English Standard Version
Acts 7:56
56And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
Acts 7:56 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
- New International Version (NIV)“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
- New Living Translation (NLT)And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”
Context of Acts 7:56
54Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." 57But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Read all of Acts 7Acts 7:56 word by word
καὶ εἶπεν· ἰδοὺ θεωρῶ τοὺς οὐρανοὺς διηνοιγμένους καὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ δεξιῶν ἑστῶτα τοῦ θεοῦ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- I seeθεωρέωtheōreō · to see/experienceG2334
- the heavensὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the heavensοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- openedἀνοίγωanoigō · to openG455
- the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- standingἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
- onἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- the right handδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
Cross-references for Acts 7:56
- Acts 10:11and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth.
- Ezekiel 1:1In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
- Matthew 3:16And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
- Mark 1:10And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
- Luke 3:21Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,
- Revelation 4:1After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."
- Revelation 11:19Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
- Revelation 19:11Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
- Daniel 7:13"I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
- Matthew 16:27For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
- Matthew 25:31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
- Matthew 26:64Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."
- John 5:22For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
Commentaries on Acts 7:56
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 56I see the heavens opened - A figurative expression, denoting that he was permitted to see “into” heaven, or to see what was there, as if the firmament was divided, and the eye was permitted to penetrate the eternal world. Compare Ezekiel 1:1.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 54-60Verses 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 55-56standing at the right hand of God: Usually, the Bible describes Jesus as seated in heaven at God’s right side (2:33–34; 5:31; Luke 20:42; 22:69; Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3, 13; 10:12). One possible explanation has been proposed by some church fathers that Jesus was welcoming Stephen to heaven with honor as the first New Testament martyr. Stephen was loyal in confessing his Lord on earth. Now his Lord honored his promise to…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 54-5654-56. 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!Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 7:56
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries