Acts 6:14
in Acts 6For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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
For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
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This verse in Acts 6
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThey brought men who said that "we have heard him uttering blasphemous words against Moses and God." What were the words? "That this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place." And indeed Stephen said this, though not perhaps in so bare a form. How then …
This site's exposition
where they presented false witnesses
on Acts 6:13-14
The false witnesses accuse Stephen of saying Jesus will destroy this place and change the customs of Moses. The charge distorts what Jesus taught of the temple's destruction, and the same charge had been brought at His own trial (Mark 14:58).
This site's exposition
change the customs that Moses
Albert Barnes explains that the customs were the ceremonial rites Moses appointed, such as sacrifices and festivals. Matthew Henry answers the charge: Christ and His preachers always quoted Moses with respect and taught only what Moses said would come. Henry calls the indictment unjust.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
They say not, "he speaketh," but, "he ceaseth not to speak. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, and set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law." "Ceaseth not," say they, as if he made this his business. "For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us." "Jesus," they say, "the Nazarene," as a term of reproach, "shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs." This is also what they said about Christ. "Thou that destroyest this Temple." For great was their veneration for the Temple (as indeed they had chosen to leave their own country in order to be near it) and for the name of Moses. The charge is twofold. If He "shall change the customs," He will also introduce others instead: observe how the charge is a bitter one, and fraught with perils.
"We have heard him," they say, "speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God": and again, "This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law," and with an addition, "the customs which Moses delivered to us"; Moses, not God. Upon the supposition of a design to overturn their manner of life, they accused him of impiety also.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"And they set up false witnesses, who said." Everywhere false testimony. They did not wish to kill simply, but by verdict, calculating that by this they would undermine the good reputation of those whom they were killing. They did not say of Stephen: "he speaks," …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But did Stephen blaspheme Moses? By no means, he was far from it. Christ, and the preachers of his gospel, never said any thing that looked like blaspheming Moses; they always quoted his writings with respect, appealed to them, and said no other things than what Moses said should come; very unjustly therefore is Stephen indicted for blaspheming Moses.
For we have heard him say,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Shall change - Shall abolish them, or shall introduce others in their place. The customs - The ceremonial rites and observances of sacrifices, festivals, etc., appointed by Moses.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
blasphemous words against Moses--doubtless referring to the impending disappearance of the whole Mosaic system. and against God--This must refer to the supreme dignity and authority which he claimed for Christ, as the head of that new economy which was so speedily to supersede the old (compare Ac 7:56, 59, 60).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀκηκόαμεν | akekoamen | we have heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| λέγοντος | legontos | saying | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| Ἰησοῦς | iesous | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ναζωραῖος | nazoraios | of Nazareth | G3480 → | 13 times |
| οὗτος | houtos | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| καταλύσει | katalusei | will destroy | G2647 → | 17 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τόπον | topon | place | G5117 → | 94 times |
| τοῦτον | touton | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀλλάξει | allaxei | will change | G236 → | |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔθη | ethe | customs | G1485 → | 12 times |
| ἃ | ha | that | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| παρέδωκεν | paredoken | delivered | G3860 → | 119 times |
| ἡμῖν | hemin | to us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| Μωϋσῆς. | mouses | Moses. | G3475 → | 78 times |
ἀκηκόαμενwe have heard
akekoamenG191 →425 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
αὐτοῦhim
autouG846 →5565 times
λέγοντοςsaying
legontosG3004 →1325 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἸησοῦςJesus
iesousG2424 →908 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
Ναζωραῖοςof Nazareth
nazoraiosG3480 →13 times
οὗτοςthis
houtosG3778 →1381 times
καταλύσειwill destroy
kataluseiG2647 →17 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
τόπονplace
toponG5117 →94 times
τοῦτονthis
toutonG3778 →1381 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀλλάξειwill change
allaxeiG236 →
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
ἔθηcustoms
etheG1485 →12 times
ἃthat
haG3739 →1405 times
παρέδωκενdelivered
paredokenG3860 →119 times
ἡμῖνto us
heminG3165 →1936 times
Μωϋσῆς.Moses.
mousesG3475 →78 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 15:1Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
it leads to
- Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.
- Acts 15:5
But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”
- Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
- Galatians 2:11–14
When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned.
- 1 Corinthians 7:18–19
Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be circumcised.
- Galatians 5:6
Through
Daniel 9:26Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end…
it leads to
- Isaiah 53:8
By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was stricken for the transgression of My people.
- Isaiah 53:8
Through
Acts 21:21But they are under the impression that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe our customs.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 9:19–21
Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
- Galatians 6:12–15
Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 9:19–21
Where this verse is studied
About Acts

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on Acts; 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 15; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.
