the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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Acts 6:15
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Everyone there in the council meeting was staring at Stephen. They saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.
And all that sate in ye counsell loked stedfastly on him and sawe his face as it had bene the face of an angell.
All who sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face like it was the face of an angel.
Then all who were seated in the CouncilSanhedrin">[fn] glared at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
And all who were sitting in the Council stared at him, and they saw his face, which was like the face of an angel.
All the people in the meeting were watching Stephen closely and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.
And all that sat in the Sanhedrin, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
All who sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face like it was the face of an angel.
And all that were sitting in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face, as the face of an angel.
At once the eyes of all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin were fastened on him, and they saw his face looking just like the face of an angel.
And alle men that seten in the counsel bihelden hym, and sayn his face as the face of an aungel.
And all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Then all the council members stared at Stephen. They saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.
And all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
And all those who were in the Sanhedrin, looking at him, saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Everyone sitting in the Sanhedrin stared at Stephen and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.
And all who sat in the council, looking fixedly on him, saw his face as [the] face of an angel.
And all they who sat in the assembly looked upon him, and saw his face as the face of an angel.
And all they who were sitting in the council looked upon him, and they beheld his face, as the face of an angel.
And all that sate in the Councell, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had bene the face of an Angel.
At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel's.
The men sitting in the religious leaders' court were looking at Stephen. They all saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.
And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
And as all that sate in the Councill, looked stedfastly on him, they saw his face as it had bene the face of an Angel.
Then all who were seated at the council looked at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
And, looking steadfastly at him, all they who were sitting in the high-council, saw his face, as if the face of a messenger;
And all that sat in the council, looking on him, saw his face as if it had been the face of an angel.
And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
And all that sate in the counsell, loking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had ben the face of an angell.
All those sitting in the Council fixed their eyes on Stephen and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.
And all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
And as they looked intently at him, all those who were sitting in the Sanhedrin saw his face was like the face of an angel.
And having looked intently at him, all those having sat in the sanhedrin, saw his face as if it were the face of an angel.
and gazing at him, all those sitting in the sanhedrim saw his face as it were the face of a messenger.
And all they that sat in the councell, loked vpo him and sawe his face as the face of an angell.
and all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw an air of majesty in his aspect.
As all those who sat on the High Council looked at Stephen, they found they couldn't take their eyes off him—his face was like the face of an angel!
All who were sitting in the council looked intently at Stephen and saw his face was like the face of an angel.
And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
No one said a word because they were all looking at Steve, whose face was shining as bright as an angel's.
And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.
And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin saw his face like the face of an angel.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
saw: Exodus 34:29-35, Ecclesiastes 8:1, Matthew 13:43, Matthew 17:2, 2 Corinthians 3:7, 2 Corinthians 3:8, 2 Corinthians 3:18
Reciprocal: Judges 13:6 - countenance was Proverbs 31:26 - in her Daniel 3:15 - we are Mark 13:11 - take Luke 9:29 - General Acts 6:8 - full Acts 23:1 - earnestly 1 Timothy 3:13 - great
Cross-References
[In fact] the waters became fifteen cubits higher [than the highest ground], and the mountains were covered.
(For only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the [giants known as the] Rephaim. Behold, his bed frame was a bed frame of iron; is it not in Rabbah of the Ammonites? It was nine cubits (12 ft.) long and four cubits (6 ft.) wide, using the cubit of a man [the forearm to the end of the middle finger].)
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And all that sat in the council,.... The whole sanhedrim,
looking steadfastly on him; to observe whether his countenance altered, his tongue stammered, or he trembled in any part of his body, neither of which appeared; but on the contrary, they
saw his face, as if it had been the face of an angel. The Ethiopic version adds, "of God"; there was such a calmness and serenity in it, which showed his innocence and unconsciousness of guilt; and such a beauty and glory upon it, that he looked as lovely and amiable as the angels of God, who when they appeared to men, it was in very glorious and splendid forms: his face might shine as Moses's did, when he came down from the mount; or in some degree as Christ's did at his transfiguration; and this might, as it ought to have been, taken as an acquittance of him by God, from the charge of blasphemy, either against God or Moses: the Jews q say of Phinehas, that when the Holy Ghost was upon him, his face burned or shone like lamps, and Stephen was now full of the Holy Ghost, Acts 6:5.
q Ceseph. Misna in Maimon. Hilch. Teshuba, c. 9. & Vajikra Rabba, sect. 1. fol. 146. 1. & sect. 21. fol. 163. 1.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Looking stedfastly on him - Fixing the eyes intently on him. They were probably attracted by the unusual appearance of the man, his meekness, his calm and collected fearlessness, and the proofs of conscious innocence and sincerity.
The face of an angel - This expression is one evidently denoting that he manifested evidence of sincerity, gravity, fearlessness, confidence in God. It is used in the Old Testament to denote special wisdom, 2 Samuel 14:17; 2 Samuel 19:27. In Genesis 33:10, it is used to denote special majesty and glory, as if it were the face of God. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, it is said that the skin of his face shone so that the children of Israel were afraid to come near him, Exodus 34:29-30; 2 Corinthians 3:7, 2 Corinthians 3:13. Compare Revelation 1:16; Matthew 17:2. The expression is used to denote the impression produced on the countenance by communion with God; the calm serenity and composure which follow a confident committing of all into his hands. It is not meant that there was anything “miraculous” in the case of Stephen, but it is language that denotes calmness, dignity, and confidence in God, all of which were so marked on his countenance that it impressed them with clear proofs of his innocence and piety. The language is very common in the Jewish writings. It is not unusual for deep feeling, sincerity, and confidence in God, to impress themselves on the countenance. Any deep emotion will do this; and it is to be expected with religious feeling, the most tender and solemn of all feeling, will diffuse seriousness, serenity, calmness, and peace not affected sanctimoniousness, over the countenance.
In this chapter we have another specimen of the manner in which the church of the Lord Jesus was established. It was from the beginning amidst scenes of persecution, encountering opposition adapted to try the nature and power of religion. If Christianity was an imposture, it had enemies acute and malignant enough to detect the imposition. The learned, the cunning, and the mighty rose up in opposition, and by all the arts of sophistry, all the force of authority, and all the fearfulness of power, attempted to destroy it in the commencement. Yet it lived; it gained new accessions of strength from every new form of opposition; it evinced its genuineness more and more by showing that it was superior to the arts and malice of earth and of hell.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Acts 6:15. Saw his face, as it had been the face of an angel. — Sayings like this are frequent among the Jewish writers, who represent God as distinguishing eminent men by causing a glory to shine from their faces. Rabbi Gedalia said that, "when Moses and Aaron came before Pharaoh, they appeared like those angels which minister before the face of the Lord; for their stature appeared greater, and the splendour of their faces was like the sun, and their eyes like the wheels of the sun; their beard like clusters of grapes, and their words like thunder and lightning; and that, through fear of them, those who were present fell to the earth."
The like is said of Moses, in Debarim Rabba, fol. 75. that "when Sammael (Satan) came to Moses, the splendour of his face was like the sun, and himself resembled an angel of God." The reader may find several similar sayings in Schoettgen.
It appears that the light and power of God which dwelt in his soul shone through his face, and God gave them this proof of the falsity of the testimony which was now before them; for, as the face of Stephen now shone as the face of Moses did when he came down from the mount, it was the fullest proof that he had not spoken blasphemous words either against Moses or God, else this splendour of heaven had not rested upon him.
The history of the apostolic Church is a series of wonders. Every thing that could prevent such a Church from being established, or could overthrow it when established, is brought to bear against it. The instruments employed in its erection and defence had neither might nor power, but what came immediately from God. They work, and God works with them; the Church is founded and built up; and its adversaries, with every advantage in their favour, cannot overthrow it. Is it possible to look at this, without seeing the mighty hand of God in the whole? He permits devils and wicked men to work-to avail themselves of all their advantages, yet counterworks all their plots and designs, turns their weapons against themselves, and promotes his cause by the very means that were used to destroy it. How true is the saying, There is neither might nor counsel against the Lord!
