Bible Strands
Acts 1:11
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Two men in white address the group on the Mount of Olives, the moment after Jesus has been taken up and they are still staring upward.
The words — ἑστήκατε (hestēkate), "have you stood," is perfect tense: they have been frozen in place, and the question is a rebuke of that paralysis.
The thread — The same visible, cloud-borne return appears in Mark 13:26, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, and Revelation 1:7.
Why it lands — The verse is a correction of posture: stop gazing at the sky and return to the task you were given.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Cross-references
- Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise.
- Mark 13:26 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
- John 14:3 And 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.
- Matthew 24:30 At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
- Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
- Matthew 25:31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.
- Daniel 7:13 In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:10 and to await His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.
- Luke 21:27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.