But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?
Parallel translations
- WEB But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
- KJV But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
- NKJV But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
- NASB But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?
- NLT “But the man in the wrong pushed Moses aside. ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?’ he asked.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The wrongdoer rebuffed Moses, denying his authority to rule or judge. This rejection of Moses' leadership mirrors Israel's repeated rejection of God's appointed messengers.
Overview
Stephen quotes the man's defiant question challenging Moses' right to lead and judge (Exodus 2:14). This rejection is central to Stephen's argument: just as Israel rejected Moses, so they rejected Jesus. God, however, would later confirm Moses' authority, as He vindicated Christ by raising Him from the dead.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Luke 12:14But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?”
- Prov 9:7–8He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself.
- Acts 7:35This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be their ruler and redeemer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
- Gen 19:19Your servant has indeed found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness by sparing my life. But I cannot run to the mountains; the disaster will overtake me, and I will die.
- Matt 21:23When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”
- Acts 5:33When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.
- Acts 4:11–12This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
- John 18:36–37Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”
- Acts 3:13–15The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him.
- 1 Sam 25:14–15Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s young men informed Nabal’s wife Abigail, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he scolded them.
- Acts 7:54On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
- John 19:12–15From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.”
- Acts 4:7They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
- Acts 7:39But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 7:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.