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But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Acts 7:55 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
  • KJV But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
  • NKJV But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
  • NASB But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;
  • NLT But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

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

Full of the Holy Spirit, Stephen gazed into heaven and saw God's glory and Jesus standing at God's right hand. God granted him a vision of the exalted Christ to strengthen him.

Overview

Stephen, empowered by the Spirit, was given a vision of God's glory and Jesus at His right hand (Psalm 110:1). That Jesus is seen 'standing' has been understood by many as Christ rising to receive or welcome His faithful witness, or to bear testimony for him. The vision confirms that the rejected Jesus is truly exalted and reigning, vindicating Stephen's message.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 25

  • Mark 16:19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
  • Heb 1:3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
  • 2 Cor 4:6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
  • Acts 6:5This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, as well as Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
  • Heb 8:1The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
  • Acts 6:8Now Stephen, who was full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
  • Rev 4:1–3After this I looked and saw a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had previously heard speak to me like a trumpet was saying, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things.”
  • Acts 6:10but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
  • Ps 109:31For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from the condemners of his soul.
  • John 12:41Isaiah said these things because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about Him.
  • Acts 2:4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
  • Mic 3:8As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the LORD, with justice and courage, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.
  • John 14:3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.
  • Acts 6:3Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint this responsibility to them
  • Ezek 10:4Then the glory of the LORD rose from above the cherubim and stood over the threshold of the temple. The temple was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD.
  • Acts 13:9–10Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas
  • Isa 6:1–3In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple.
  • Ezek 11:23And the glory of the LORD rose up from within the city and stood over the mountain east of the city.
  • Ezek 10:18Then the glory of the LORD moved away from the threshold of the temple and stood above the cherubim.
  • 2 Cor 12:2–4I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows.
  • 2 Pet 1:17For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
  • Acts 4:8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people!
  • Ezek 1:26–28Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man.
  • Rev 21:11shining with the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious jewel, like a jasper, as clear as crystal.
  • Acts 1:10–11They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 7:55YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 7:55 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.