Acts 6:15
in Acts 6All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
KJV
And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
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This verse in Acts 6
Commentary
12 notes on this verseBut he was Moses still, even when he was not visible. So also Stephen had already put on the appearance of an angel, although they were none other than his human knees which bent beneath the stoning.
This site's exposition
the face of an angel
All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. The scene recalls Moses coming down from Sinai with a shining face in Exodus 34:29 to 35, just before Stephen's speech tells the life of Moses at length. He was charged with speaking against Moses, and his face answers the charge before he opens his mouth.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
But to show that it was not in the nature of such a man to speak such things, and harshly, "Then all," it says, "which were in the council, looking steadfastly upon him, saw his face, as it had been the face of an angel": so mild was he even in countenance. For, in cases where persons were not falsely accused, Scripture mentions nothing of this kind: but as in this case it was all false accusation, with reason does God rectify it by the very look of the man. For the Apostles indeed were not falsely accused, but were forbidden: but this man is falsely accused: and therefore before all else his countenance pleads for him. This abashed even the priest.
"They saw his face as it had been the face of an angel." "Full of faith and of power": which is also the character given of Barnabas "he was a good man, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost." Whence we learn that the sincere and innocent are, above all others, the men to be saved, and that these same are also more gracious.
"And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel." So possible is it even for one in a lower degree to shine. For what, I ask, had this man less than the Apostles? He lacked not miracles, and great was the boldness he exhibited. "They saw His face," it is said, "as it had been the face of an angel." For this was his grace, this was the glory of Moses. God made him thus gracious of visage, now that he was about to say somewhat, thus at once by his very look to awe them. For there are, yes, there are faces full-fraught with spiritual grace, lovely to them that love, awful to haters and enemies. It mentions also the reason, why they suffered his oration.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"All who sat in the council, looking at him, saw his face as the face of an Angel." God made Stephen pleasant; since he still had something to say, in order to immediately strike them with his appearance, God illumined his face, because even toward …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And all that sat in the council,.... The whole sanhedrim, looking steadfastly on him; to observe whether his countenance altered, his tongue stammered, or he trembled in any part of his body, neither of which appeared; but on the contrary, they saw his face, as if it had been the face of an angel.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
As the face of an angel - Covered with supernatural lustre. They reckoned his preaching of Jesus to be the Christ was destroying Moses and the law; and God bears witness to him, with the same glory as he did to Moses, when he gave the law by him.
The Appointment of Deacons. 1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:97%@v1-3
He looked as if he had never been better pleased in his life than he was now when he was called out to bear his testimony to the gospel of Christ, thus publicly, and stood fair for the crown of martyrdom.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Looking stedfastly on him - Fixing the eyes intently on him. They were probably attracted by the unusual appearance of the man, his meekness, his calm and collected fearlessness, and the proofs of conscious innocence and sincerity. The face of an angel - This expression is one evidently denoting that he manifested evidence of sincerity, gravity, fearlessness, confidence in God. It is used in the Old Testament to denote special wisdom, 2Sa 14:17; 2Sa 19:27. In Gen 33:10, it is used to denote special majesty and glory, as if it were the face of God.
Saw his face, as it had been the face of an angel - Sayings like this are frequent among the Jewish writers, who represent God as distinguishing eminent men by causing a glory to shine from their faces. Rabbi Gedalia said that, “when Moses and Aaron came before Pharaoh, they appeared like those angels which minister before the face of the Lord; for their stature appeared greater, and the splendor of their faces was like the sun, and their eyes like the wheels of the sun; their beard like clusters of grapes, and their words like thunder and lightning; and that, through fear of them, those who were present fell to the earth.” The like is said of Moses, in Debarim Rabba, fol. 75. that “when Sammael (Satan) came to Moses, the splendor of his face was like the sun, and himself resembled an angel of God.” The reader may find several similar sayings in Schoettgen. It appears that the light and power of God which dwelt in his soul shone through his face, and God gave them this proof of the falsity of the testimony which was now before them; for, as the face of Stephen now shone as the face of Moses did when he came down from the mount, it was the fullest proof that he had not spoken blasphemous words either against Moses or God, else this splendor of heaven had not rested upon him. The history of the apostolic Church is a series of wonders. Every thing that could prevent such a Church from being established, or could overthrow it when established, is brought to bear against it. The instruments employed in its erection and defense had neither might nor power, but what came immediately from God. They work, and God works with them; the Church is founded and built up; and its adversaries, with every advantage in their favor, cannot overthrow it. Is it possible to look at this, without seeing the mighty hand of God in the whole? […]
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀτενίσαντες | atenisantes | having looked intently | G816 → | 14 times |
| εἰς | eis | on | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πάντες | pantes | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| οἱ | hoi | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καθεζόμενοι | kathezomenoi | sitting | G2516 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συνεδρίῳ, | sunedrio | Council | G4892 → | 22 times |
| εἶδον | eidon | saw | G1492 → | 374 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρόσωπον | prosopon | face | G4383 → | 75 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὡσεὶ | hosei | as | G5616 → | 21 times |
| πρόσωπον | prosopon | [the] face | G4383 → | 75 times |
| ἀγγέλου.¶ | angelou | of an angel. | G32 → | 175 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀτενίσαντεςhaving looked intently
atenisantesG816 →14 times
εἰςon
eisG1519 →1755 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
πάντεςall
pantesG3956 →1235 times
οἱthose
hoiG3588 →19766 times
καθεζόμενοιsitting
kathezomenoiG2516 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
συνεδρίῳ,Council
sunedrioG4892 →22 times
εἶδονsaw
eidonG1492 →374 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
πρόσωπονface
prosoponG4383 →75 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
ὡσεὶas
hoseiG5616 →21 times
πρόσωπον[the] face
prosoponG4383 →75 times
ἀγγέλου.¶of an angel.
angelouG32 →175 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 3:18And 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.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 4:6
For 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…
- Ephesians 4:22–24
to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
- Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of…
- 2 Corinthians 4:4
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12
Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
- 2 Corinthians 4:6
Through
Matthew 13:43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
it leads to
- Daniel 12:3
Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.
- Daniel 12:3
Through
Matthew 17:2There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
it leads to
- Psalms 104:2
He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent,
- Matthew 28:3
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
- Psalms 104:2
Where this verse is studied
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About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, On the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 15; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.