Acts 7:54
in Acts 7On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
KJV
When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
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This verse in Acts 7
Commentary
8 notes on this verseIf the Jews wanted to kill Stephen, then why did they not kill him immediately? Because they wanted to present a plausible pretext for their audacity, since the insult he had caused them was not a plausible pretext for killing him; moreover, what they considered …
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed with their teeth. "The unbelieving, unable to tolerate Stephen's preaching, were hastening unanimously to effect his death. Stephen, raising his eyes to heaven, saw the Son standing on the right hand of …
See, once more, the wrong-doers in trouble. Just as the Jews are perplexed, saying, "What are we to do with these men?" so these also are "cut to the heart." And yet it was he that had good right to be incensed, who, having done no wrong, was treated like a criminal, and was spitefully calumniated. But the calumniators had the worst of it in the end. So true is that saying, which I am ever repeating, "Ill to do, is ill to fare." And yet he (in his charges against them) resorted to no calumny, but proved what he said. So sure are we, when we are shamefully borne down in a matter wherein we have a clear conscience, to be none the worse for it.
If they had wished to kill him, why did they not immediately kill him then? For they wished to put a credible cause upon the boldness. For to them the outrage was not a reasonable cause for execution, but perhaps for driving him away or …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so? 2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:98%@v1-3
When they heard these things,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
They were cut to the heart - Διεπριοντο, They were sawn through. See the note on Act 5:33. They gnashed on him with their teeth - They were determined to hear him no longer; were filled with rage against him, and evidently thirsted for his blood.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
They were cut to the heart - They were exceedingly enraged and indignant. The whole course of the speech had been such as to excite their anger, and now they could restrain themselves no longer. They gnashed on him ... - Expressive of the bitterness and malignity of their feeling.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀκούοντες | akouontes | Hearing | G191 → | 425 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ταῦτα | tauta | these things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| διεπρίοντο | dieprionto | they felt cut up | G1282 → | |
| ταῖς | tais | in the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καρδίαις | kardiais | hearts | G2588 → | 156 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔβρυχον | ebruchon | were gnashing | G1031 → | |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὀδόντας | odontas | teeth | G3599 → | |
| ἐπ᾽ | ep᾽ | at | G1909 → | 883 times |
| αὐτόν.¶ | auton | him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
ἈκούοντεςHearing
akouontesG191 →425 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ταῦταthese things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
διεπρίοντοthey felt cut up
diepriontoG1282 →
ταῖςin the
taisG3588 →19766 times
καρδίαιςhearts
kardiaisG2588 →156 times
αὐτῶνof them
autonG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔβρυχονwere gnashing
ebruchonG1031 →
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
ὀδόνταςteeth
odontasG3599 →
ἐπ᾽at
ep᾽G1909 →883 times
αὐτόν.¶him.
autonG846 →5565 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
Matthew 25:30And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
it leads to
- Matthew 8:12
But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 3:15–16
I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other!
- Matthew 22:13
Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
- Matthew 13:50
and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Hebrews 6:7–8
For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God.
- Matthew 8:12
Through
Job 16:9His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.
it leads to
- Lamentations 2:16
All your enemies open their mouths against you. They hiss and gnash their teeth, saying, “We have swallowed her up. This is the day for which we have waited. We have lived to see…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 35:16
Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.
- Job 13:24
Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?
- Lamentations 2:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies38
On this chapter
- Abraham
- Brit milah: circumcision on the eighth day
- Chaldea
- Circumcision of the Heart
- Egypt's Famine Years and the Land of Pharaoh
- Father, Forgive Them
Show the next 6 titles
Show the next 6 titles
- Types of Christ: Joseph and Joshua
- Joseph and the Tale of Two Brothers
- Joshua son of Nun
- Amos and the Courts at the Gate
- Love Your Enemies
- Mesopotamia
Show the next 6 titles
About Acts

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cassiodorus, Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 18; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.
