Acts 7:23

Acts 7:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)“When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel.

Context of Acts 7:23

21When he was put outside, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted and raised him as her own son. 22So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his speech and actions. “When he was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. 24When he saw one of them being mistreated, he came to his rescue and avenged the oppressed man by striking down the Egyptian. 25He assumed his people would understand that God would give them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.

Acts 7:23 word by word

ὡς δὲ ἐπληροῦτο αὐτῷ τεσσερακονταετὴς χρόνος, ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπισκέψασθαι τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραήλ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• whenὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• was fullπληρόωplēroō · to fulfillG4137
• forty yearsτεσσαρακονταετήςtessarakontaetēs · forty yearsG5063
• oldχρόνοςchronos · timeG5550
• it cameἀναβαίνωanabainō · to ascendG305
• intoἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• heartὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• to visitἐπισκέπτομαιepiskeptomai · to visit/care forG1980
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• the childrenυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• of IsraelἸσραήλIsraēl · IsraelG2474

Cross-references for Acts 7:23

• Exodus 2:11Years later, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his own people and observed their forced labor. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his people.
• Hebrews 11:24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter
• Exodus 35:21Everyone whose heart was moved and whose spirit prompted him came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its services, and for the holy garments.
• 1 Chronicles 29:17I know, my God, that you test the heart and that you are pleased with what is right. I have willingly given all these things with an upright heart, and now I have seen your people who are present here giving joyfully and willingly to you.
• 2 Chronicles 30:12Also, the power of God was at work in Judah to unite them to carry out the command of the king and his officials by the word of the Lord.
• Ezra 1:1In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord roused the spirit of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and to put it in writing:
• Ezra 7:27Blessed be the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s mind to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem,
• Proverbs 21:1A king’s heart is like channeled water in the Lord’s hand: He directs it wherever he chooses.
• 2 Corinthians 8:16Thanks be to God, who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus.
• Philippians 2:12Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
• James 1:17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
• Revelation 17:17For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his plan by having one purpose and to give their kingdom to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.
• Acts 15:36After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers and sisters in every town where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they’re doing.”
• Exodus 4:18Then Moses went back to his father-in-law, Jethro, and said to him, “Please let me return to my relatives in Egypt and see if they are still living.” Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

Commentaries on Acts 7:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23When he was full forty years old - This was a general tradition among the Jews: "Moses was forty years in Pharaoh's court, forty years in Midian, and forty years he served Israel." To visit his brethren - Probably on the ground of trying to deliver them from their oppressive bondage. This desire seems to have been early infused into his mind by the Spirit of God; and the effect of this desire to deliver his oppressed countrymen was his refusing to be…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Full forty years old - This is not recorded in the Old Testament; but it is a constant tradition of the Jews that Moses was 40 years of age when he undertook to deliver them. Thus, it is said, “Moses lived in the palace of Pharaoh forty years; he was forty years in Midian; and he ministered to Israel forty years” (Kuinoel). To visit … - Probably with a view of delivering them from their oppressive bondage. Compare Acts 7:25.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-29Verses 17-29 Let us not be discouraged at the slowness of the fulfilling of God's promises. Suffering times often are growing times with the church. God is preparing for his people's deliverance, when their day is darkest, and their distress deepest. Moses was exceeding fair, "fair toward God;" it is the beauty of holiness which is in God's sight of great price. He was wonderfully preserved in his infancy; for God will take special care of those of whom…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-53Stephen answered the accusations by speaking about his Lord (see Luke 21:12–17). Instead of defending himself, he became a witness in God's legal case against them. This revealed how contrary they were and their lack of loyalty. Stephen gave a history of Israel's past and reminded them of their repeated rejections of those who announced God's messages. Stephen's review of Israel's history has three main parts: The work of the patriarchs. This refers to…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23-2723-27. In Ac 7:23, 30, 36, the life of Moses is represented as embracing three periods, of forty years each; the Jewish writers say the same; and though this is not expressly stated in the Old Testament, his age at death, one hundred twenty years (De 34:7), agrees with it. it came into his heart to visit his brethren--his heart yearning with love to them as God's chosen people, and heaving with the consciousness of a divine vocation to set them free.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 7:23

• Court
• Government
• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Charge
• Resist
• Saying
• Stone
• Thrust
• Wisdom

Commentaries on Acts 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings