Division of Stephens Speech._ Acts 7:37-53. _Moses and the Prophets._ Moses is again the central figure of the history, but now he stands forward as the great deliverer of the people. Stephen h...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    STIFFNECKED (σκληροτραχηλο). From σκληρος (hard) and τραχηλος, neck, both old words, but this compound only in the LXX and here alone in the N.T. Critics assume that Stephen was interrupted at this...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Acts 6; Acts 7 Stephen. From the history of Stephen we learn: I. That fidelity to truth provokes antagonism; holiness and sin are mutually repellent; love and selfishness are the opposites of each o...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Address of Stephen before the council. Stephen martyred. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Stephen, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Pharaoh, Moses, Pharaoh's daughter, Aaron, Solomon, Sau...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    The scope and design of St. Stephen's defence before the council will be better understood, if it be properly analyzed. The rulers construed his defence to import, that the glory of their temple shoul...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    HOW STUBBORN YOU ARE! Stephen now makes the application of all he has said. [Remember: the Holy Spirit is directing him.] They are _stubborn_ like the ox that has to be _driven_ to pull his load. Thei...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Then said the high priest, Are these things so?_ THE HIGH PRIEST AND HIS QUESTION This functionary was probably Theophilus, son-in-law of Caiaphas. The ex-officio president of the council called for...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears._ STEPHEN’S CHANGE OF TONE I. Justified. 1. This was not the first Christian sermon that the Jews or the Sanhedrin had heard. Otherwise, possibly,...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL REMARKS_ Acts 7:1. The high priest’s question, ARE THESE THINGS SO? analogous to that put to Christ (Matthew 26:62), was equivalent to a modern “Guilty or not guilty?” Acts 7:2. Concerning...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL REMARKS_ Acts 7:45. OUR FATHERS THAT CAME AFTER should be simply _our fathers._ JESUS is _Joshua_, as in Hebrews 4:8. INTO (lit. in) THE POSSESSION OF THE GENTILES.—Meaning that the Ark was...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ACTS 7:1 _And the high priest said _for then _said the high priest, _A.V. The high priest spoke as president of the Sanhedrim (see Acts 9:1. Acts 9:1 and...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let's turn tonight to Acts chapter 7. In the early church when a dispute arose among the Grecians--that is, those Jews of the Grecian culture. They were actually Jews, but they had followed the Grecia...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Chronicles 30:8; Acts 6:10; Acts 7:27; Acts 7:35; Acts 7:39;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Stiff - necked and uncircumcised [σ κ λ η ρ ο τ ρ α χ η λ ο ι κ α ι α π ε ρ ι τ μ η τ ο ι]. Both only here in New Testament. Resist [α ν τ ι π ι π τ ε τ ε]. It is a very strong expression, implying a...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    STEPHEN'S LAST WORDS AND MARTYRDOM Acts 7:44 INTRODUCTORY WORDS Let us, by way of opening word, speak a few words on two great benefactions to Israel (see Acts 7:44). 1. THE FATHERS HAD THE TABERNA...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Ye stiff necked — Not bowing the neck to God's yoke; and uncircumcised in heart — So they showed themselves, Acts 7:54; and ears — As they showed, Acts 7:57. So far were they from receiving the word o...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Observe here, 1. How St. Stephen, having finished his general discourse in the foregoing verses to the Jews, comes now to. particular and close application of it to them. All the while he was generall...

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