Acts 6 · Verse 10

Acts 6:10

And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Acts 6:10, King James Version

Acts 6:10 in other translations

BSBbut they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
WEBThey weren’t able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
ASVAnd they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake.
YLTand they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking;
DARBYAnd they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
BBEBut they were not able to get the better of him, for his words were full of wisdom and of the Spirit.
WebsterAnd they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke.

What does Acts 6:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 6:9-10

9-10. synagogue of the Libertines--Jewish freedmen; manumitted Roman captives, or the children of such, expelled from Rome (as appears from Josephus and Tacitus), and now residing at Jerusalem. Cyrenians--Jews of Cyrene, in Libya, on the coast of Africa. them of Cilicia--amongst whom may have been Saul of Tarsus (Ac 7:58; 21:39). and of Asia--(See on Ac 16:6).

Read the full comment on Acts 6:9-10 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 10. 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 ardour 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 farther to convince the great mass of mankind, than the most able argument, if delivered in a cold and indifferent manner.

(a) "able to resist" Lk 21:15

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 6:8-15

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…

Read the full comment on Acts 6:8-15 →

Acts 6:10 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
οὐκouknotG3756
ἴσχυονischuonthey were ableG2480
ἀντιστῆναιantistēnaito withstandG436
τῇtēaagainst theG3588
σοφίᾳsophiawisdomG4678
καὶkaiandG2532
τῷtōagainst theG3588
πνεύματιpneumatiSpiritG4151
ᾧhōby whomG3739
ἐλάλει.¶elaleihe was speaking.G2980

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 6:10

  • Luke 21:15

    For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

  • 1 Corinthians 2:4

    And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

  • Matthew 10:19-20

    But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

  • John 7:46

    The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

  • Luke 12:11-12

    And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

  • Job 32:8

    But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

  • Exodus 4:12

    Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

  • Luke 1:17

    And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

  • Ezekiel 3:27

    But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

  • Acts 5:39

    But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

  • Job 32:18

    For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.

  • Acts 7:51

    Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
able.
5:39; 7:51; Ex 4:12; Isa 54:17; Jer 1:18,19; 15:20; Eze 3:27
Mt 10:19,20; Lu 12:11,12; 21:15; Joh 7:46
the spirit.
Job 32:8,18; Mic 3:8; Lu 1:17; 1Co 2:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 6:9

    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.

  • Acts 6:10

    And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

  • Acts 6:11

    Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

Read all of Acts 6

Acts 6:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas no podían resistir á la sabiduría y al Espíritu con que hablaba.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils ne pouvaient pas résister à la sagesse et à l’Esprit par lequel il parlait.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie vermochten nicht der Weisheit und dem Geiste zu widerstehen, womit er redete.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et non poterant resistere sapientiæ, et Spiritui qui loquebatur.