καὶ ἐπαιδεύθη Μωϋσῆς πάσῃ σοφίᾳ Αἰγυπτίων, ἦν δὲ δυνατὸς ἐν λόγοις καὶ ἐν ἔργοις. — Acts 7:22
The Grammar of Formation and Power
Stephen’s speech before the Sanhedrin offers a rare insight into the early Christian view of Moses’ upbringing and abilities. Acts 7:22 presents Moses not merely as a Hebrew, but as someone shaped by the wisdom of Egypt and gifted with remarkable influence. The Greek grammar balances a divine passive with a descriptive contrast, giving us both the process of education and the character it produced.
ἐπαιδεύθη… πάσῃ σοφίᾳ Αἰγυπτίων: The Divine Passive of Education
The verb ἐπαιδεύθη (“he was educated”) is in the aorist passive, indicating that Moses underwent a process of instruction at a point in the past. The passive voice emphasizes that this formation was something done to him, not something he achieved by himself. The agent is implicit—God’s providential placement, Egyptian society, or both.
The dative phrase πάσῃ σοφίᾳ Αἰγυπτίων (“in all the wisdom of the Egyptians”) describes the content and cultural origin of this education. The adjective πάσῃ (“all”) adds weight to the breadth of his learning—it was not partial or superficial, but thorough.
ἦν δὲ δυνατὸς…: From Formation to Function
The second clause introduces a new dimension: the result of Moses’ training. The imperfect verb ἦν (“he was”) sets up a state of being in the past, and the predicate adjective δυνατὸς (“mighty / powerful”) tells us of his capacity. This is qualified by the prepositional phrase ἐν λόγοις καὶ ἐν ἔργοις—“in words and in deeds”—highlighting Moses’ eloquence and leadership ability.
The contrastive conjunction δὲ functions not adversatively, but as a mild transition: Moses was not only educated, he was also powerful in expression and action.
Parsing the Key Verbal Forms
| Greek Form | Root | Tense | Voice | Mood / Type | Form | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐπαιδεύθη | παιδεύω | Aorist | Passive | Indicative | 3rd Person Singular | he was educated |
| ἦν | εἰμί | Imperfect | — | Indicative | 3rd Person Singular | he was |
The Passive That Prepared a Prophet
Acts 7:22 frames Moses as a man uniquely formed for his future role. The passive voice reminds us that God works through cultures and institutions—even Egypt’s—to prepare his servants. The imperfect tense of ἦν paints a picture of Moses’ ongoing strength before his divine calling at the burning bush. Words and works, wisdom and power—all merge in a single man whom God would soon use to deliver a nation. Grammar here testifies to providence.
