Acts 7:40
What does Acts 7:40 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 7:40 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 7:40 means
The people said to Aaron, Make us gods to go before us; regarding Moses, they said, We do not know what has become of him. Impatience and unbelief fueled idolatry. They wanted visible guidance and a god they could control. Stephen shows that even while Moses was receiving living oracles, the people clamored for images. Their words about Moses reveal a refusal to trust God’s appointed leader in his absence. This is the heart of idolatry: substituting handmade security for faith in the unseen God. The request to Aaron exposes a failure of leadership and a people eager to replace the Lord with the works of their own hands.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000saying 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901saying 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And saying to Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: as for this Moses, who took us out of the land of Egypt, we have no idea what has become of him.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who shall go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what hath happened to him.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Saying to Aaron: Make us gods to go before us. For as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890saying to Aaron, Make usgods who shall go before us; for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has happened to him.
Context
After stating that the fathers turned back in their hearts (verse 39), Stephen cites the demand made to Aaron as a concrete example. Verse 41 will follow with the making of the calf and sacrifices to the idol. These events contrast sharply with Sinai’s glory (verse 38). Stephen’s argument intensifies: if the people rebelled at the very moment of revelation, then opposition to God’s messengers and word is an old wound, not a new development brought by the gospel.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Exodus 32:23
For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
- Exodus 32:1
And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
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