Acts 7:31
What does Acts 7:31 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 7:31 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 7:31 means
Moses marvels at the sight and, as he draws near, hears the Lord’s voice. Stephen shows the progression from curiosity to reverent encounter. The miracle is not an end in itself; it is the doorway to revelation. God speaks—not in Egypt, not in Canaan, but in a wilderness bush. This underlines that holiness depends on God’s presence, not geography. Moses’ wonder models the proper response to divine initiative. Stephen’s listeners are invited to see that God must define how and where He meets His people. The God who spoke at Sinai is free and sovereign, and His word, not human tradition, confers authority.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord,
KJV
King James Version · 1611When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord,
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And Moses, seeing it, was full of wonder, and when he came up to have a nearer view of it, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and Moses having seen did wonder at the sight; and he drawing near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord unto him,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And Moses seeing it wondered at the sight. And as he drew near to view it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And Moses seeing it wondered at the vision; and as he went up to consider it, there was a voice of [the] Lord,
Context
The narrative deepens from the appearance (verse 30) to the hearing of God’s voice. Verse 32 will present God’s self-identification as the God of the patriarchs and Moses’ fearful reaction. Verse 33 will add the command to remove shoes, and verse 34 the commissioning to deliver Israel. This sequence anchors Moses’ mission directly in God’s revelation, strengthening Stephen’s claim that Israel often resists the very messengers whom God so clearly sends.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Exodus 3:3
And Moses said, I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
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