Acts 7:26

And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?

Acts 7:26 (KJV)

Context

This verse belongs to Stephen’s defense before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious council, shortly before his death. Stephen, one of seven men chosen to serve the early Christian community, reviews Israel’s history and points to Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. In Acts 7:26, he recalls an incident from the life of Moses, specifically the day after Moses had intervened to defend an Israelite from an Egyptian (Acts 7:24).

Meaning

Stephen describes Moses appearing to two Israelites who were fighting and attempting to reconcile them. The phrase “would have set them at one again” means Moses urged them to peace or tried to reconcile them. His appeal rested on their shared identity: “Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?” Moses reasoned that their common brotherhood as Israelites should prevent them from harming each other. This retelling of Exodus 2:13 emphasizes that Moses acted as a peacemaker among his own people.

Biblical connections

Stephen’s account directly parallels Exodus 2:13, where Moses goes out the second day and sees two Hebrews striving. The rejection of Moses’ peacemaking in Acts 7:27, when the man doing wrong asks “Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?“, foreshadows Israel’s later rejection of Jesus. By referencing this historical event, Stephen indirectly challenges the Sanhedrin’s behavior toward Jesus and His followers.

Application

Moses’ intervention models a call to reconciliation among brethren. His question “why do ye wrong one to another?” remains relevant for believers today, reminding them that shared faith in Christ makes them brothers and sisters. Wronging a fellow believer contradicts the unity that should mark the people of God. Stephen’s example also shows that peacemaking may be rejected, yet the call to pursue reconciliation remains faithful obedience.

Reflection

Stephen used this incident to urge his hearers to reflect on their actions toward one another and toward Jesus. The verse demonstrates that brotherhood in Israel should prevent wronging one another, and it extends that principle to the church. Moses, though initially rejected by his own people, foreshadowed the greater Deliverer, Jesus Christ, whom the religious leaders were also rejecting. Acts 7:26 thus serves as a reminder of the importance of unity, kindness, and fairness among God’s people.