Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
Parallel translations
- WEB However, the Most High doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says,
- BSB However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
- NKJV “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:
- NASB However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:
- NLT However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,
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 Most High does not dwell in temples made by human hands, as the prophet declared. God's presence cannot be contained or localized in a building.
Overview
Stephen makes his pivotal point: God is not confined to man-made temples (1 Kings 8:27; Isaiah 66:1-2). This answers the charge that he spoke against the temple by affirming a truth Scripture itself teaches. It also points forward to the new covenant reality that God dwells with His people by His Spirit, not in a building of stone.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Acts 17:24–25God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
- Isa 66:1–2Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
- 1 Kgs 8:27But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
- 2 Chr 2:5–6And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.
- 2 Chr 6:18But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!
- Ps 91:9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
- Ps 91:1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
- Ps 92:8But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.
- Dan 4:17This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
- Dan 4:24–25This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
- Ps 7:17I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
- Dan 4:34And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
- Deut 32:8When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
- Ps 46:4There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
- Hos 7:16They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
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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.
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Original language
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