Acts 7:39
What does Acts 7:39 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 7:39 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 7:39 means
Our fathers would not obey Moses; they pushed him away and turned their hearts back to Egypt. Stephen names the core issue: disobedience rooted in heart-desire for old bondage. Physical redemption from Egypt did not guarantee inward loyalty to God. Israel’s resistance to Moses shows that rejecting God’s messenger is a recurring sin, not a novelty of Stephen’s day. By tracing this, Stephen counters the charge that he despises Moses; rather, he laments Israel’s refusal to heed Moses. The verse exposes the tragedy of preferring the familiarity of slavery to the demands of freedom under God’s rule—a warning to the council listening.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt,
KJV
King James Version · 1611To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt,
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949By whom our fathers would not be controlled; but they put him on one side, turning back in their hearts to Egypt,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but did thrust away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Whom our fathers would not obey: but thrust him away and in their hearts turned back into Egypt,
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890to whom our fathers would not be subject, but thrust [him] from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,
Context
Having affirmed Moses’ role (verse 38), Stephen now pivots to Israel’s failure to obey. Verse 39 introduces the heart-turning back to Egypt, which verses 40–41 will illustrate with the demand for idols and the golden calf. This downward turn prepares for verses 42–43, where Stephen cites prophetic indictment and foretold exile. The flow builds to the claim that resistance to God’s Spirit is habitual in Israel’s story, culminating in the rejection of the Righteous One.
v.38This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received living oracles to give unto us:
v.39This passage
v.40saying unto Aaron, Make us gods that shall go before us: for as for this Moses, who led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Nehemiah 9:16
But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their neck, and hearkened not to thy commandments,
- Exodus 16:3
and the children of Israel said unto them, Would that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
- 1 Kings 2:27
So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto Jehovah, that he might fulfil the word of Jehovah, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
- Exodus 17:3
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
- Acts 7:27
But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
- Numbers 14:3
And wherefore doth Jehovah bring us unto this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a prey: were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
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