God’s Word Translation
Acts 19:37
37The men you brought here don’t rob temples or insult our goddess.
Acts 19:37 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
- New International Version (NIV)You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.
Context of Acts 19:37
35The city clerk finally quieted the crowd. Then he said, “Citizens of Ephesus, everyone knows that this city of the Ephesians is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis. Everyone knows that Ephesus is the keeper of the statue that fell down from Zeus. 36No one can deny this. So you have to be quiet and not do anything foolish. The men you brought here don’t rob temples or insult our goddess. 38If Demetrius and the men who work for him have a legal complaint against anyone, we have special days and officials to hold court. That’s where they should bring charges against each other. 39If you want anything else, you must settle the matter in a legal assembly.
Read all of Acts 19Acts 19:37 word by word
ἠγάγετε γὰρ τοὺς ἄνδρας τούτους οὔτε ἱεροσύλους οὔτε βλασφημοῦντας τὴν θεὸν ἡμῶν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- ye have brought hitherἄγωagō · to bringG71
- theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- menἀνήρanēr · manG435
- which areὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- neitherοὔτεoute · neitherG3777
- robbers of churchesἱερόσυλοςhierosulos · temple robberG2417
- blasphemersβλασφημέωblasphēmeō · to blasphemeG987
- of yourσύsu · youG4771
- goddessθεάthea · goddessG2299
Cross-references for Acts 19:37
- Acts 25:8Paul defended himself by saying, “I haven’t broken any Jewish law or done anything against the temple or the emperor.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:32Don’t cause others to stumble, whether they are Jewish, Greek, or members of God’s church.
- 2 Corinthians 6:3We don’t give people any opportunity to find fault with how we serve.
Commentaries on Acts 19:37
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37These men - are neither robbers of churches - ̔ ; Spoilers of sacred places. As his design evidently was to appease and conciliate the people, he fixed first on a most incontrovertible fact: These men have not spoiled your temples; nor is there any evidence that they have even blasphemed your goddess. The apostles acted as prudent men should: they endeavored to enlighten the minds of the multitude, that the absurdity of their gross errors might be the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37For ye - Demetrius and his friends. The blame was to be traced to them. Which are neither robbers of churches - The word “churches” we now apply to edifices reared for purposes of Christian worship. Since no such churches had then been built, this translation is unhappy, and is not at all demanded by the original. The Greek word ̔́ hierosulousis applied properly to those who commit sacrilege; who plunder temples of their sacred things. The meaning here…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 32-41Verses 32-41 The Jews came forward in this tumult. Those who are thus careful to distinguish themselves from the servants of Christ now, and are afraid of being taken for them, shall have their doom accordingly in the great day. One, having authority, at length stilled the noise. It is a very good rule at all times, both in private and public affairs, not to be hasty and rash in our motions, but to take time to consider; and always to keep our passions…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 35-41The city clerk stopped the demonstration to prevent the city from being accused of rioting by the Roman government. This story shows that Christians in the Roman world had the right to a fair legal process.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 35-4135-41. when the town-clerk--keeper of the public archives, and a magistrate of great authority. had appeased--"calmed." the people--"the multitude," which the very presence of such an officer would go far to do. he said ... what man ... knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana--literally, the neocoros or "warden." The word means "temple-sweeper"; then, "temple-guardian." Thirteen cities of Asia had an interest…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 19:37
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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