Acts 14:4
in Acts 14The people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews, and others with the apostles.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But the multitude of the city was divided; and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
KJV
But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
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This verse in Acts 14
Commentary
8 notes on this verseWhat Christ spoke of came to pass: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matt. 10:34).
This site's exposition
The people of the city
on Acts 14:4-5
The people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews and others with the apostles. Gentiles and Jews, groups elsewhere at odds, join with their rulers to mistreat and stone them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And the multitude of the city," etc. Accordingly they did not wait for it, but saw the intention of attacking them, and fled, on no occasion kindling their wrath.
"But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the Apostles." No small matter this dividing. And this was what the Lord said, "I am not come to bring peace, but a sword."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But the multitude of the city was divided,....
It seems, this business of the preaching of the gospel was so universally taken notice of with concern that every person, even of the multitude of the city, was either for it or against it; none stood neuter. "Either for us or for our adversaries, for God or Baal, for Christ or Beelzebub." 1.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The multitude of the city was divided - The Jews treated the apostles as false teachers, and their miracles as impositions; and many of the people held with them: while the others, who had not hardened their hearts against the truth, felt the force of it; and, being without prejudice, could easily discern the miracles to be the work of God, and therefore held with the apostles.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Was divided - Into parties. Greek: there was a schism - Ἐσχίσθη Eschisthē. And part held with the Jews - Held to the doctrines of the Jews, in opposition to the apostles. A revival of religion often produces excitement by the bad passions of opposers. The enemies of the truth form parties, and organize opposition. It is no uncommon thing even now for such parties to be formed; but the fault is not in Christianity. It lies with those who form a party against religion, and who confederate themselves, as was done here, to oppose it.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐσχίσθη | eschisthe | Was divided | G4977 → | |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πλῆθος | plethos | multitude | G4128 → | 31 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πόλεως, | poleos | city, | G4172 → | 163 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἱ | hoi | some | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὲν | men | indeed | G3303 → | 176 times |
| ἦσαν | esan | were | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| σὺν | sun | with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| τοῖς | tois | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰουδαίοις, | ioudaiois | Jews, | G2453 → | 192 times |
| οἱ | hoi | some | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| σὺν | sun | with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| τοῖς | tois | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀποστόλοις. | apostolois | apostles. | G652 → | 79 times |
ἐσχίσθηWas divided
eschistheG4977 →
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
πλῆθοςmultitude
plethosG4128 →31 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
πόλεως,city,
poleosG4172 →163 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἱsome
hoiG3588 →19766 times
μὲνindeed
menG3303 →176 times
ἦσανwere
esanG1510 →2333 times
σὺνwith
sunG4862 →128 times
τοῖςthe
toisG3588 →19766 times
Ἰουδαίοις,Jews,
ioudaioisG2453 →192 times
οἱsome
hoiG3588 →19766 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
σὺνwith
sunG4862 →128 times
τοῖςthe
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἀποστόλοις.apostles.
apostoloisG652 →79 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 19:9But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
it leads to
- Acts 18:6–8
But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 19:23
About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
- Acts 9:2
and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
- 2 Peter 2:12
These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed.
- Jude 1:10
These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively.
- Acts 18:6–8
Through
Acts 28:24Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe.
it leads to
- Acts 17:4–5
Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.
- Acts 19:8–9
Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
- Acts 17:4–5
Through
Acts 14:14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
it leads to
- Matthew 26:65
At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.
- Matthew 26:65
Where this verse is studied
About Acts

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 30; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.
