Acts 7:49
◄  Acts 7:49  ►
New International Version (©2011)
"'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 resting place be?

New Living Translation (©2007)
Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that?' asks the LORD. 'Could you build me such a resting place?

English Standard Version (©2001)
“‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
'HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET; WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?' says the Lord, 'OR WHAT PLACE IS THERE FOR MY REPOSE?

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Heaven is My throne, and earth My footstool. What sort of house will you build for Me? says the Lord, or what is My resting place?

International Standard Version (©2012)
"'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house can you build for me,' declares the Lord, "or what place is there in which I can rest?

NET Bible (©2006)
Heaven is my throne, and earth is the footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is my resting place?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
'Heaven is my throne and The Earth is the stool which is under my feet. Where is the house that you will build for me?, says THE LORD JEHOVAH, or where is the place of my rest?'

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
'The Lord says, "Heaven is my throne. The earth is my footstool. What kind of house are you going to build for me? Where will I rest?

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will you build me? says the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

American King James Version
Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will you build me? said the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

American Standard Version
The heaven is my throne, And the earth the footstool of my feet: What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: Or what is the place of my rest?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool. What house will you build me? saith the Lord; or what is the place of my resting?

Darby Bible Translation
The heaven is my throne and the earth the footstool of my feet: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord, or where is the place of my rest?

English Revised Version
The heaven is my throne, And the earth the footstool of my feet: What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: Or what is the place of my rest?

Webster's Bible Translation
Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: What house will ye build for me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

Weymouth New Testament
"'The sky is My throne, and earth is the footstool for My feet. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or what resting place shall I have?

World English Bible
'heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me?' says the Lord; 'or what is the place of my rest?

Young's Literal Translation
The heaven is My throne, and the earth My footstool; what house will ye build to Me? saith the Lord, or what is the place of My rest?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:42-50 Stephen upbraids the Jews with the idolatry of their fathers, to which God gave them up as a punishment for their early forsaking him. It was no dishonour, but an honour to God, that the tabernacle gave way to the temple; so it is now, that the earthly temple gives way to the spiritual one; and so it will be when, at last, the spiritual shall give way to the eternal one. The whole world is God's temple, in which he is every where present, and fills it with his glory; what occasion has he then for a temple to manifest himself in? And these things show his eternal power and Godhead. But as heaven is his throne, and the earth his footstool, so none of our services can profit Him who made all things. Next to the human nature of Christ, the broken and spiritual heart is his most valued temple.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 49. - The heaven for heaven, A.V.; the earth the footstool of my feet for earth is my footstool, A.V.; what manner of house for what house, A.V.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Heaven is my throne,.... There is the seat of the divine Majesty; there his glory is most conspicuous; there he keeps his court, that is his palace; and there are his attendants, the angels; and from thence are the administrations of his regal power and government, over the whole world:

and earth is my footstool; which is under his feet, is subject to him, and at his dispose, and which he makes use of at his pleasure: these things are not to be literally understood, but are images and figures, representing the majesty, sovereignty, and immensity of God; who is the maker of all things, the governor of the universe, and is above all places, and not to be contained in any:

what house will ye build me? saith the Lord; or where can any be built for him, since he already takes up the heaven and the earth? what house can be built by men, or with hands, that can hold him, or is fit for him to dwell in?

or what is the place of my rest? not in any house made with hands, but in the church among his saints, who are the temples of the living God; and this is his rest for ever, and here will he dwell, because he has chosen and desired them, and built them up for an habitation for himself,

Acts 7:49 Parallel Commentaries

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Stephen Addresses the Sanhedrin
…48However, the most High dwells not in temples made with hands; as said the prophet, 49Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will you build me? said the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? 50Has not my hand made all these things? …

1 Kings 8:27 "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
2 Chronicles 6:18 "But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
Isaiah 66:1 This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?
Matthew 5:34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne;
Matthew 5:35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.