And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

ACTS 7:9KJV
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Acts 7:9 (KJV)

What does Acts 7:9 mean?

Acts 7:9 says that Joseph’s brothers, called the patriarchs, were jealous of him and sold him as a slave into Egypt, but God stayed with Joseph through it all. The verse highlights both the wrongdoing of Joseph’s brothers and God’s continued presence with Joseph despite his suffering.

In this verse, Stephen is speaking to the Jewish council, recounting the history of Israel to show how God worked through their ancestors. By mentioning the patriarchs’ envy and Joseph’s sale into Egypt, Stephen points to both human failure and God’s faithfulness. This sets up a pattern in his speech: even when people act wrongly, God’s purpose continues.

The Greek behind Acts 7:9

  • "Envy" (ζηλόω, zēloō): This Greek word means to be jealous or moved by envy. It shows that the brothers’ actions were driven by strong negative feelings, not just a simple disagreement.
  • "Sold" (ἀποδίδωμι, apodidōmi): This word means to hand over or sell, emphasizing that the brothers actively delivered Joseph into a foreign situation, not just abandoned him.
  • "God" (θεός, theos) "was with him" (ἦν μετ’ αὐτοῦ, ēn met’ autou): The phrase stresses that God’s presence stayed with Joseph, even in a foreign land and in hardship, which would have been a comfort to listeners familiar with Joseph’s story.

Why Acts 7:9 matters

  • Acts 7:9 helps clarify that the patriarchs—respected ancestors—were capable of serious wrongdoing, challenging any idealized view of Israel’s history.
  • The verse emphasizes that God’s faithfulness is not limited by human sin or difficult circumstances; God’s presence with Joseph in Egypt is a key theme.
  • This sets up Stephen’s larger argument that God’s work is not confined to one place or group, preparing listeners for his later points about God’s broader purposes.

Where else these words appear

“patriarchs” Greek G3966 · used in 4 verses

  • Acts 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
  • Acts 7:8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
  • Hebrews 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

“envy” Greek G2206 · used in 11 verses

  • Acts 17:5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
  • 1 Corinthians 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
  • Galatians 4:17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.

“Egypt” Greek G125 · used in 22 verses

  • Matthew 2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
  • Acts 7:12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
  • Acts 13:17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

“Joseph” Greek G2501 · used in 34 verses

  • Matthew 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
  • Luke 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
  • John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.