The Meaning of Acts 7:20 Explained

Acts 7:20

KJV: In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:

YLT: in which time Moses was born, and he was fair to God, and he was brought up three months in the house of his father;

Darby: In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly lovely, who was nourished three months in the house of his father.

ASV: At which season Moses was born, and was exceeding fair; and he was nourished three months in his father's house.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In  which  time  Moses  was born,  and  was  exceeding  fair,  and  nourished up  in  his  father's  house  three  months: 

What does Acts 7:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 7:14-29 - Stephen's Defense: The Deliverer From Bondage
Moses, we are here told, was "mighty in words;" that is, in eloquence as well as in deeds. This confirms the statement of the Jewish historian, Josephus, that in the earlier part of his career, now lost in the oblivion of history, Moses led a very successful Egyptian expedition against Ethiopia. He complains to the Lord, in Exodus 4:10, of being slow of speech, but that probably refers to the habit of long disuse amid the silence and loneliness of the desert.
It is clear that, stung by the sense of wrong, Moses at first interfered with his own right arm to deliver his people. He smote the Egyptian, and essayed to judge between his brethren. God had to bring him into the dust by repeated failure and rejection that he might become an emptied and a broken vessel. God will not give glory to man. The treasure must be held in an earthen vessel, 2 Corinthians 4:7. It is when we come to the end of ourselves that we arrive at the beginning of God. The world has ever to learn what God can do by those who are wholly emptied of self-confidence but yielded to His hand. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 7

1  Stephen, permitted to answer to the accusation of blasphemy,
2  shows that Abraham worshipped God rightly, and how God chose the fathers,
20  before Moses was born, and before the tabernacle and temple were built;
37  that Moses himself witnessed of Christ;
44  and that all outward ceremonies were ordained to last but for a time;
51  reprehending their rebellion, and murdering of Christ, whom the prophets foretold
54  Whereupon they stone Stephen to death,
59  who commends his soul to Jesus, and humbly prays for them

Greek Commentary for Acts 7:20

Exceeding fair [αστειος τωι τεωι]
Ethical dative, fair to God (as God looked at him). Αστειος — Asteios is from αστυ — astu city, and so means “of the city,” with city manners and polish. Old word, only twice in the N.T. (here and Hebrews 11:23) and both times about Moses and taken from Exodus 2:2. [source]
He was nourished [ανετραπη]
Second aorist passive indicative of ανατρεπω — anatrephō He was brought up at home for three months in defiance of the new Pharaoh. [source]
Time [καιρῷ]
Better, season or juncture. “Sad, seasonable” (Bengel). See on Acts 1:7. [source]
Exceeding fair [ἀστεῖος τῷ θεῷ]
Lit., fair unto God: a Hebrew superlative. Compare Jonah 3:3: great unto God; A. V.,exceeding great. Genesis 10:9, of Nimrod: a mighty hunter before the Lord. 2 Corinthians 10:4: mighty unto God; i.e., in God's sight. Ἀστεῖος , fair (only here and Hebrews 11:23), is from ἄστυ , a town, and means originally town-bred; hence refined, elegant, comely. The word is used in the Septuagint of Moses (Exodus 2:2), and rendered goodly. The Jewish traditions extol Moses' beauty. Josephus says that those who met him, as he was carried along the streets, forgot their business and stood still to gaze at him. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 7:20

Acts 16:13 By a river side [παρα ποταμον]
The little river Gangites (or Gargites) was one mile west of the town. Philippi as a military outpost had few Jews. There was evidently no synagogue inside the city, but “without the gates” Infinitive with accusative of general reference in indirect discourse. Προσευχη — Proseuchē is common in the lxx and the N.T. for the act of prayer as in Acts 2:42 then for a place of prayer either a synagogue (III Macc. Acts 7:20) or more often an open air enclosure near the sea or a river where there was water for ceremonial ablutions. The word occurs also in heathen writers for a place of prayer (Schurer, Jewish People, Div. II, Vol. II, p. 69, Engl. Tr.). Deissmann (Bible Studies, p. 222) quotes an Egyptian inscription of the third century b.c. with this sense of the word and one from Panticapaeum on the Black Sea of the first century a.d. (Light from the Ancient East, p. 102). Juvenal (III. 296) has a sneering reference to the Jewish προσευχα — proseucha Josephus (Ant. XIV. 10, 23) quotes a decree of Halicarnassus which allowed the Jews “to make their prayers The rule of the rabbis required ten men to constitute a synagogue, but here were gathered only a group of women at the hour of prayer. In pioneer days in this country it was a common thing to preach under bush arbours in the open air. John Wesley and George Whitfield were great open air preachers. Paul did not have an inspiring beginning for his work in Europe, but he took hold where he could. The conjecture was correct. It was a place of prayer, but only a bunch of women had come together Macedonian inscriptions show greater freedom for women in Macedonia than elsewhere at this time and confirm Luke‘s story of the activities of women in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea. [source]
Acts 22:3 Born [γεγεννημενος]
Perfect passive participle of γενναω — gennaō See above in Acts 21:39 for the claim of Tarsus as his birth-place. He was a Hellenistic Jew, not an Aramaean Jew (cf. Acts 6:1). Brought up (ανατετραμμενος — anatethrammenos). Perfect passive participle again of ανατρεπω — anatrephō to nurse up, to nourish up, common old verb, but in the N.T. only here, Acts 7:20., and MSS. in Luke 4:16. The implication is that Paul was sent to Jerusalem while still young, “from my youth” (Acts 26:4), how young we do not know, possibly thirteen or fourteen years old. He apparently had not seen Jesus in the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:16). At the feet of Gamaliel The rabbis usually sat on a raised seat with the pupils in a circle around either on lower seats or on the ground. Paul was thus nourished in Pharisaic Judaism as interpreted by Gamaliel, one of the lights of Judaism. For remarks on Gamaliel see chapter Acts 5:34. He was one of the seven Rabbis to whom the Jews gave the highest title αββαν — Rabban (our Rabbi). αββι — Rabbi (my teacher) was next, the lowest being αβ — Rab (teacher). “As Aquinas among the schoolmen was called Doctor Angelicus, and Bonaventura Doctor Seraphicus, so Gamaliel was called the Beauty of the Law ” (Conybeare and Howson). Instructed (πεπαιδευμενος — pepaideumenos). Perfect passive participle again (each participle beginning a clause), this time of παιδευω — paideuō old verb to train a child (παις — pais) as in Acts 7:22 which see. In this sense also in 1 Timothy 1:20; Titus 2:12. Then to chastise as in Luke 23:16, Luke 23:22 (which see); 2 Timothy 2:25; Hebrews 12:6. According to the strict manner Old word, only here in N.T. Mathematical accuracy, minute exactness as seen in the adjective in Acts 26:5. See also Romans 10:2; Galatians 1:4; Philemon 3:4-7. Of our fathers (πατρωιου — patrōiou). Old adjective from πατερ — pater only here and Acts 24:14 in N.T. Means descending from father to son, especially property and other inherited privileges. Πατρικος — Patrikos (patrician) refers more to personal attributes and affiliations. Being zealous for God Not adjective, but substantive zealot (same word used by James of the thousands of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, Acts 21:20 which see) with objective genitive του τεου — tou theou (for God). See also Acts 21:14; Acts 28:17; 2 Timothy 1:3 where he makes a similar claim. So did Peter (Acts 3:13; Acts 5:30) and Stephen (Acts 7:32). Paul definitely claims, whatever freedom he demanded for Gentile Christians, to be personally “a zealot for God” “even as ye all are this day” In his conciliation he went to the limit and puts himself by the side of the mob in their zeal for the law, mistaken as they were about him. He was generous surely to interpret their fanatical frenzy as zeal for God. But Paul is sincere as he proceeds to show by appeal to his own conduct. [source]
Acts 22:3 Brought up [ανατετραμμενος]
Perfect passive participle again of ανατρεπω — anatrephō to nurse up, to nourish up, common old verb, but in the N.T. only here, Acts 7:20., and MSS. in Luke 4:16. The implication is that Paul was sent to Jerusalem while still young, “from my youth” (Acts 26:4), how young we do not know, possibly thirteen or fourteen years old. He apparently had not seen Jesus in the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:16). [source]
2 Corinthians 10:4 Through God [τῷ Θεῷ]
Lit., mighty unto God, in God's sight. See on exceeding fair, Acts 7:20. Rev., before God. [source]
2 Corinthians 10:4 Of the flesh [σαρκικα]
See note on 1 Corinthians 3:3; note on 2 Corinthians 1:12. They had accused him of artifices and craft. Mighty before God (δυνατα τωι τεωι — dunata tōi theōi). This dative of personal interest (ethical dative) can be like αστειος τωι τεωι — asteios tōi theōi (Acts 7:20), in God‘s eyes, as it looks to God. To the casting down of strongholds Καταιρεσις — Kathairesis is old word from καταιρεω — kathaireō to take down, to tear down walls and buildings. Carries on the military metaphor. Οχυρωμα — Ochurōma is old word, common in the Apocrypha, from οχυροω — ochuroō to fortify, and that from οχυρος — ochuros (from εχω — echō to hold fast). Nowhere else in N.T. In Cilicia the Romans had to tear down many rocky forts in their attacks on the pirates. [source]
2 Corinthians 10:4 Mighty before God [δυνατα τωι τεωι]
This dative of personal interest (ethical dative) can be like αστειος τωι τεωι — asteios tōi theōi (Acts 7:20), in God‘s eyes, as it looks to God. [source]
Hebrews 11:23 Proper [ἀστεῖον]
Only here and Acts 7:20, on which see note. Rend. “comely.” [source]
Hebrews 11:23 Was hid [εκρυβη]
Second aorist passive indicative of κρυπτω — kruptō to hide, as in Matthew 5:14. Three months Old adjective used as neuter substantive in accusative case for extent of time, here only in N.T. A goodly child Literally, “the child was goodly” (predicate adjective). Old adjective from αστυ — astu (city), “of the city” (“citified”), of polished manners, genteel. In N.T. only here and Acts 7:20, about Moses both times. Quoted from Exodus 2:2. The king‘s commandment Late compound for injunction from διατασσω — diatassō only here in the N.T. [source]
James 2:5 The poor of this world [τοὺς πτωχοὺς τοῦ κόσμου]
But the correct reading is τῷ κόσμῳ , to the world; and the expression is to be explained in the same way as ἀστεῖος τῷ Θεῷ , fair unto God, Acts 7:20, and δυνατὰ τῷ Θεῷ , mighty through (Rev., before )God, 2 Corinthians 10:4. So Rev., poor as to the world, in the world's esteem. Poor, see on Matthew 5:3. [source]
James 2:5 As to the world [τωι κοσμωι]
The ethical dative of interest, as the world looks at it as in Acts 7:20; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 10:4; James 4:4. By the use of the article (the poor) James does not affirm that God chose all the poor, but only that he did choose poor people (Matthew 10:23-26; 1 Corinthians 1:26-28).Rich in faith (πλουσιους εν πιστει — plousious en pistei). Rich because of their faith. As he has shown in James 1:9.Which he promised Genitive of the accusative relative ην — hēn attracted to the case of the antecedent βασιλειας — basileias (the Messianic kingdom), the same verb and idea already in James 1:12 Cf. the beatitude of Jesus in Matthew 5:3 for the poor in spirit. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 7:20 mean?

In that time was born Moses and he was beautiful - to God who was brought up months three the house of the father
Ἐν καιρῷ ἐγεννήθη Μωϋσῆς καὶ ἦν ἀστεῖος τῷ Θεῷ ὃς ἀνετράφη μῆνας τρεῖς τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρός

  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
καιρῷ  time 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: καιρός  
Sense: due measure.
ἐγεννήθη  was  born 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γεννάω  
Sense: of men who fathered children.
Μωϋσῆς  Moses 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Μωσεύς 
Sense: the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion.
ἦν  he  was 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἀστεῖος  beautiful 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀστεῖος  
Sense: of the city.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεῷ  to  God 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ἀνετράφη  was  brought  up 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀνατρέφω  
Sense: to nurse up, nourish up.
μῆνας  months 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: μήν2  
Sense: a month.
τρεῖς  three 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: τρεῖς 
Sense: three.
οἴκῳ  house 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: οἶκος  
Sense: a house.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πατρός  father 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: προπάτωρ 
Sense: generator or male ancestor.

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