Acts 6:9

But some of those who were of the synagogue called “The Libertines”, and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen.

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Other translations

WEBBE

But some of those who were of the synagogue called “The Libertines”, and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen.

BSB

But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They disputed with Stephen,

KJV

Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

ASV

But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue called [the synagogue] of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen.

BBE

But some of those who were of the Synagogue named that of the Libertines, and some of the men of Cyrene and of Alexandria and those from Cilicia and Asia, had arguments with Stephen.

Original Greek

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ἀνέστησαν anestēsan Arose G450 δέ de however G1161 τινες tines certain G5100 τῶν tōn of those G3588 ἐκ ek from G1537 τῆς tēs the G3588 συναγωγῆς sunagōgēs synagogue G4864 τῆς tēs which G3588 λεγομένης legomenēs is being named G3004 Λιβερτίνων Libertinōn Freedmen G3032 καὶ kai including G2532 Κυρηναίων Kurēnaiōn Cyrenians G2956 καὶ kai and G2532 Ἀλεξανδρέων Alexandreōn Alexandrians G221 καὶ kai and G2532 τῶν tōn of those G3588 ἀπὸ apo from G575 Κιλικίας Kilikias Cilicia G2791 καὶ kai and G2532 Ἀσίας Asias Asia G773 συζητοῦντες suzētountes disputing G4802 τῷ tō (the) G3588 Στεφάνῳ Stephanō with Stephen G4736

The early church

Again he uses the phrase of "rising up" to denote their exasperation and wrath. Here we have a great multitude. And observe the difference in the form of accusation: for since Gamaliel had stopped them from finding fault on the former plea, they bring in another charge. The synagogues were diverse: to wit, "Of the Libertines": "of the Cyrenians, i.e. those in the parts beyond Alexandria, of the Alexandrians," etc. There also they seem to have had synagogues according to their different nations; for many stayed behind there, that they might not be obliged to be continually travelling. The Libertines perhaps were freedmen of the Romans. As there were many foreigners dwelling there, so they had their synagogues, where the Law was to be read.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 8–15

When they could not answer Stephen's arguments as a disputant, they prosecuted him as a criminal, and brought false witnesses against him. And it is next to a miracle of providence, that no greater number of religious persons have been murdered in the world, by the way of perjury and pretence of law, when so many thousands hate them, who make no conscience of false oaths. Wisdom and holiness make a man's face to shine, yet will not secure men from being treated badly. What shall we say of man, a rational being, yet attempting to uphold a religious system by false witness and murder! And this has been done in numberless instances. But the blame rests not so much upon the understanding, as upon the heart of a fallen creature, which is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Yet the servant of the Lord, possessing a clear conscience, cheerful hope, and Divine consolations, may smile in the midst of danger and death.

Read Matthew Henry on Acts 6 →

Cross-references

25

People & places

Stephen AsiaCilicia

Topics

PersecutionGovernmentServantSynagogueGreeceIntolerance, ReligiousCiliciaCyreneAlexandriaFreedmenLibertines

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.