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,

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,

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,

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

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

Smith's Literal Translation
But the Highest dwells not in temples made by hands; as says the prophet,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Yet the most High dwelleth not in houses made by hands, as the prophet saith:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Yet the Most High does not live in houses built by hands, just as he said through the prophet:

New American Bible
Yet the Most High does not dwell 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,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Yet the Most High did not dwell in temples made with hands for, as the prophet had said,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And The Exalted One does not dwell in the product of hands as The Prophet says:
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Yet the Most High dwells not in temples made with hands, as says the prophet:

Godbey New Testament
But the Most High dwelleth not in houses built with hands, as the prophet says,

Haweis New Testament
Though the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as the prophet saith,

Mace New Testament
altho' the most high does not dwell in temples made with hands; as the prophet said, "heaven is my throne,

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

Worrell New Testament
Yet the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands; as says the prophet,

Worsley New Testament
Though the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands, 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 66:1-2
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? / Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.

1 Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.

Matthew 5:34-35
But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; / or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

John 4:21-24
“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. / You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. / But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. ...

2 Chronicles 6:18
But will God indeed dwell with man upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.

Psalm 11:4
The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men.

Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.

Jeremiah 23:24
“Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.

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.

Hebrews 9:11
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation.

1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

Revelation 21:22
But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

Psalm 102:25-27
In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. / They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will be passed on. / But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.

Isaiah 40:22
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth; its dwellers are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.


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? …

Jump to Previous
Buildings Declares Dwell Dwelleth Dwells Erected Hands High Houses Howbeit However Human Live Places Prophet Resting-Place Sanctuaries Temples
Jump to Next
Buildings Declares Dwell Dwelleth Dwells Erected Hands High Houses Howbeit However Human Live Places Prophet Resting-Place Sanctuaries Temples
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.














However
This word serves as a transition, indicating a contrast or exception to what has been previously stated. In the context of Stephen's speech, he is contrasting the physical temple with the true dwelling place of God. The Greek word "ἀλλά" (alla) is often used to introduce a significant shift in thought, emphasizing that what follows is of greater importance or truth.

the Most High
This title for God, "ὁ ὕψιστος" (ho hypsistos), underscores His supreme authority and sovereignty. It is a term that elevates God above all earthly and heavenly powers, reminding the audience of His transcendence. Historically, this title is used throughout the Old Testament to denote God's unmatched power and position, as seen in passages like Psalm 91:1.

does not dwell
The Greek verb "κατοικεῖ" (katoikei) means to inhabit or reside. Stephen is making a theological point that God’s presence is not confined to physical structures. This echoes the Old Testament understanding that while God may choose to manifest His presence in certain places, He is not limited by them (1 Kings 8:27).

in houses
The term "οἴκοις" (oikoi) refers to physical buildings or dwellings. In the Jewish context, this would primarily refer to the temple in Jerusalem, which was considered the house of God. Stephen is challenging the notion that God’s presence is restricted to the temple, a radical idea that aligns with the teachings of Jesus (John 4:21-24).

made by human hands
The phrase "χειροποιήτοις" (cheiropoietois) literally means "made with hands." This is a critical point in Stephen's argument, as it highlights the limitations of human efforts in containing or defining the divine. The phrase is reminiscent of Isaiah 66:1-2, where God declares that heaven is His throne and the earth His footstool, questioning what kind of house could be built for Him.

As the prophet says
Stephen is referencing the authority of the Hebrew Scriptures, specifically the prophets, to support his argument. This phrase indicates that his teaching is not new but rooted in the longstanding tradition of Israel’s faith. The prophet he refers to is Isaiah, whose writings often emphasized God’s transcendence and the inadequacy of human constructs to contain Him (Isaiah 66:1-2).

(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.


Links
Acts 7:48 NIV
Acts 7:48 NLT
Acts 7:48 ESV
Acts 7:48 NASB
Acts 7:48 KJV

Acts 7:48 BibleApps.com
Acts 7:48 Biblia Paralela
Acts 7:48 Chinese Bible
Acts 7:48 French Bible
Acts 7:48 Catholic Bible

NT Apostles: Acts 7:48 However the Most High doesn't dwell (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 7:47
Top of Page
Top of Page