Acts 7:6 God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

◄ Acts 7:6 ►

New International Version
God spoke to him in this way: ‘For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated.

New Living Translation
God also told him that his descendants would live in a foreign land, where they would be oppressed as slaves for 400 years.

English Standard Version
And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years.

Berean Standard Bible
God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

Berean Literal Bible
But God spoke thus, that his seed will be a sojourner in a strange land, and they will enslave it, and will mistreat it four hundred years.

King James Bible
And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

New King James Version
But God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them four hundred years.

New American Standard Bible
But God spoke to this effect, that his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE STRANGERS IN A LAND THAT WAS NOT THEIRS, AND THEY WOULD ENSLAVE AND MISTREAT THEM FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.

NASB 1995
“But God spoke to this effect, that his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE ALIENS IN A FOREIGN LAND, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ENSLAVED AND MISTREATED FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.

NASB 1977
“But God spoke to this effect, that his OFFSPRING WOULD BE ALIENS IN A FOREIGN LAND, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ENSLAVED AND MISTREATED FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.

Legacy Standard Bible
But God spoke in this way, that his SEED WOULD BE SOJOURNERS IN A FOREIGN LAND, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ENSLAVED AND MISTREATED FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.

Amplified Bible
And this is, in effect, what God spoke [to him]: That his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE ALIENS (strangers) IN A FOREIGN LAND, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ENSLAVED AND MISTREATED FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.

Christian Standard Bible
God spoke in this way: His descendants would be strangers in a foreign country, and they would enslave and oppress them for four hundred years.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
God spoke in this way: His descendants would be strangers in a foreign country, and they would enslave and oppress them 400 years.

American Standard Version
And God spake on this wise, that his seed should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and treat them ill, four hundred years.

Contemporary English Version
God said Abraham's descendants would live for a while in a foreign land. There they would be slaves and would be mistreated 400 years.

English Revised Version
And God spake on this wise, that his seed should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil, four hundred years.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God told Abraham that his descendants would be foreigners living in another country and that the people there would make them slaves and mistreat them for 400 years.

Good News Translation
This is what God said to him: 'Your descendants will live in a foreign country, where they will be slaves and will be badly treated for four hundred years.

International Standard Version
"This is what God promised: His descendants would be strangers in a foreign country, and its people would enslave them and oppress them for 400 years.

Majority Standard Bible
God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

NET Bible
But God spoke as follows: 'Your descendants will be foreigners in a foreign country, whose citizens will enslave them and mistreat them for four hundred years.

New Heart English Bible
God spoke in this way, that his 'descendants would live as foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.

Webster's Bible Translation
And God spoke on this wise, That his offspring should sojourn in a foreign land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and treat them ill four hundred years.

Weymouth New Testament
And God declared that Abraham's posterity should for four hundred years make their home in a country not their own, and be reduced to slavery and be oppressed.

World English Bible
God spoke in this way: that his offspring would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And God spoke thus, that his seed will be sojourning in a strange land, and they will cause it to serve, and will do it evil [for] four hundred years.

Berean Literal Bible
But God spoke thus, that his seed will be a sojourner in a strange land, and they will enslave it, and will mistreat it four hundred years.

Young's Literal Translation
'And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years,

Smith's Literal Translation
And God spake thus, That his seed shall be dwelling in a strange land; and it shall subjugate them, and inflict evil four hundred years.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And God said to him: That his seed should sojourn in a strange country, and that they should bring them under bondage, and treat them evil four hundred years.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then God told him that his offspring would be a settler in a foreign land, and that they would subjugate them, and treat them badly, for four hundred years.

New American Bible
And God spoke thus, ‘His descendants shall be aliens in a land not their own, where they shall be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years;

New Revised Standard Version
And God spoke in these terms, that his descendants would be resident aliens in a country belonging to others, who would enslave them and mistreat them during four hundred years.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
God spoke to him and said, Your descendants will be settlers in a foreign land where they will be enslaved and mistreated for a period of four hundred years.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And God was speaking with him when he said to him, 'Your seed will be a stranger in a foreign land, and they will enslave him and will afflict him four hundred years;'

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
And God spoke thus: That his posterity should sojourn in a strange land, and they should enslave them and afflict them, for four hundred years.

Godbey New Testament
And thus God spoke, that his seed shall sojourn in a strange land, and they will enslave it and oppress it four hundred years.

Haweis New Testament
Then spake God to him thus, That his seed should sojourn in a foreign land: and that they should enslave it, and grievously afflict it, four hundred years.

Mace New Testament
God declar'd likewise, "that his posterity should sojourn in a strange land, where they should be enslaved and abused four hundred years.

Weymouth New Testament
And God declared that Abraham's posterity should for four hundred years make their home in a country not their own, and be reduced to slavery and be oppressed.

Worrell New Testament
And God spake thus; that his seed would be a sojourner in a foreign land; and they would bring it into servitude, and ill-use it four hundred years.

Worsley New Testament
And God spake thus unto him, "that his seed should sojourn in a strange country, and they shall in slave and abuse them four hundred years:"

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Stephen's Address to the Sanhedrin
…5He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a child. 6 God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 7‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.’…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Genesis 15:13
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.

Exodus 12:40
Now the duration of the Israelites’ stay in Egypt was 430 years.

Galatians 3:17
What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.

Genesis 46:4
I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you back. And Joseph’s own hands will close your eyes.”

Exodus 1:8-14
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.” ...

Genesis 47:27
Now the Israelites settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and became fruitful and increased greatly in number.

Exodus 3:7-8
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings. / I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

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.

Deuteronomy 26:5-6
and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous. / But the Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted us, putting us to hard labor.

Psalm 105:23-25
Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham. / And the LORD made His people very fruitful, more numerous than their foes, / whose hearts He turned to hate His people, to conspire against His servants.

Genesis 50:24
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

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.

Exodus 11:7
But among all the Israelites, not even a dog will snarl at man or beast.’ Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.

Exodus 13:14
In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Exodus 22:21
You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

Treasury of Scripture

And God spoke on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

That.

Genesis 15:13,16
And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; …

four.

Exodus 12:40,41
Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years…

Galatians 3:17
And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Jump to Previous

Abraham's Aliens Belonging Bondage Cause Country Cruel Declared Enslave Enslaved Entreat Evil Foreign Four Home Hundred Ill Ill-Treat Live Mistreated Offspring Oppressed Others Posterity Reduced Seed Servants Serve Slavery Sojourn Sojourning Strange Treat Way Wise

Jump to Next

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.

Berean Study Bible

God spoke to this effect
This phrase indicates divine communication, emphasizing the authority and certainty of God's word. The Greek root for "spoke" is "laleó," which means to utter a sound or to speak. This highlights the personal and direct nature of God's revelation to His people. In the context of Stephen's speech, it underscores the continuity of God's promises and His active role in the history of Israel.

his descendants
The term "descendants" refers to the offspring of Abraham, the patriarch of the Israelites. The Greek word used here is "sperma," which can mean seed or progeny. This emphasizes the covenantal promise God made to Abraham, ensuring that his lineage would continue and be significant in God's redemptive plan. It reflects the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises across generations.

would be strangers
The phrase "would be strangers" comes from the Greek "parepidémos," meaning sojourners or temporary residents. This indicates a lack of permanent status or belonging in the land they would inhabit. Historically, this refers to the Israelites' time in Egypt, where they lived as foreigners. Spiritually, it reminds believers of their transient status in this world, as their true citizenship is in heaven.

in a foreign land
The "foreign land" is Egypt, where the Israelites lived for several centuries. The Greek word "allotrios" means belonging to another, highlighting the Israelites' lack of ownership or rights in the land. This situation foreshadows the Christian experience of living in a world that is not their ultimate home, encouraging believers to focus on their heavenly inheritance.

and that they would be enslaved
The term "enslaved" comes from the Greek "douleuó," meaning to serve as a slave. This reflects the harsh reality of the Israelites' bondage in Egypt, where they were subjected to forced labor. It serves as a reminder of the oppression God's people can face in a fallen world, yet it also points to God's power to deliver and redeem.

and mistreated
"Mistreated" is translated from the Greek "kakóō," which means to harm or oppress. This word captures the suffering and injustice the Israelites endured under Egyptian rule. It serves as a testament to the trials believers may face, yet it also reassures them of God's awareness and eventual intervention in their struggles.

four hundred years
The "four hundred years" is a prophetic timeframe given to Abraham in Genesis 15:13. It signifies a long period of waiting and suffering before deliverance. Historically, this period encompasses the Israelites' time in Egypt, including their enslavement. Theologically, it underscores God's sovereignty over time and His faithfulness to fulfill His promises, even when the wait seems prolonged. This encourages believers to trust in God's perfect timing and His ultimate plan for redemption.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) And that they should bring them into bondage . . .--Here again there is another apparent discrepancy of detail. Taking the common computation, the interval between the covenant with Abraham and that with Moses was 430 years (Galatians 3:17), of which only 215 are reckoned as spent in Egypt. The Israelites were indeed sojourners in a strange land for the whole 430 years, but the history shows that they were not in bondage nor evil entreated till the Pharaoh arose who knew not Joseph. The chronological difficulty, however, lies in reconciling St. Paul's statement in Galatians 3:17 with the language of Genesis 15:13, which gives 400 years as the sojourning in Egypt, and Exodus 12:40, which gives 430, and with which St. Stephen is in substantial agreement. St. Paul appears to have followed the LXX. reading of Exodus 12:40, which inserts "in the land of Cannan," and in some MSS. "they and their fathers," and with this the Samaritan Pentateuch agrees. Josephus varies, in some passages (Ant. ii. 15, ? 2), giving 215 years; in others (Ant. ii. 9, ? 1; Wars, v. 9, ? 4), 400. All that can be said is, as before, that chronological accuracy did not affect the argument in either case. It was enough for St. Stephen, as for St. Paul, to accept this or that system of dates, as they had been taught, without inquiring into the grounds on which it rested. Such inquiries were foreign to the Jewish character generally, and above all to that character when possessed by the sense of new and divine realities. Round numbers were enough for them to mark the successive stages of God's dealings with His people.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - In a strange land; a land belonging to some one else (Hebrews 11:9, γῆ ἀλλοτρία, as here); a land in which he had none inheritance, not yet become the possession of his seed; for as the writer to the Hebrews says, he dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob; not applicable, therefore, in the first instance to Egypt at all. And this sojourning as strangers and pilgrims lasted altogether four hundred and thirty years, vie. two hundred and fifteen years in Canaan, and two hundred and fifteen in Egypt; which agrees exactly with St. Paul's reckoning in round numbers of four hundred years from the giving of the promise to Abraham to the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai (Galatians 3:17). The "four hundred years" must not be taken in connection with the bondage" and the ill treatment which characterized the last half of the period, but as spoken of the whole period during which they had not possession of the promised land. Bring them into bondage. So the LXX.; but the Hebrew, as rendered in the A.V., has "and they shall serve them." But some (see Gesenius, 'Thes.') render the Hebrew as the LXX. Do. Four hundred years. This is a round number, as in Genesis 15:13. The exact time, as given in Exodus 12:40, 41, was four hundred and thirty years.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

God
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

told [him]
ἐλάλησεν (elalēsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2980: A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. Utter words.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
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.

descendants
σπέρμα (sperma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4690: From speiro; something sown, i.e. Seed; by implication, offspring; specially, a remnant.

would be
ἔσται (estai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

foreigners
πάροικον (paroikon)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3941: Foreign, alien, subst: a foreigner, sojourner. From para and oikos; having a home near, i.e. a by-dweller.

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.

a strange
ἀλλοτρίᾳ (allotria)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 245: From allos; another's, i.e. Not one's own; by extension foreign, not akin, hostile.

land,
γῇ (gē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they would be enslaved
δουλώσουσιν (doulōsousin)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1402: To enslave. From doulos; to enslave.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

mistreated
κακώσουσιν (kakōsousin)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2559: To treat badly, afflict, embitter, make angry. From kakos; to injure; figuratively, to exasperate.

four hundred
τετρακόσια (tetrakosia)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5071: Four hundred. Plural from tessares and hekaton; four hundred.

years.
ἔτη (etē)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2094: A year. Apparently a primary word; a year.

Links

Acts 7:6 NIV
Acts 7:6 NLT
Acts 7:6 ESV
Acts 7:6 NASB
Acts 7:6 KJV

Acts 7:6 BibleApps.com
Acts 7:6 Biblia Paralela
Acts 7:6 Chinese Bible
Acts 7:6 French Bible
Acts 7:6 Catholic Bible

NT Apostles: Acts 7:6 God spoke in this way: that his (Acts of the Apostles Ac)