Asteios (ἀστεῖος) means "beautiful," "refined," "pleasing," or "well-formed" — literally "of the city" (from astu, city), as city dwellers were considered more cultivated and refined than country folk. In the New Testament, it appears twice: in Acts 7:20 and Hebrews 11:23, both referring to Moses as a "beautiful" or "fine" child. In Acts 7:20, Stephen adds the phrase "beautiful to God" (asteios to Theo).
The description of Moses as asteios to Theo — "beautiful to God" or "no ordinary child" (NIV) — is one of the most theologically profound uses of a seemingly cosmetic word. Stephen's speech in Acts 7 is not complimenting Moses' physical appearance as such; he is declaring that Moses was recognized by God as extraordinary from birth. His parents hid him by faith (Hebrews 11:23) precisely because they saw this God-given beauty — a dignity and destiny that outweighed Pharaoh's decree. The theological principle: what God has called beautiful cannot be dismissed by earthly power. This anticipates the New Testament truth that every believer is "God's masterpiece" (poiema, Ephesians 2:10) — created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared in advance.