Acts 7:33
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
Then said the Lord to him, Put off your shoes from your feet: for the place where you stand is holy ground.
American King James Version (AKJV)
Then said the Lord to him, Put off your shoes from your feet: for the place where you stand is holy ground.
American Standard Version (ASV)
And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And the Lord said, Take off the shoes from your feet, for the place where you are is holy.
Webster's Revision
Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.
World English Bible
The Lord said to him, 'Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
English Revised Version (ERV)
And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Barnes's Acts 7:33 Bible Commentary
Then said the Lord ... - In Exodus 3 this is introduced in a different order, as being spoken "before" God said "I am the God," etc.
Put off thy shoes ... - Exodus 3:5. To put off the shoes; or sandals, was an act of reverence. The ancients were especially not permitted to enter a temple or holy place with their shoes on. Indeed, it was customary for the Jews to remove their shoes whenever they entered any house as a mere matter of civility. Compare the notes on John 13:5. See Joshua 5:15. "The same custom, growing out of the same feeling," says Prof. Hackett (Illustrations of Scripture, pp. 74, 75), "is observed among the Eastern nations at the present day. The Arabs and Turks never enter the mosques without putting off their shoes. They exact a compliance with this rule from those of a different faith who visit these sacred places. Though, until a recent period, the Muslims excluded Christians entirely from the mosques, they now permit foreigners to enter some of them, provided they leave their shoes at the door, or exchange them for others which have not been defiled by common use.
"A Samaritan from Nablus, who conducted Mr. Robinson and Mr. Smith to the summit of Gerizim, when he came within a certain distance of the spot, took off his shoes, saying it was unlawful for his people to tread with shoes upon this ground, it being holy."
Is holy ground - Is rendered sacred by the symbol of the divine presence. We should enter the sanctuary, the place set apart for divine worship, not only with reverence in our hearts, but with every "external" indication of veneration. Solemn awe and deep seriousness become the place set apart to the service of God. Compare Ecclesiastes 5:1.
Wesley's Acts 7:33 Bible Commentary
7:33 Then said the Lord, Loose thy shoes - An ancient token of reverence; for the place is holy ground - The holiness of places depends on the peculiar presence of God there.