Acts 7 5

Acts 7:5 kjv

And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

Acts 7:5 nkjv

And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him.

Acts 7:5 niv

He gave him no inheritance here, not even enough ground to set his foot on. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.

Acts 7:5 esv

Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child.

Acts 7:5 nlt

"But God gave him no inheritance here, not even one square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole land would belong to Abraham and his descendants ? even though he had no children yet.

Acts 7 verses

Acts 7 5 Meaning

Stephen, in his address before the Sanhedrin, recounts that God, when He called Abraham to leave his homeland, did not immediately grant him any personal land possession in the Promised Land. Abraham possessed absolutely nothing of it, not even the smallest plot of land. Despite this present lack, God unequivocally promised to give the entire land to Abraham and his descendants as a perpetual possession. This extraordinary promise was given at a time when Abraham and Sarah were old and still childless, highlighting the nature of God's promise resting solely on His divine will and power, not on human circumstances or natural ability.

Acts 7 5 Context

Stephen's speech (Acts 7:2-53) is a defense against accusations that he spoke blasphemously against the Temple, the Law, and Moses. He systematically reinterprets Israelite history, emphasizing God's dealings with His people before the Law, before the Tabernacle, and outside the land of promise. This verse concerning Abraham's lack of land possession directly challenges the Sanhedrin's prevailing focus on their current physical possession of the land and the Temple as indicators of ultimate divine favor. Stephen uses Abraham's example of faithful reliance on God's word alone, despite a lack of tangible immediate fulfillment, to underscore that God's plan transcends physical boundaries and immediate realities. The emphasis is on God's covenant faithfulness through long periods of delay, a concept crucial to Stephen's broader argument that God's presence and action are not confined to specific sacred spaces like the Jerusalem Temple.

Acts 7 5 Word analysis

• And he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not even a foot's length

  • And he gave him no: (Greek: οὐδὲ δῷκεν αὐτῷ - oude edōken autō). The Greek "oude" (not even, nor) emphasizes a complete absence. "Edōken" (gave) is in the aorist tense, indicating a definitive act (or lack thereof) at a specific time. It's a forceful statement that God did not hand over any land.
  • inheritance: (Greek: κληρονομίαν - klēronomian). Refers to a legal heritage, a portion of land passed down or rightfully acquired as property. Stephen's point is that Abraham received no such portion at the outset from God.
  • in it: (Greek: ἐν αὐτῇ - en autē). Refers to the promised land itself, emphasizing that within that very land, Abraham owned nothing.
  • no, not even a foot's length: (Greek: οὐδὲ βῆμα ποδός - oude bēma podos). This is an idiomatic expression signifying the smallest possible unit of space or territory. "Bēma" means a step or pace, and "podos" means of a foot. It emphatically stresses the absolute absence of physical ownership for Abraham. This extreme negative highlights the extent to which Abraham relied on the sheer promise of God rather than any present reality.

• but promised to give it to him for a possession

  • but promised: (Greek: καὶ ἐπηγγείλατο - kai epēngeilato). "Epēngeilato" (promised) is from "epangellō," indicating a formal declaration or a divine undertaking. It's an active pledge made by God. The contrast ("but") sets the divine promise against the human reality of having no land.
  • to give it: (Greek: δοῦναι αὐτῷ - dounai autō). This infinitive indicates the content of the promise: actual giving.
  • for a possession: (Greek: εἰς κατάσχεσιν - eis kataschesin). "Katáscesis" (possession) signifies the act of holding down, securing, or taking full possession of something. This indicates that while not immediate, the promised transfer would result in actual, secure ownership.

• and to his offspring after him

  • and to his offspring: (Greek: καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ - kai tō spermati autou). "Sperma" (seed) here refers to descendants, continuing the lineage through which God's promises would unfold. In the broader New Testament context (especially Paul's letters), this "seed" is ultimately fulfilled in Christ (Gal 3:16) and those who are "in Christ" by faith (Gal 3:29).
  • after him: (Greek: μετʼ αὐτόν - metʼ auton). Specifies that the fulfillment of the land promise would primarily be for generations succeeding Abraham.

• when as yet he had no child

  • when as yet: (Greek: οὔπω - oupō). Signifies "not yet," emphasizing the delay and Abraham's barrenness at the time the promise was first given.
  • he had no child: (Greek: ἔχοντος τέκνον - echontos teknon). This underscores the human impossibility of the situation. Abraham's advanced age and Sarah's barrenness meant that, humanly speaking, there would be no "offspring" to receive the promised land. This highlights that God's promise relied on His miraculous intervention and power, not on human capacity, fostering absolute dependence on Him.

Acts 7 5 Bonus section

The seemingly simple statement that Abraham had no immediate physical possession of the land (oude bēma podos) is highly significant for several reasons. It stands in stark contrast to the modern Jewish belief in inheriting the land through ethnic lineage. Stephen's argument is designed to subtly dismantle such an exclusive claim by showing that even the father of their nation lived his entire life in the land without owning it, living as a sojourner awaiting a promised, future, divine act of gifting. This emphasized that God's working extends beyond the current visible reality or geographic confines. Furthermore, it foreshadows the Christian understanding of an ultimate, heavenly inheritance (Heb 11:10, 16; 1 Pet 1:4), contrasting with a purely earthly, nationalistic view of the Abrahamic covenant. It presents Abraham as a prototype of the believer living by faith, always looking to a future promise from God, rather than being rooted in present circumstances or material possessions.

Acts 7 5 Commentary

Acts 7:5 serves as a crucial point in Stephen's defense, highlighting the profound nature of God's promises and the faith required to embrace them. It underscores that God's plan often involves delayed fulfillment, where the divine word precedes and exists independently of immediate physical manifestations. Abraham's example demonstrates absolute trust in God's covenant oath despite holding no physical claim to the land itself, emphasizing a spiritual connection to the divine promise over mere material possession. This narrative serves as an indirect but potent critique of the Sanhedrin's rigid adherence to present land and Temple, suggesting their focus missed the larger, divinely ordained narrative of faith and patient expectation that defined their forefather. The promise given despite Abraham's childlessness powerfully illustrates God's ability to act beyond human limitations, signifying that salvation and inheritance are fundamentally works of grace and divine power.