Acts 7:53

Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept [it].

Who {G3748} have received {G2983} the law {G3551} by {G1519} the disposition {G1296} of angels {G32}, and {G2532} have {G5442} not {G3756} kept {G5442} it.

you! — who receive the Torah as having been delivered by angels — but do not keep it!”

you who received the law ordained by angels, yet have not kept it.”

ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.

Commentary

Acts 7:53 KJV is a pivotal verse in Stephen's powerful and ultimately fatal defense before the Sanhedrin. It serves as a climactic accusation against the Jewish leaders who were prosecuting him, highlighting their historical and contemporary resistance to God's will.

Context

This verse comes at the very end of Stephen's lengthy and impassioned speech, which recounts the history of Israel from Abraham to Solomon, emphasizing their repeated rebellion against God and His chosen leaders. Stephen, one of the first deacons chosen by the early church, was accused of blasphemy against Moses and God, and speaking against the temple and the Law (see Acts 6:11-14). In his defense, he turns the accusation back on his accusers, demonstrating that it was they, not he, who consistently resisted God's Spirit and disobeyed His commands. The verse immediately precedes Stephen's direct and fiery denunciation in Acts 7:51-52, where he calls them "stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears."

Key Themes

  • Divine Revelation and Human Disobedience: The verse starkly contrasts the divine origin of the Law ("received the law by the disposition of angels") with the human failure to obey it ("and have not kept it"). It underscores that receiving God's commands is not enough; obedience is paramount.
  • Accountability and Hypocrisy: Stephen confronts the Sanhedrin, who prided themselves on upholding the Law, with the reality of their own consistent disobedience. They were entrusted with God's perfect revelation, mediated in a majestic way, yet failed to live by its tenets, culminating in their rejection of Jesus Christ, the ultimate fulfillment of the Law.
  • Angelic Mediation of the Law: This phrase highlights a traditional Jewish belief, also affirmed elsewhere in the New Testament, that angels played a role in mediating the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. This emphasizes the Law's divine authority and the solemnity of its reception.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "by the disposition of angels" translates the Greek diatagas angelōn (διαταγὰς ἀγγέλων), which literally means "ordinances of angels" or "arrangements of angels." This refers to the belief that angels were present and instrumental in the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. This concept is also mentioned by Paul in Galatians 3:19, stating the Law was "ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator," and in Hebrews 2:2, which speaks of "the word spoken by angels." Stephen uses this to underscore the profound and sacred nature of the Law that his listeners had received, making their failure to keep it even more egregious.

Practical Application

Acts 7:53 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual hypocrisy and the danger of merely possessing divine truth without embodying it. It challenges believers to:

  • Go Beyond Mere Knowledge: It's not enough to know God's Word or even to be passionate about it; true faith demands active obedience. Our lives should reflect the truths we claim to believe.
  • Examine Our Hearts: Stephen's accusation points to a deeper issue than just outward actions—a hardened heart that resists the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). We must regularly examine our hearts for areas of rebellion or unwillingness to submit to God's will.
  • Understand the Law's Purpose: The Law, given through angels, reveals God's perfect standard and exposes humanity's inability to meet it on its own. It points us to our need for a Savior, Jesus Christ, who perfectly fulfilled the Law and offers grace for new life (John 1:17).

This verse reminds us that true faith is demonstrated not just by receiving God's commands, but by diligently striving to live by them through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Hebrews 2:2

    For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

  • Galatians 3:19

    ¶ Wherefore then [serveth] the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; [and it was] ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

  • Acts 7:38

    This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and [with] our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

  • Deuteronomy 33:2

    And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand [went] a fiery law for them.

  • John 7:19

    Did not Moses give you the law, and [yet] none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

  • Galatians 6:13

    For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

  • Ezekiel 20:18

    But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:
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