Acts 7:56

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 King James Version (NKJV)and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

Context of Acts 7:56

54The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. 55But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 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!” 57Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Acts 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 10:11He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners.
• Ezekiel 1:1On July 31 of my thirtieth year, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
• Matthew 3:16After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.
• Mark 1:10As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove.
• Luke 3:21One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened,
• Revelation 4:1Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.”
• Revelation 11:19Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm.
• Revelation 19:11Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war.
• Daniel 7:13As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence.
• Matthew 16:27For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.
• Matthew 25:31“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.
• Matthew 26:64Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
• John 5:22In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge,

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

• Anger
• Court
• Government
• Heaven
• Homicide
• Prophets
• Readings, Select
• Revenge
• Stephen
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Son of man
• Charge
• Resist
• Saying
• Stone
• Thrust
• Wisdom
• Acts of the Apostles

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