Acts 6:10
New International Version
But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

New Living Translation
None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.

English Standard Version
But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

Berean Standard Bible
but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

Berean Literal Bible
And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

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

New King James Version
And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

New American Standard Bible
But they were unable to cope with his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

NASB 1995
But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

NASB 1977
And yet they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

Legacy Standard Bible
But they were unable to oppose the wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

Amplified Bible
But they were not able to successfully withstand and cope with the wisdom and the intelligence [and the power and inspiration] of the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

Christian Standard Bible
But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

American Standard Version
And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake.

Contemporary English Version
But they were no match for Stephen, who spoke with the great wisdom that the Spirit gave him.

English Revised Version
And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They couldn't argue with Stephen because he spoke with the wisdom that the Spirit had given him.

Good News Translation
But the Spirit gave Stephen such wisdom that when he spoke, they could not refute him.

International Standard Version
But they could neither refute the wisdom nor withstand the Spirit by which he kept speaking.

Majority Standard Bible
but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

NET Bible
Yet they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

New Heart English Bible
They weren't able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke.

Weymouth New Testament
They were quite unable, however, to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

World English Bible
They weren’t able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking;

Berean Literal Bible
And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

Young's Literal Translation
and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking;

Smith's Literal Translation
And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit that spoke.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

New American Bible
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

New Revised Standard Version
But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But they were unable to stand up against the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and The Spirit who was speaking in him.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

Godbey New Testament
and they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit with which he was speaking.

Haweis New Testament
And they could not resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

Mace New Testament
but as they were not able to withstand the force of that sublime knowledge which appeared in his discourse,

Weymouth New Testament
They were quite unable, however, to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

Worrell New Testament
And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking.

Worsley New Testament
and they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Arrest of Stephen
9But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They began to argue with Stephen, 10but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. 11Then they prompted some men to say, “We heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.”…

Cross References
Luke 21:15
For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

Matthew 10:19-20
But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. / For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

1 Corinthians 2:4-5
My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, / so that your faith would not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

1 Corinthians 1:17-18
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. / For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5
The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. / We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Ephesians 6:19-20
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, / for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect,

John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.

John 16:13
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.

Isaiah 54:17
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.

Exodus 4:12
Now go! I will help you as you speak, and I will teach you what to say.”

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.

Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.


Treasury of Scripture

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

able.

Acts 5:39
But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

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.

Exodus 4:12
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

the spirit.

Job 32:8,18
But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding…

Micah 3:8
But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

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.

Jump to Previous
Able Better Full However Quite Resist Speaking Spirit Stand Unable Weren't Wisdom Withstand Words
Jump to Next
Able Better Full However Quite Resist Speaking Spirit Stand Unable Weren't Wisdom Withstand Words
Acts 6
1. The apostles, desirous to have the poor cared for,
2. as also careful themselves to dispense the word of God, the food of the soul,
3. recommend,
5. and with the church's consent ordain seven chosen men to the office of deaconship.
7. The word of God prevails,
8. Stephen, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, confuting those with whom he disputed,
12. is brought before the council,
13. and falsely accused of blasphemy against the law and the temple.














but they could not stand up to his wisdom
This phrase highlights the divine wisdom given to Stephen, one of the seven deacons chosen to serve the early church. His wisdom is reminiscent of Solomon's, who was also endowed with divine wisdom (1 Kings 3:12). The inability of Stephen's opponents to counter his arguments underscores the fulfillment of Jesus' promise in Luke 21:15, where He assured His followers that He would give them words and wisdom that none of their adversaries would be able to resist or contradict. This wisdom is not merely human intellect but is divinely inspired, reflecting the Holy Spirit's work in the early church.

or the Spirit by whom he spoke
The reference to "the Spirit" indicates the Holy Spirit's active role in empowering Stephen. This aligns with Acts 1:8, where Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would empower His disciples to be His witnesses. The Spirit's presence in Stephen's speech is a testament to the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy (Joel 2:28-29) about the outpouring of the Spirit in the last days. The Holy Spirit's guidance is evident throughout Acts, as seen in the apostles' boldness and the miraculous signs accompanying their ministry. Stephen's speech, filled with the Spirit, serves as a type of Christ, who also spoke with authority and wisdom that confounded His opponents (Matthew 22:46).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Stephen
One of the seven deacons chosen to serve the early church, known for his faith and the Holy Spirit's power. He was a man full of grace and power, performing great wonders and signs among the people.

2. The Synagogue of the Freedmen
A group of Jewish individuals who opposed Stephen. They were likely Hellenistic Jews, possibly former slaves or descendants of freed slaves, who had their own synagogue in Jerusalem.

3. The Dispute
Stephen engaged in a debate with members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen. Despite their efforts, they were unable to refute his wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

4. The Holy Spirit
The third person of the Trinity, who empowered Stephen to speak with wisdom and authority that his opponents could not withstand.

5. Jerusalem
The city where these events took place, serving as the center of early Christian activity and the location of the temple.
Teaching Points
The Power of the Holy Spirit
Believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak with wisdom and authority. We should rely on the Spirit rather than our own understanding.

Wisdom from Above
True wisdom comes from God and can withstand any human argument. We should seek divine wisdom through prayer and study of the Scriptures.

Courage in the Face of Opposition
Like Stephen, we should stand firm in our faith, even when faced with opposition. Our confidence should be in God's truth and His Spirit within us.

The Role of the Church
The early church's selection of deacons like Stephen shows the importance of service and leadership within the church community. We should value and support those who serve.

Faithfulness in Witness
Stephen's example encourages us to be faithful witnesses of Christ, trusting that God will use our testimony for His glory.(10) They were not able.--Better, had no strength; the verb being somewhat more forcible than that commonly translated "to be able."

To resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he spake.--It is remarkable that Stephen is the first Christian teacher of whom "wisdom" is thus specially predicted. In the Gospels it is ascribed to our Lord (Matthew 13:54; Luke 2:40; Luke 2:52); and we read of "the wisdom of Solomon" (Matthew 12:42). In a writer like St. Luke, it implies something higher even than the "consolation" or "prophecy" from which Barnabas took his name--wider thoughts, a clearer vision of the truth, the development of what had been before latent in hints and parables and dark sayings. The speech that follows in the next chapter, may be accepted as an example, as far as circumstances allowed, of the method and power of his general teaching.

Verse 10. - Withstand for resist, A.V. This was a part of the "power" mentioned in ver. 8.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[but]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they could not
ἴσχυον (ischyon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2480: To have strength, be strong, be in full health and vigor, be able; meton: I prevail. From ischus; to have force.

stand up to
ἀντιστῆναι (antistēnai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 436: To set against; I withstand, resist, oppose. From anti and histemi; to stand against, i.e. Oppose.

[his]
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

wisdom
σοφίᾳ (sophia)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4678: Wisdom, insight, skill (human or divine), intelligence. From sophos; wisdom.

[or]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Spirit
Πνεύματι (Pneumati)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

by whom
(hō)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

he spoke.
ἐλάλει (elalei)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2980: A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. Utter words.


Links
Acts 6:10 NIV
Acts 6:10 NLT
Acts 6:10 ESV
Acts 6:10 NASB
Acts 6:10 KJV

Acts 6:10 BibleApps.com
Acts 6:10 Biblia Paralela
Acts 6:10 Chinese Bible
Acts 6:10 French Bible
Acts 6:10 Catholic Bible

NT Apostles: Acts 6:10 They weren't able to withstand the wisdom (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 6:9
Top of Page
Top of Page