When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
- KJV When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
- BSB On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
- NASB Now when they heard this, they were infuriated, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.
- NLT The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.
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
Hearing this, the council was furious and gnashed their teeth at Stephen. Their rage exposes hardened hearts unwilling to repent.
Overview
Stephen's words cut them to the heart, but instead of repenting they responded with fury (compare Acts 2:37, where conviction led to repentance). Their gnashing teeth reveals settled enmity against the truth. This contrast shows that the same word can soften or harden, depending on the hearer's heart.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Acts 5:33But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were determined to kill them.
- Ps 35:16Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me.
- Matt 25:30Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
- Luke 13:28There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets, in God’s Kingdom, and yourselves being thrown outside.
- Matt 13:50and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”
- Job 16:9He has torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me.
- Matt 22:13Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.’
- Lam 2:16All your enemies have opened their mouth wide against you. They hiss and gnash the teeth. They say, “We have swallowed her up. Certainly this is the day that we looked for. We have found it. We have seen it.”
- Matt 24:51and will cut him in pieces, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.
- Matt 13:42and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
- Ps 112:10The wicked will see it, and be grieved. He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away. The desire of the wicked will perish.
- Acts 22:22–23They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!”
- Matt 8:12but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
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 7:54 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.