Acts7:55

Translation

But, being full of the Holy Spirit, [and] having looked intently

into heaven, he saw the glory of GOD

and JESUS standing

at the right

of GOD,

Paraphrase

Now in response to their anger, Stephen had looked up toward heaven earnestly seeking God’s sustaining strength for what appeared to be coming his way; since he was fully in tune with, and controlled by the Holy Spirit, he was allowed to see at least some of the glory of THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS, and THE SAVIOR SENT BY YHVH, who was on his feet, ready to help him with the power that was assigned to Him by THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS.

Footnotes

1

This word always carries the idea of looking with intensity and purpose.

2

Stephen was given a chance to see something that humans never get to see – the glory of God that is beyond our physical world. I doubt he saw all of God’s glory, because no human being is capable of seeing all of it without dying of heart failure or some other failure. But Stephen saw much more of God’s glory than he expected to be able to see and live. His face expressed awe, his eyes expressed wonder, he may have laughed out loud, all of which did not seem to fit the situation he was in – the ruling body of his country all wanting to kill him.

3

Normally a person in authority would sit on the throne and exercise his authority from a sitting position. But Jesus is said to be standing. It communicates that Jesus had seen the situation Stephen was in, identified with the suffering that Stephen would soon face, and was promising to offer his strength and encouragement to Stephen as he faced death. Some think it also means that Jesus was standing in order to receiver Stephen into heaven.

4

To be at the right means he is in the position of favor and power. In the case of a coregent, which is the symbolism employed here, both the father and the son are sitting on thrones. The fact that the son’s throne is on the father’s right side means that he is passing authority to the son.