Acts 8:2
New International Version
Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.

New Living Translation
(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.)

English Standard Version
Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

Berean Standard Bible
God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.

Berean Literal Bible
Now devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

King James Bible
And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

New King James Version
And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

New American Standard Bible
Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned loudly for him.

NASB 1995
Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.

NASB 1977
And some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.

Legacy Standard Bible
And some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him.

Amplified Bible
Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned greatly over him [expressing a personal sense of loss].

Christian Standard Bible
Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.

American Standard Version
And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.

English Revised Version
And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Devout men buried Stephen as they mourned loudly for him.

Good News Translation
Some devout men buried Stephen, mourning for him with loud cries.

International Standard Version
Devout men buried Stephen as they mourned loudly for him.

Majority Standard Bible
God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.

NET Bible
Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him.

New Heart English Bible
Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

Weymouth New Testament
A party of devout men, however, buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.

World English Bible
Devout men buried Stephen and lamented greatly over him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and devout men carried Stephen away, and made great lamentation over him;

Berean Literal Bible
Now devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

Young's Literal Translation
and devout men carried away Stephen, and made great lamentation over him;

Smith's Literal Translation
And circumspect men interred Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And devout men took order for Stephen's funeral, and made great mourning over him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But God-fearing men arranged for Stephen’s funeral, and they made a great mourning over him.

New American Bible
Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.

New Revised Standard Version
Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And devout men picked up Stephen and buried him, and they mourned over him in great sorrow.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And believing men gathered up and buried Estephanos, and they grieved over him greatly.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

Godbey New Testament
And godly men buried Stephen, and made great mourning over him.

Haweis New Testament
Then some pious men assembling, carried Stephen to his grave, and made great lamentation over him.

Mace New Testament
and some devout men who carried Stephen to his burial, making great lamentation over him.

Weymouth New Testament
A party of devout men, however, buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.

Worrell New Testament
And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

Worsley New Testament
And some pious men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation for him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul Persecutes the Church
1And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.…

Cross References
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

John 11:19
and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother.

John 11:31
When the Jews who were in the house consoling Mary saw how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

1 Thessalonians 4:13
Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope.

2 Samuel 1:12
They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

2 Samuel 3:31-32
Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier. / When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb, and all the people wept.

Genesis 50:10
When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, which is across the Jordan, they lamented and wailed loudly, and Joseph mourned for his father seven days.

Genesis 23:2
She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her.

2 Chronicles 35:24-25
So his servants took him out of his chariot, put him in his second chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. And Josiah was buried in the tomb of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. / Then Jeremiah lamented over Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers recite laments over Josiah. They established them as a statute for Israel, and indeed they are written in the Book of Laments.

Jeremiah 9:17-20
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Take note, and summon the wailing women; send for the most skillful among them. / Let them come quickly and take up a lament over us, that our eyes may overflow with tears, and our eyelids may gush with water. / For the sound of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How devastated we are! How great is our shame! For we have abandoned the land because our dwellings have been torn down.’” ...

Ezekiel 24:16-18
“Son of man, behold, I am about to take away the desire of your eyes with a fatal blow. But you must not mourn or weep or let your tears flow. / Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.” / So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And the next morning I did as I had been commanded.

Amos 5:16-17
Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Hosts, the Lord, says: “There will be wailing in all the public squares and cries of ‘Alas! Alas!’ in all the streets. The farmer will be summoned to mourn, and the mourners to wail. / There will be wailing in all the vineyards, for I will pass through your midst,” says the LORD.

Zechariah 12:10-14
Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son. / On that day the wailing in Jerusalem will be as great as the wailing of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. / The land will mourn, each clan on its own: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, ...

Matthew 9:23
When Jesus entered the house of the synagogue leader, He saw the flute players and the noisy crowd.

Luke 7:12-13
As He approached the town gate, He saw a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. / When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, “Do not weep.”


Treasury of Scripture

And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

devout.

Acts 2:5
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

Acts 10:2
A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

Luke 2:25
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

made.

Genesis 23:2
And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

Genesis 50:10,11
And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days…

Numbers 20:29
And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.

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Ace Body Burial Buried Carried Deeply Devout God-Fearing Godly Great Greatly However Lamented Last Making Mourned Party Resting-Place Stephen
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Acts 8
1. By occasion of the persecution in Jerusalem, the church being planted in Samaria,
4. by Philip the deacon, who preached, did miracles, and baptized many;
9. among the rest Simon the sorcerer, a great seducer of the people;
14. Peter and John come to confirm and enlarge the church;
15. where, by prayer and imposition of hands giving the Holy Spirit;
18. when Simon would have bought the like power of them,
20. Peter sharply reproving his hypocrisy and covetousness,
22. and exhorting him to repentance,
25. together with John preaching the word of the Lord, return to Jerusalem;
26. but the angel sends Philip to teach and baptize the Ethiopian Eunuch.














God-fearing men
This phrase refers to devout Jewish individuals who were deeply committed to their faith and reverence for God. In the context of Acts, these men were likely part of the Jewish community in Jerusalem who had come to respect and follow the teachings of Jesus. The Greek term used here, "ἀνδρες εὐλαβεῖς" (andres eulabeis), suggests a deep piety and reverence, indicating that these men were not just casual followers but were sincerely devoted to honoring God in their actions and beliefs. Historically, "God-fearing" individuals were often those who, while not fully converted to Judaism, respected and adhered to many of its teachings, and in the early church, they played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity.

buried Stephen
The act of burial was significant in Jewish culture, as it was considered a sacred duty to ensure that the dead were treated with respect and dignity. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was given a proper burial by these devout men, which underscores the respect and honor they had for him. The Greek word for "buried" here is "συνεκόμισαν" (synekopsan), which implies a careful and respectful handling of Stephen's body. This act of burial also highlights the early Christian community's commitment to caring for one another, even in death, and their belief in the hope of resurrection.

and mourned deeply for him
Mourning in Jewish tradition was an expression of deep sorrow and loss, often involving specific rituals and periods of lamentation. The phrase "mourned deeply" in Greek is "ἐποίησαν κοπετὸν μέγαν" (epoiēsan kopeton megan), indicating an intense and profound expression of grief. This mourning was not only for the loss of Stephen as a beloved member of their community but also for the suffering and persecution that the early church was beginning to face. The depth of their mourning reflects the love and unity within the early Christian community, as well as their shared commitment to the faith despite the challenges they encountered.

(2) And devout men carried Stephen to his burial.--It has sometimes been asserted, as e.g. by Renan (Les Apotres, p. 145), that these were proselytes. St. Luke, however, always uses a different word to describe that class (comp. Acts 13:43; Acts 13:50; Acts 16:14; Acts 17:4; Acts 17:17), and the word used here is applied by him to Simeon (Luke 2:25), to the multitude of Jews present on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:5), to Ananias as devout according to the Law (Acts 22:12). This notion must accordingly be rejected as against evidence. On the other hand, had they been members of the Church they would naturally, though perhaps not necessarily, have been described as "brethren" or "disciples." We are left therefore to the conclusion that they were Jews who had been kindled into admiration and half-conviction by the calm heroism of the martyr, and who, without committing themselves to more than that admiration, acted in his case as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea had acted after the Crucifixion. They would show honour to the memory of the dead, though they had not had the courage to defend the preacher of the truth while he was yet with them. In the legend or tradition as to the death of Stephen, reported and accepted by Augustine (De Civ: Dei. xvii. 8; Serm. 318, 319; Tract. In Joann., 120), Gamaliel and Nicodemus are named as actually taking part in the entombment, and as afterwards laid in the same sepulchre, on which his name appeared in Aramaic characters as Chaliel (= garland), the equivalent in that language of the Greek Stephanos. The translation of the martyr's relics to Ancona, Minorca, and to Uzalis, and other towns in Africa, made a deep impression on Augustine, and gave occasion to some of his most eloquent sermons. Oratories were dedicated to his memory, and miraculous cures effected by prayers addressed to him. (See Butler's Lives of the Saints, Aug. 3rd.) . . . Verse 2. - Buried for carried to his burial (the last three words in italics), A.V. Devout men; ἀνδρες αὐλαβεῖς. This word is applied to Simeon (Luke 2:25), and to the Jews who were assembled at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:5), and, according to the R.T., to Ananias (Acts 22:12); but occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It is not certain, therefore, that these men were Christians, though they might be. If not, they were pious Jews, men who feared God, and still loved Stephen as being himself a devout Jew though he was a disciple. Buried. Συγκομίζω occurs only here in the New Testament; but its common use for carrying corn to a barn or granary seems to indicate that "carrying to his burial" of the A.V. is the most exact rendering. The word is said also to be applied to the acts preparatory to burial - closing the eyes, washing, anointing the body, and so on; but this meaning is less certain than that of "carrying."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
God-fearing
εὐλαβεῖς (eulabeis)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2126: From eu and lambano; taking well, i.e. Circumspect.

men
ἄνδρες (andres)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 435: A male human being; a man, husband. A primary word; a man.

buried
συνεκόμισαν (synekomisan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4792: From sun and komizo; to convey together, i.e. Collect or bear away in company with others.

Stephen
Στέφανον (Stephanon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4736: The same as stephanos; Stephanus, a Christian.

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

mourned deeply
κοπετὸν (kopeton)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2870: Beating of the breast or head in lamentation, lamentation. From kopto; mourning.

over
ἐπ’ (ep’)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

him.
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 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.


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