Acts 7:19
New International Version
He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our ancestors by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die.

New Living Translation
This king exploited our people and oppressed them, forcing parents to abandon their newborn babies so they would die.

English Standard Version
He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive.

Berean Standard Bible
He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

Berean Literal Bible
Having dealt treacherously with our race, he mistreated our fathers, making them abandon their infants so that they would not live.

King James Bible
The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

New King James Version
This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live.

New American Standard Bible
It was he who shrewdly took advantage of our nation and mistreated our fathers in order that they would abandon their infants in the Nile, so that they would not survive.

NASB 1995
“It was he who took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would expose their infants and they would not survive.

NASB 1977
“It was he who took shrewd advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers so that they would expose their infants and they would not survive.

Legacy Standard Bible
It was he who deceitfully took advantage of our family and mistreated our fathers to set their infants outside so that they would not survive.

Amplified Bible
He shrewdly exploited our race and mistreated our fathers, forcing them to expose their [male] babies so that they would die.

Christian Standard Bible
He dealt deceitfully with our race and oppressed our ancestors by making them abandon their infants outside so that they wouldn’t survive.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He dealt deceitfully with our race and oppressed our ancestors by making them leave their infants outside, so they wouldn’t survive.

American Standard Version
The same dealt craftily with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, that they should cast out their babes to the end they might not live.

Contemporary English Version
He tricked our ancestors and was cruel to them. He even made them leave their babies outside, so they would die.

English Revised Version
The same dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated our fathers, that they should cast out their babes to the end they might not live.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This king was shrewd in the way he took advantage of our people. He mistreated our ancestors. He made them abandon their newborn babies outdoors, where they would die.

Good News Translation
He tricked our ancestors and was cruel to them, forcing them to put their babies out of their homes, so that they would die.

International Standard Version
By shrewdly scheming against our people, he oppressed our ancestors and forced them to abandon their infants to the elements, so that they wouldn't live.

Majority Standard Bible
He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

NET Bible
This was the one who exploited our people and was cruel to our ancestors, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

New Heart English Bible
The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they would not stay alive.

Webster's Bible Translation
The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and ill-treated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

Weymouth New Testament
He adopted a crafty policy towards our race, and oppressed our forefathers, making them cast out their infants so that they might not be permitted to live.

World English Bible
The same took advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to abandon their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
this one, having dealt subtly with our family, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babies, that they might not live;

Berean Literal Bible
Having dealt treacherously with our race, he mistreated our fathers, making them abandon their infants so that they would not live.

Young's Literal Translation
this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live;

Smith's Literal Translation
He having deceived our race by sophistry, inflicted evil upon our fathers, to make their babes cast out, that they should not breed.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
This same dealing craftily with our race, afflicted our fathers, that they should expose their children, to the end they might not be kept alive.

Catholic Public Domain Version
This one, encompassing our kindred, afflicted our fathers, so that they would expose their infants, lest they be kept alive.

New American Bible
He dealt shrewdly with our people and oppressed [our] ancestors by forcing them to expose their infants, that they might not survive.

New Revised Standard Version
He dealt craftily with our race and forced our ancestors to abandon their infants so that they would die.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He dealt deceitfully with our kindred, ill treated our forefathers, and commanded that they cast out their male children to the end that they might not live.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He was deceptive toward our race and did evil to our fathers and commanded to cast out their male infants that they would not live.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
He dealt insidiously with our race, and afflicted our fathers, so that they exposed their infants, in order that they might not live.

Godbey New Testament
He dealing fraudulently with our race, afflicted our fathers, that they should expose their infants, so that they should not live.

Haweis New Testament
This man, forming crafty designs against our nation, grievously treated our fathers, so as to cause them to expose their children, in order to exterminate the race.

Mace New Testament
this prince employ'd all his arts against our nation, and persecuted our fathers, by obliging them to expose their young children, in order to extirpate the race.

Weymouth New Testament
He adopted a crafty policy towards our race, and oppressed our forefathers, making them cast out their infants so that they might not be permitted to live.

Worrell New Testament
The same, dealing craftily with our race, ill-treated our fathers, in causing their children to be cast out, that they might not be preserved alive.

Worsley New Testament
and oppressed our fathers, causing their children to be exposed, that their race might be extinguished.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Stephen's Address to the Sanhedrin
18Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt. 19He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die. 20At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God. For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house.…

Cross References
Exodus 1:8-22
Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt. / “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us. / Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.” ...

Hebrews 11:23
By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were unafraid of the king’s edict.

Exodus 2:1-10
Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, / and she conceived and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him for three months. / But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in the basket and set it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. ...

Psalm 105:25
whose hearts He turned to hate His people, to conspire against His servants.

Genesis 15:13-14
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. / But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions.

Exodus 3:9-10
And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians are oppressing them. / Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

Exodus 12:40-41
Now the duration of the Israelites’ stay in Egypt was 430 years. / At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD’s divisions went out of the land of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 26:6
But the Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted us, putting us to hard labor.

Acts 13:17
The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land.

Exodus 6:5-6
Furthermore, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered My covenant. / Therefore tell the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.

Exodus 1:7
but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.

Exodus 1:12
But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.

Exodus 1:15-16
Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, / “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”

Exodus 1:20-21
So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous. / And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.

Exodus 2:23-25
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God. / So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. / God saw the Israelites and took notice.


Treasury of Scripture

The same dealt subtly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

Exodus 1:9-22
And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: …

Psalm 83:4,5
They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance…

Psalm 105:25
He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.

Jump to Previous
Adopted Advantage Alive Babes Babies Cast Casting Children Craftily Crafty Dealt Designs Die End Entreated Evil Fathers Forced Forcing Forefathers Ill-Treated Infants Kindred Live Making Mistreated Nation Newborn Oppressed Permitted Policy Race Shrewd Subtilly Throw Towards Treacherously Wouldn't Young
Jump to Next
Adopted Advantage Alive Babes Babies Cast Casting Children Craftily Crafty Dealt Designs Die End Entreated Evil Fathers Forced Forcing Forefathers Ill-Treated Infants Kindred Live Making Mistreated Nation Newborn Oppressed Permitted Policy Race Shrewd Subtilly Throw Towards Treacherously Wouldn't Young
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.














He exploited our people
This phrase refers to the actions of the Pharaoh in Egypt during the time of Moses. The Israelites, who had initially come to Egypt during the time of Joseph, had grown in number and strength. The new Pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, felt threatened by their presence and sought to control them through exploitation. This exploitation involved forced labor and harsh treatment, as described in Exodus 1:11-14. The Pharaoh's actions were driven by fear of the Israelites' potential to join Egypt's enemies in case of war, as mentioned in Exodus 1:9-10.

and oppressed our fathers
The oppression of the Israelites' ancestors is a reference to the severe conditions they faced under Egyptian rule. This oppression included not only hard labor but also a systematic attempt to break their spirit and reduce their numbers. The term "fathers" highlights the generational impact of this oppression, affecting the patriarchs of the Israelite community. This aligns with the prophecy given to Abraham in Genesis 15:13, where God foretold that his descendants would be strangers in a land not their own and would be enslaved and mistreated for 400 years.

forcing them to abandon their infants
The Pharaoh's decree to abandon infants was a direct attack on the future of the Israelite people. This edict, found in Exodus 1:22, commanded that every Hebrew male child be thrown into the Nile River. This act of infanticide was intended to curb the growth of the Israelite population and eliminate any future threat they might pose. The abandonment of infants is a poignant reminder of the extreme measures taken by the Egyptians to maintain control over the Israelites.

so they would die
The ultimate goal of Pharaoh's decree was the death of the Hebrew male infants. This act of cruelty is a stark example of the lengths to which the Egyptians went to suppress the Israelites. It also sets the stage for the miraculous preservation of Moses, who was saved from this fate and later became the deliverer of his people. This narrative foreshadows the deliverance theme found throughout the Bible, culminating in the ultimate deliverance through Jesus Christ. The survival of Moses, despite the decree, is a testament to God's providence and plan for His people.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Pharaoh
The ruler of Egypt who oppressed the Israelites, as described in the context of Stephen's speech in Acts 7. He is a central figure in the account of Israel's enslavement and the subsequent Exodus.

2. Israelites
The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were living in Egypt and subjected to harsh slavery under Pharaoh's rule.

3. Stephen
A deacon in the early church and the first Christian martyr. In Acts 7, he delivers a speech before the Sanhedrin, recounting the history of Israel and highlighting their repeated rejection of God's messengers.

4. Egypt
The land where the Israelites were enslaved. It serves as a backdrop for the oppression described in Acts 7:19.

5. Infants
The Hebrew babies whom Pharaoh ordered to be killed, as part of his oppressive measures against the Israelites.
Teaching Points
The Reality of Oppression
Acts 7:19 reminds us of the harsh realities faced by God's people throughout history. Believers today can take comfort in knowing that God sees and hears the cries of the oppressed.

Faith in Adversity
The faith of the Israelites, particularly the parents of Moses, serves as an example for us to trust in God's deliverance even when circumstances seem dire.

God's Sovereign Plan
Despite Pharaoh's evil intentions, God's plan for the deliverance of His people was not thwarted. This encourages us to trust in God's sovereignty over our lives.

The Cost of Disobedience
The Israelites' suffering in Egypt was a result of a Pharaoh who did not know God. This serves as a warning about the consequences of turning away from God's commands.

The Importance of Remembering History
Stephen's recounting of Israel's history serves as a reminder of the importance of remembering and learning from the past to avoid repeating the same mistakes.(19) So that they cast out their young children.--Literally, to make their children cast out so that they should not be brought forth alive. The latter verb is used in the LXX. narrative (Exodus 1:17).

Verse 19. - Race for kindred, A.V., as in ver. 13; that they should cast out for so that they east out, A.V.; babes for young children, A.V.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
He
οὗτος (houtos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

exploited
κατασοφισάμενος (katasophisamenos)
Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2686: To deal craftily with, outwit. Middle voice from kata and sophizo; to be crafty against, i.e. Circumvent.

our
ἡμῶν (hēmōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

people
γένος (genos)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1085: Offspring, family, race, nation, kind. From ginomai; 'kin'.

[and] oppressed
ἐκάκωσεν (ekakōsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2559: To treat badly, afflict, embitter, make angry. From kakos; to injure; figuratively, to exasperate.

our
ἡμῶν (hēmōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

fathers,
πατέρας (pateras)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

forcing [them]
ποιεῖν (poiein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

to abandon
ἔκθετα (ektheta)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1570: Cast out, exposed (to the elements), abandoned. From ek and a derivative of tithemi; put out, i.e. Exposed to perish.

their
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

infants
βρέφη (brephē)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1025: Infant, babe, child in arms. Of uncertain affinity; an infant literally or figuratively.

so
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

they would die.
ζωογονεῖσθαι (zōogoneisthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 2225: From the same as zoon and a derivative of ginomai; to engender alive, i.e. to rescue from death.


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NT Apostles: Acts 7:19 The same took advantage of our race (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 7:18
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