Acts 7 52

Acts 7:52 kjv

Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

Acts 7:52 nkjv

Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,

Acts 7:52 niv

Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him?

Acts 7:52 esv

Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,

Acts 7:52 nlt

Name one prophet your ancestors didn't persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One ? the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered.

Acts 7 verses

Acts 7 52 Meaning

Stephen's culminating indictment against the Sanhedrin, accusing them of a consistent pattern of resisting God's Spirit throughout history. This pattern manifested in their ancestors' persecution and killing of the prophets whom God sent, specifically those who foretold the arrival of the Messiah. The speech culminates by directly implicating the present generation in the ultimate act of rebellion: the betrayal and murder of "the Just One," Jesus Christ, whom the prophets had proclaimed. It asserts that their current hostility toward God's new covenant is merely a continuation of Israel's ancient spiritual rebellion.

Acts 7 52 Context

Acts chapter 7 contains Stephen's final discourse before his martyrdom. Accused of blasphemy against the Temple and the Law of Moses, Stephen delivers a historical narrative outlining God's faithful dealings with Israel from Abraham to Solomon. His intent is not merely defense but also a theological polemic: demonstrating that Israel has consistently resisted the Holy Spirit and rejected God's messengers throughout their history, ultimately culminating in their rejection and murder of Jesus, the Messiah. Verse 52 is the climactic accusation of this historical pattern, directly confronting the Sanhedrin with their complicity in Jesus's death. This indictment directly led to Stephen's stoning, mirroring the very violence he describes. The historical context is first-century Judaism under Roman occupation, with the Sanhedrin exercising religious and judicial authority. Stephen challenges their self-perception as guardians of true Israel, portraying them instead as continuators of historical rebellion.

Acts 7 52 Word analysis

• Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? (τῶν προφητῶν οὐκ ἐδίωξαν)
  • "Which" (τίνα): A rhetorical question, assuming an affirmative answer and leaving no room for denial. It means "all" or "every one."
  • "Prophets" (προφητῶν): God's appointed messengers who delivered His word to His people.
  • "not...persecuted" (οὐκ ἐδίωξαν): Lit. "did not they pursue?" Stephen affirms that their ancestors relentlessly harassed and oppressed every single prophet God sent. The Greek word implies hostile pursuit and ill-treatment.
  • "your fathers" (οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν): Directly implicates the Sanhedrin by linking them to a historical pattern of their ancestors' disobedience and resistance to God's will.
• And they have slain them which shewed before of the coming (καὶ ἀπέκτειναν τοὺς προκαταγγείλαντας περὶ τῆς ἐλεύσεως)
  • "slain" (ἀπέκτειναν): To kill or murder. A forceful, unambiguous accusation of violence.
  • "shewed before" (προκαταγγείλαντας): To announce, proclaim, or preach in advance. This emphasizes that these prophets foretold the specific arrival of the Messiah, proving their divine mission.
  • "coming" (ἐλεύσεως): The arrival or advent of a significant person. Here, it refers to Jesus Christ's earthly ministry and the inauguration of God's redemptive plan.
• of the Just One (τοῦ Δικαίου)
  • "The Just One" (ὁ Δίκαιος): A profoundly significant Messianic title for Jesus, denoting His perfect righteousness, sinlessness, and divine appointment. Stephen uses it to highlight the heinous nature of their crime against one so pure. It resonates with Old Testament prophecy of the righteous Servant.
• of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers; (οὗ νῦν ὑμεῖς προδόται καὶ φονεῖς)
  • "of whom" (οὗ): Connects the current generation's actions directly to the specific Messianic figure mentioned previously.
  • "now" (νῦν): A crucial adverb indicating the present reality. It emphasizes that this ancient pattern of resistance culminated in their very recent actions.
  • "ye" (ὑμεῖς): An emphatic pronoun in Greek, pointing directly at the Sanhedrin members and asserting their personal culpability.
  • "betrayers" (προδόται): Those who deliver over or hand someone over disloyally. While Judas's act of betrayal initiated the arrest, Stephen holds the Sanhedrin complicit in betraying their Messiah by condemning Him to Pilate.
  • "and murderers" (καὶ φονεῖς): The ultimate charge of shedding innocent blood. They orchestrated, authorized, and brought about the death of Jesus.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?": This rhetorical question effectively establishes a centuries-long historical pattern of hostility by Israel's ancestors towards every prophet God sent, immediately indicting the audience by association.
• "And they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One": This escalates the indictment, specifying that the persecuted prophets were those who foretold the very Messiah—the Just One—whom the present generation had just dealt with. It highlights their knowing opposition to God's redemptive plan.
• "of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers": This climactic accusation brings the historical pattern of rejecting God's messengers directly into the present, holding the Sanhedrin personally accountable for the ultimate act of rebellion: the betrayal and murder of God's Messiah, Jesus. The word "now" makes the charge immediate and undeniable.

Acts 7 52 Bonus section

• Stephen’s extended speech (Acts 7) is a comprehensive re-interpretation of Israelite history, emphasizing God’s active presence even outside the temple and His consistent sending of messengers, who were continually rejected.
• The phrase "The Just One" (ho Dikaios) would have evoked specific prophecies and concepts of righteousness familiar to Jewish audiences, emphasizing the unique character of the Messiah. This title points to Jesus's unique perfection, differentiating Him from mere human prophets.
• The dramatic immediate consequence of Stephen's words – his stoning – powerfully illustrates the ongoing reality of the rejection and violence he describes in this verse. His death serves as living proof of the pattern.
• Stephen’s message here is profoundly connected to Jesus's own laments over Jerusalem, particularly His lament in Matt 23:29-39, which condemned Jerusalem for its history of killing prophets and culminates in the coming judgment for that rejection. Stephen echoes Christ’s own assessment of their persistent rebellion.
• This verse contributes significantly to the early Christian understanding that the rejection of Jesus was not an isolated event but the ultimate act in a long history of Israel's disobedience, thereby justifying the Christian message extending beyond the boundaries of traditional Judaism to the Gentiles.

Acts 7 52 Commentary

Acts 7:52 stands as the climax of Stephen's historical recounting, which demonstrates a continuous pattern of Israel's spiritual rebellion and rejection of God's divine will. He masterfully links their ancestors' persecution of all prophets to the present Sanhedrin's ultimate sin: the betrayal and murder of "the Just One," Jesus Christ. This accusation is not a random charge but the culmination of a deep-seated resistance to the Holy Spirit that spanned generations. Stephen effectively asserts that the leaders of Israel were acting consistently with their rebellious forebears by rejecting the final, most perfect messenger sent by God. This stark confrontation highlights the gravity of rejecting Jesus as the fulfillment of all prophecy. Stephen’s immediate martyrdom following this speech starkly exemplifies the very truth of his words: that those who reject God's messengers ultimately turn to violence against them.