New King James Version
Acts 7:56
56and said, “Look! 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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he said, "Behold, 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
54When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes 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 heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.
- Ezekiel 1:1Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
- Matthew 3:16When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
- Mark 1:10And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.
- Luke 3:21When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.
- Revelation 4:1After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
- Revelation 11:19Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
- Revelation 19:11Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
- Daniel 7:13“I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
- Matthew 16:27For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
- Matthew 25:31“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
- Matthew 26:64Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
- John 5:22For the Father judges no one, but has committed 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries