The Meaning of Acts 6:14 Explained

Acts 6:14

KJV: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

YLT: for we have heard him saying, That this Jesus the Nazarean shall overthrow this place, and shall change the customs that Moses delivered to us;'

Darby: for we have heard him saying, This Jesus the Nazaraean shall destroy this place, and change the customs which Moses taught us.

ASV: for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  we have heard  him  say,  that  this  Jesus  of Nazareth  shall destroy  this  place,  and  shall change  the customs  which  Moses  delivered  us. 

What does Acts 6:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 6:1-15 - Meeting Murmuring Within And Persecution Without
The Grecians here mentioned were Jews who had lived abroad and spoke Greek. There were as yet no Gentiles in the Church. It was regarded as an annex to Judaism, and people had to become Jews before they were admitted to its privileges.
What a glimpse is here afforded of the simplicity and fervor of the primitive Church! The daily ministration of relief; the choice of godly men to attend to secular details; the prime importance of prayer and the ministry of the Word; the recognition by the Apostles of the rights of the people-all is so spiritual and so worthy of the era of the Holy Spirit. Alas, that so fair a dawn should ever have been overcast!
The Church must dedicate to God those whom she has chosen under the guidance of His Spirit. Stephen on the one hand, and Saul on the other, were the leaders of their respective parties. We see traces of the latter in the references to them of Cilicia, Acts 6:9. Stephen's enemies prevailed over him by brute force, but he was conqueror through the blood of the Lamb and the word of his testimony. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 6

1  The apostles, desirous to have the poor cared for,
2  as also careful themselves to dispense the word of God, the food of the soul,
3  recommend,
5  and with the church's consent ordain seven chosen men to the office of deaconship
7  The word of God prevails,
8  Stephen, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, confuting those with whom he disputed,
12  is brought before the council,
13  and falsely accused of blasphemy against the law and the temple

Greek Commentary for Acts 6:14

We have heard him say [ακηκοαμεν αυτου λεγοντος]
The only direct testimony and evidently wrong. Curiously like the charge brought against Jesus before Caiaphas that he would destroy the temple and build it again in three days. Undoubtedly Stephen had said something about Christianity before as meant for others besides Jews. He had caught the spirit of Jesus about worship as shown to the woman at Sychar in John 4 that God is spirit and to be worshipped by men anywhere and everywhere without having to come to the temple in Jerusalem. It was inflammable material surely and it was easy to misrepresent and hard to clear up. [source]
This Jesus of Nazareth [Ιησους ο Ναζωραιος ουτος]
With contempt. [source]
This Jesus of Nazareth []
Contemptuous. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 6:14

Acts 21:21 That thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses [οτι αποστασιαν διδασκεις απο Μωυσεως τους κατα τα ετνη παντας Ιουδαιους]
Two accusatives with διδασκεις — didaskeis (verb of teaching) according to rule. Literally, “That thou art teaching all the Jews among “In the eyes of the church at Jerusalem this was a far more serious matter than the previous question at the Conference about the status of Gentile converts” (Furneaux). Paul had brought that issue to the Jerusalem Conference because of the contention of the Judaizers. But here it is not the Judaizers, but the elders of the church with James as their spokesman on behalf of the church as a whole. They do not believe this false charge, but they wish Paul to set it straight. Paul had made his position clear in his Epistles (I Corinthians, Galatians, Romans) for all who cared to know. Telling them not to circumcise their children (λεγων μη περιτεμνειν αυτους τα τεκνα — legōn mē peritemnein autous ta tekna). The participle λεγων — legōn agrees with “thou” (Paul), the subject of διδασκεις — didaskeis This is not indirect assertion, but indirect command, hence the negative μη — mē instead of ου — ou with the infinitive (Robertson, Grammar, p.1046). The point is not that Paul stated what the Jewish Christians in the dispersion do, but that he says that they (αυτους — autous accusative of general reference) are not to go on circumcising (περιτεμνειν — peritemnein present active infinitive) their children. Paul taught the very opposite (1 Corinthians 7:18) and had Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:3) because he was half Jew and half Greek. His own practice is stated in 1 Corinthians 9:19 (“to the Jews as a Jew”). Neither to walk after the customs Locative case with infinitive περιπατειν — peripatein The charge was here enlarged to cover it all and to make Paul out an enemy of Jewish life and teachings. That same charge had been made against Stephen when young Saul (Paul) was the leader (Acts 6:14): “Will change the customs So much for the charge of the Judaizers. [source]
Acts 21:21 Neither to walk after the customs [μηδε τοις ετεσιν περιπατειν]
Locative case with infinitive περιπατειν — peripatein The charge was here enlarged to cover it all and to make Paul out an enemy of Jewish life and teachings. That same charge had been made against Stephen when young Saul (Paul) was the leader (Acts 6:14): “Will change the customs So much for the charge of the Judaizers. [source]
Acts 24:5 A pestilent fellow [λοιμον]
An old word for pest, plague, pestilence, Paul the pest. In N.T. only here and Luke 21:11 This was an offence against Roman law if it could be proven. “Plotted against at Damascus, plotted against at Jerusalem, expelled from Pisidian Antioch, stoned at Lystra, scourged and imprisoned at Philippi, accused of treason at Thessalonica, haled before the proconsul at Corinth, cause of a serious riot at Ephesus, and now finally of a riot at Jerusalem” (Furneaux). Specious proof could have been produced, but was not. Tertullus went on to other charges with which a Roman court had no concern (instance Gallio in Corinth). Throughout the world The Roman inhabited earth Πρωτοστατης — Prōtostatēs is an old word in common use from πρωτος — prōtos and ιστημι — histēmi a front-rank man, a chief, a champion. Here only in the N.T. This charge is certainly true. About “sect” (αιρεσις — hairesis) see note on Acts 5:17. Ναζωραιοι — Nazōraioi here only in the plural in the N.T., elsewhere of Jesus (Matthew 2:23; Matthew 26:71; Luke 18:37; John 18:5, John 18:7; John 19:19; Acts 2:22; Acts 3:6; Acts 4:10; Acts 6:14; Acts 22:8; Acts 26:9). The disciple is not above his Master. There was a sneer in the term as applied to Jesus and here to his followers. [source]
Acts 24:5 Throughout the world [κατα την οικουμενην]
The Roman inhabited earth Πρωτοστατης — Prōtostatēs is an old word in common use from πρωτος — prōtos and ιστημι — histēmi a front-rank man, a chief, a champion. Here only in the N.T. This charge is certainly true. About “sect” (αιρεσις — hairesis) see note on Acts 5:17. Ναζωραιοι — Nazōraioi here only in the plural in the N.T., elsewhere of Jesus (Matthew 2:23; Matthew 26:71; Luke 18:37; John 18:5, John 18:7; John 19:19; Acts 2:22; Acts 3:6; Acts 4:10; Acts 6:14; Acts 22:8; Acts 26:9). The disciple is not above his Master. There was a sneer in the term as applied to Jesus and here to his followers. [source]
Revelation 11:1 Like a rod [ομοιος ραβδωι]
See Revelation 2:27; Mark 6:8 for ραβδος — rabdos one said “Saying” (present active masculine participle of λεγω — legō) is all that the Greek has. The participle implies εδωκεν — edōken (he gave), not εδοτη — edothē a harsh construction seen in Genesis 22:20; Genesis 38:24, etc.Rise and measure (εγειρε και μετρησον — egeire kai metrēson). Present active imperative of εγειρω — egeirō (intransitive, exclamatory use as in Mark 2:11) and first aorist active imperative of μετρεω — metreō In Ezekiel 42:2. the prophet measures the temple and that passage is probably in mind here. But modern scholars do not know how to interpret this interlude (Revelation 11:1-13) before the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15). Some (Wellhausen) take it to be a scrap from the Zealot party before the destruction of Jerusalem, which event Christ also foretold (Mark 13:2; Matthew 24:2; Luke 21:6) and which was also attributed to Stephen (Acts 6:14). Charles denies any possible literal interpretation and takes the language in a wholly eschatological sense. There are three points in the interlude, however understood: the chastisement of Jerusalem or Israel (Revelation 11:1, Revelation 11:2), the mission of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:3-12), the rescue of the remnant (Revelation 11:13). There is a heavenly sanctuary (Revelation 7:15; Revelation 11:19; Revelation 14:15, etc.), but here ναος — naos is on earth and yet not the actual temple in Jerusalem (unless so interpreted). Perhaps here it is the spiritual (Revelation 3:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 Corinthians 3:16.; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:19.). For altar (τυσιαστηριον — thusiastērion) see Revelation 8:3. Perhaps measuring as applied to “them that worship therein” (τους προσκυνουντας εν αυτωι — tous proskunountas en autōi) implies a word like numbering, with an allusion to the 144,000 in chapter 7 (a zeugma). [source]
Revelation 11:1 Rise and measure [εγειρε και μετρησον]
Present active imperative of εγειρω — egeirō (intransitive, exclamatory use as in Mark 2:11) and first aorist active imperative of μετρεω — metreō In Ezekiel 42:2. the prophet measures the temple and that passage is probably in mind here. But modern scholars do not know how to interpret this interlude (Revelation 11:1-13) before the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15). Some (Wellhausen) take it to be a scrap from the Zealot party before the destruction of Jerusalem, which event Christ also foretold (Mark 13:2; Matthew 24:2; Luke 21:6) and which was also attributed to Stephen (Acts 6:14). Charles denies any possible literal interpretation and takes the language in a wholly eschatological sense. There are three points in the interlude, however understood: the chastisement of Jerusalem or Israel (Revelation 11:1, Revelation 11:2), the mission of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:3-12), the rescue of the remnant (Revelation 11:13). There is a heavenly sanctuary (Revelation 7:15; Revelation 11:19; Revelation 14:15, etc.), but here ναος — naos is on earth and yet not the actual temple in Jerusalem (unless so interpreted). Perhaps here it is the spiritual (Revelation 3:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 Corinthians 3:16.; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:19.). For altar (τυσιαστηριον — thusiastērion) see Revelation 8:3. Perhaps measuring as applied to “them that worship therein” (τους προσκυνουντας εν αυτωι — tous proskunountas en autōi) implies a word like numbering, with an allusion to the 144,000 in chapter 7 (a zeugma). [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 6:14 mean?

we have heard for him saying that Jesus of Nazareth this will destroy the place this and will change the customs that delivered to us Moses
ἀκηκόαμεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ λέγοντος ὅτι Ἰησοῦς Ναζωραῖος οὗτος καταλύσει τὸν τόπον τοῦτον καὶ ἀλλάξει τὰ ἔθη παρέδωκεν ἡμῖν Μωϋσῆς

ἀκηκόαμεν  we  have  heard 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
λέγοντος  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
Ναζωραῖος  Nazareth 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ναζωραῖος  
Sense: an inhabitant of Nazareth.
οὗτος  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
καταλύσει  will  destroy 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: καταλύω  
Sense: to dissolve, disunite.
τόπον  place 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: τόπος 
Sense: place, any portion or space marked off, as it were from surrounding space.
τοῦτον  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ἀλλάξει  will  change 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀλλάσσω  
Sense: to change, to exchange one thing for another, to transform.
ἔθη  customs 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἔθος  
Sense: custom.
  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
παρέδωκεν  delivered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παραδίδωμι  
Sense: to give into the hands (of another).
ἡμῖν  to  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
Μωϋσῆς  Moses 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Μωσεύς 
Sense: the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion.