Acts 7:48
New International Version
“However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:

New Living Translation
However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,

English Standard Version
Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

Berean Standard Bible
However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:

Berean Literal Bible
Yet the Most High does not dwell in hand-made houses. As the prophet says:

King James Bible
Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

New King James Version
“However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:

New American Standard Bible
However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

NASB 1995
“However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

NASB 1977
“However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

Legacy Standard Bible
However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands, as the prophet says:

Amplified Bible
However, the Most High [the One infinitely exalted above humanity] does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet [Isaiah] says,

Christian Standard Bible
but the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, as the prophet says:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
However, the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, as the prophet says:

American Standard Version
Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands; as saith the prophet,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And The Exalted One does not dwell in the product of hands as The Prophet says:

Contemporary English Version
But the Most High God doesn't live in houses made by humans. It is just as the prophet said, when he spoke for the Lord,

Douay-Rheims Bible
Yet the most High dwelleth not in houses made by hands, as the prophet saith:

English Revised Version
Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands; as saith the prophet,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"However, the Most High doesn't live in a house built by humans, as the prophet says:

Good News Translation
"But the Most High God does not live in houses built by human hands; as the prophet says,

International Standard Version
However, the Most High does not live in buildings made by human hands. As the prophet says,

Literal Standard Version
But the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, according as the prophet says:

Majority Standard Bible
However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says:

New American Bible
Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:

NET Bible
Yet the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands, as the prophet says,

New Revised Standard Version
Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with human hands; as the prophet says,

New Heart English Bible
However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says,

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet, the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as saith the prophet,

Weymouth New Testament
Yet the Most High does not dwell in buildings erected by men's hands. But, as the Prophet declares,

World English Bible
However, the Most High doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says,

Young's Literal Translation
'But the Most High in sanctuaries made with hands doth not dwell, according as the prophet saith:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Stephen's Address to the Sanhedrin
47But it was Solomon who built the house for Him. 48However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: 49‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be?…

Cross References
Isaiah 66:1
This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?

Luke 1:32
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,

Acts 17:24
The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands.

2 Corinthians 5:1
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.


Treasury of Scripture

However, the most High dwells not in temples made with hands; as said the prophet,

the most High.

Deuteronomy 32:8
When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

Psalm 7:17
I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

Psalm 46:4
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

dwelleth.

Acts 17:24,25
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; …

1 Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

2 Chronicles 2:5,6
And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods…

as.

Isaiah 66:1,2
Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? …

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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.














(48) Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples.--The sequel shows the impression which these words made on the hearers. Stephen had risen to the truth which, though it had been proclaimed before, had been practically dormant. It broke down the thought of any exclusive holiness in the Temple, and therefore placed its downfall among the chances and changes which might be involved in God's chastisement of the people, and His education of mankind. The inference which we have seen reason to draw as to the probability of some connection, direct or indirect, between Stephen and the Samaritans (see Notes on Acts 7:16 and Acts 6:5), suggests the thought that we may trace here something like an echo of the teaching of our Lord in His dialogue with the woman of Samaria (John 4:21-23). It is a fact of singular interest to note how one who now listened to the words as applied to the Temple of the God of Israel, afterwards embraced them in all their fulness, and used them as his text in asserting the truth they embodied as against the Temples of Zeus and Athene (Acts 17:24).

As saith the prophet.--The truth which Stephen asserted had been uttered in the very dedication prayer of the Temple (1Kings 8:27). The builder of the Temple had himself felt that it was the witness not of a localised but a universal Presence. But he turns to what might seem to his hearers a yet higher authority--to the great prophet (Isaiah 66:1-2), who was preeminently the preacher of glad tidings, and who had closed his mission with the utterance of the truth that, whatever glory and greatness might attach to the Temple in Jerusalem, the prayer of him that was "poor and of a contrite spirit" was equally acceptable wherever it might be offered. The words were full of deep meaning in themselves. They were yet more significant as showing that the thoughts of Stephen had been turned to that great close of a great work, and that he must thus have been led to that wider vision of the future when all nations and tongues should be gathered to see the glory of the Eternal; and the work of Israel, especially of those who, like himself, belonged to the Dispersion, should be to declare His glory to the Gentiles, and when they, too, should be accepted as priests and Levites in the true Temple (Isaiah 66:21). Here also we may think of him as anticipating the widest and highest teaching of St. Paul. . . .

Verse 48. - Houses (in italics) for temples, A.V. and T.R. The word ναοῖς (here, but not in Acts 17:24) is omitted in the R.T. In Isaiah 16:12. LXX. (quoted by Meyer), χειροποίητα (plural) is used without a substantive for the "sanctuary" (מִקְדּושׁ) of Moab. For the sentiment that the infinite God, Creator of heaven and earth, cannot be contained in a house built by the hands of men, see also 2 Chronicles 6:18, as well as the passages above quoted. Stephen justifies himself from the charge of having spoken blasphemous words against the temple by citing Isaiah 66:1.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
However,
Ἀλλ’ (All’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Most High
Ὕψιστος (Hypsistos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - Superlative
Strong's 5310: Highest, most high, the heights. Superlative from the base of hupsos; highest, i.e. the Supreme, or the heavens.

{does} not
οὐχ (ouch)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

live
κατοικεῖ (katoikei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2730: To dwell in, settle in, be established in (permanently), inhabit. From kata and oikeo; to house permanently, i.e. Reside.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

[houses] made by human hands.
χειροποιήτοις (cheiropoiētois)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5499: Done or made with hands, artificial. From cheir and a derivative of poieo; manufactured, i.e. Of human construction.

As
καθὼς (kathōs)
Adverb
Strong's 2531: According to the manner in which, in the degree that, just as, as. From kata and hos; just as, that.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

prophet
προφήτης (prophētēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4396: From a compound of pro and phemi; a foreteller; by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet.

says:
λέγει (legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.


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Acts 7:47
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