Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?

ACTS 7:28KJV
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Acts 7:28 (KJV)

What does Acts 7:28 mean?

Acts 7:28 records a man confronting Moses, asking, “Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?” This question refers to Moses’s earlier act of killing an Egyptian who was mistreating a Hebrew, and now someone is challenging Moses’s authority and motives.

In this scene, Stephen is retelling the story of Moses to the Jewish council. The speaker in the verse is a fellow Israelite, reacting after Moses tried to break up a fight between two Hebrews. The man’s question shows that Moses’s secret act was known, and it highlights the mistrust and fear among the Israelites toward Moses at that moment.

The Greek behind Acts 7:28

  • ἀποκτείνεις (apokteineis, “kill”): This word means to put to death or slay. The use of this strong term shows the seriousness of the accusation and the fear the man felt.
  • Αἰγύπτιον (Aigyption, “Egyptian”): This specifically points back to the Egyptian Moses killed, making it clear the speaker knows about the incident and is referencing it directly.
  • ἐχθές (echthes, “yesterday”): This word means “yesterday,” emphasizing how recent the event was and suggesting that news of Moses’s action spread quickly.

Why Acts 7:28 matters

  • Acts 7:28 shows that Moses’s attempt to help his people was not immediately welcomed, revealing the complexity of his relationship with the Israelites.
  • This verse highlights how quickly information and suspicion spread, even in ancient times, and how Moses’s actions had unintended consequences.
  • The verse connects to Stephen’s larger point in Acts 7, showing how God’s chosen leaders were often misunderstood or rejected by their own people.

Where else these words appear

“yesterday” Greek G5504 · used in 3 verses

  • John 4:52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
  • Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

“Egyptian” Greek G124 · used in 5 verses

  • Acts 7:22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
  • Acts 7:24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
  • Acts 21:38 Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?

“as” Greek G5158 · used in 13 verses

  • Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
  • Acts 27:25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
  • 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

“kill” Greek G337 · used in 22 verses

  • Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
  • Acts 9:23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
  • Acts 22:20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.