Tag Archives: Acts 7:27

Ὁ δὲ ἀδικῶν τὸν πλησίον ἀπώσατο αὐτὸν εἰπών· τίς σε κατέστησεν ἄρχοντα καὶ δικαστὴν ἐφ’ ἡμῶν; (Acts 7:27) A Question of Authority: Echoes from Egypt in Stephen’s Defense

In Acts 7:27, Stephen recounts the moment when Moses’ attempt to mediate between two Israelites was met not with gratitude, but rejection. The Greek phrasing intensifies the drama, not just recounting events but embodying the resistance through the grammar of alienation. The use of a present participle, aorist verbs, and a pointed interrogative reflects a narrative of estrangement — both theological and grammatical.

The Participial Portrait: ὁ δὲ ἀδικῶν τὸν πλησίον

This opening phrase introduces the antagonist with stark clarity:

ὁ δὲ ἀδικῶν τὸν πλησίον “But the one doing wrong to his neighbor”

– ὁ ἀδικῶν is a present active participle, nominative masculine singular, from ἀδικέω (“to wrong, do injustice”).… Learn Koine Greek