Bible Strands
Acts 6:15
All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The members of the Sanhedrin fix their gaze on Stephen during his trial after hearing his claim that Jesus will destroy the temple and alter Mosaic customs. They observe his countenance as they process his words.
The words — The Greek ἀτενίσαντες (atenisantes) literally means "having looked intently," describing the fixed gaze of those seated (καθεζόμενοι, kathezomenoi) in the council.
The thread — The motif of a radiant or transformed face appears in Exodus 34:29 when Moses descends Sinai, Ecclesiastes 8:1 regarding wisdom brightening a face, and Matthew 13:43 where the righteous shine like the sun.
Why it lands — The text records that hostile observers physically perceive a visible change in Stephen's appearance, indicating a tangible distinction between him and his accusers. It requires the reader to acknowledge that conviction and divine presence produce observable effects in a person's demeanor under examination.
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
And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
Cross-references
- Matthew 13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
- Ecclesiastes 8:1 Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.
- Exodus 34:29 And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was unaware that his face had become radiant from speaking with the LORD.
- Matthew 17:2 There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
- 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
- 2 Corinthians 3:7 Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory,
- Matthew 5:22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.