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

21and when he had been abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22So Moses was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his words and deeds. But when he was about forty years old, it entered his mind to visit his fellow countrymen the Israelites. 24When he saw one of them being hurt unfairly, Moses came to his defense and avenged the person who was mistreated by striking down the Egyptian. 25He thought his own people would understand that God was delivering them 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 2:11In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and observed their hard labor, and he saw an Egyptian man attacking a Hebrew man, one of his own people.
• Hebrews 11:24By faith, when he grew up, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
• Exodus 35:21Everyone whose heart stirred him to action and everyone whose spirit was willing came and brought the offering for the Lord for the work of the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.
• 1 Chronicles 29:17I know, my God, that you examine thoughts and are pleased with integrity. With pure motives I contribute all this; and now I look with joy as your people who have gathered here contribute to you.
• 2 Chronicles 30:12In Judah God moved the people to unite and carry out the edict the king and the officers had issued at the Lord’s command.
• Ezra 1:1In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord stirred the mind of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict the following:
• Ezra 7:27Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who so moved in the heart of the king to so honor the temple of the Lord which is in Jerusalem!
• Proverbs 21:1The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord like channels of water; he turns it wherever he wants.
• 2 Corinthians 8:16But thanks be to God who put in the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you,
• Philippians 2:12So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence,
• James 1:17All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.
• Revelation 17:17For God has put into their minds to carry out his purpose by making a decision to give their royal power to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.
• Acts 15:36After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord to see how they are doing.”
• Exodus 4:18So Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, “Let me go, so that I may return to my relatives in Egypt and see if they are still alive.” 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