Acts 6:10
in Acts 6but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake.
KJV
And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
⋯
This verse in Acts 6
Commentary
14 notes on this verseAnd they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. This is what the Lord Himself says to His martyrs: For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. It …
This site's exposition
resistance arose from what was called
on Acts 6:9-10
Opposition rises from the Synagogue of the Freedmen, Jews of the dispersion from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia. Saul of Tarsus was a native of Cilicia, which may place him in this congregation.
This site's exposition
his wisdom or the Spirit
Henry sees here the fulfillment of Jesus' promise in Luke 21 of words and wisdom that no adversary could resist. Clarke takes the Spirit to be the Holy Spirit, while Barnes reads it as Stephen's own zeal and energy. Chrysostom notes that defeat in argument led to false witnesses.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
"Disputing with Stephen." Observe him, not taking upon him to teach, but forced to do so. The miracles once more brought him into ill-will; but when he overcame in argument, it was false-witness! For they did not wish to kill intolerable to them. "They could not resist, etc.: then they suborned men." Everywhere out of hand, but by means of a sentence, that they might hurt their reputation also: and leaving those (the Apostles), they attack these (the disciples), thinking in this way to terrify those also.
Observe the power of the preaching, that, though they are not only scourged but stoned, it still prevails: not only, private individuals as they are, dragged to the bar, but assailed from all quarters: and, their enemies themselves being witnesses, not only were these worsted, but "they were not able" even "to resist," though they were exceeding shameless: so mightily did it overthrow them, for all that they could do with their preposterous figments (as the saying that He had a devil - He that cast out devils!). For the battle was not man's, but God's against men. And there were many combined together; not only they in Jerusalem, but others as well.
He says that their frenzy and momentum rose again and that they were not only roused against themselves but also would soon debate and sophisticate with another crowd, perhaps Libertines, and Alexandrians, and Cyrenaicans, and Cilicians, and Asians. And just as the discussion proceeds through …
In another way: the Libertines and Cyrenians from beyond Alexandria, since they were thought to surpass the Jews in sophistry. Therefore various synagogues were stationed in Jerusalem according to nations. And they had places set apart for the reading of the laws of Moses. For …
The Medieval Church1 voice
"They entered into a dispute with Stephen." In irritation and anger they argue in order to force him to say something. And he, perhaps, was speaking very openly and was talking about the cessation of the law, or rather, he was not speaking directly but …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Holy Spirit who spoke. In the Greek text, there is more: "And they were not able to resist the wisdom that was in him, and the Holy Spirit who spoke: for which reason they …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It is not said, They were not able to resist him, but, They were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke, that Spirit of wisdom which spoke by him. Now was fulfilled that promise, I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist, Luke xxi.
); he served the interests of religion as a disputant, in the high places of the field, while others were serving them as vinedressers and husbandmen. We are here told who were his opponents,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And they were not able to resist the wisdom,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
They there not able to resist the wisdom, etc. - He was wise, well exercised and experienced, in Divine things; and, as appears by his defense, in the following chapter, well versed in the Jewish history. The spirit by which he spake was the Holy Spirit, and its power was irresistible. They were obliged either to yield to its teachings, or were confounded by its truth. Several MSS. add to this verse, because he reproved them with boldness, they could not resist the truth. This reading is not genuine, though it exists (but in different forms) in some good MSS.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
To resist - That is, they were not able to “answer” his arguments. The wisdom - This properly refers to his knowledge of the Scriptures; his skill in what “the Jews” esteemed to be wisdom - acquaintance with their sacred writings, opinions, etc. And the spirit - This has been commonly understood of the Holy Spirit, by which he was aided; but it rather means the “energy, power,” or “ardor” of Stephen. He “evinced” a spirit of zeal and sincerity which they could not withstand; which served, more than mere argument could have done, to convince them that he was right. The evidence of sincerity, honesty, and zeal in a public speaker will often go further to convince the great mass of mankind, than the most able argument if delivered in a cold and indifferent manner.
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἴσχυον | ischuon | they were able | G2480 → | 28 times |
| ἀντιστῆναι | antistenai | to withstand | G436 → | |
| τῇ | tea | against the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σοφίᾳ | sophia | wisdom | G4678 → | 51 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τῷ | to | against the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πνεύματι | pneumati | Spirit | G4151 → | 378 times |
| ᾧ | ho | by whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐλάλει.¶ | elalei | he was speaking. | G2980 → | 294 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἴσχυονthey were able
ischuonG2480 →28 times
ἀντιστῆναιto withstand
antistenaiG436 →
τῇagainst the
teaG3588 →19766 times
σοφίᾳwisdom
sophiaG4678 →51 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τῷagainst the
toG3588 →19766 times
πνεύματιSpirit
pneumatiG4151 →378 times
ᾧby whom
hoG3739 →1405 times
ἐλάλει.¶he was speaking.
elaleiG2980 →294 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
Luke 21:15For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 1:9
Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
- Ephesians 6:19
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel,
- Luke 12:12
For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.”
- Exodus 4:11–12
And the LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, the sighted or the blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
- Jeremiah 1:9
Through
1 Corinthians 2:4My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 4:20
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:5
because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with great conviction—just as you know we lived among you for your sake.
- 1 Corinthians 1:17
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
- 1 Corinthians 2:1
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.
- 1 Corinthians 4:20
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Bede, Retractions on Acts; J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 15; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.