The most High God is a term taken from the Septuagint, and translates a Hebrew word that was often used by non-Israelites who confessed the true God. In many languages the concept of “highness” also means “greatness,” but this is not necessarily true. A literal translation of Most High might imply merely a position on top of other gods but without necessarily suggesting greater importance. In such instances the closest equivalent of the Most High God is “the Greatest God.”

The word translated houses built by men is a term frequently used to describe temples devoted to idols; and it may be that the term is used here in a derogatory sense by Stephen, with the meaning that the actual building of the temple was wrong in itself.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .