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.
YLT: and there arose certain of those of the synagogue, called of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia, and Asia, disputing with Stephen,
Darby: And there arose up certain of those of the synagogue called of freedmen, and of Cyrenians, and of Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and 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.
| ἀνέστησαν | Arose |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: ἀναπηδάω Sense: to cause to rise up, raise up. |
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| δέ | however |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: δέ Sense: but, moreover, and, etc. |
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| τινες | certain |
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Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: τὶς Sense: a certain, a certain one. |
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| τῶν | of those |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| συναγωγῆς | synagogue |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: συναγωγή Sense: a bringing together, gathering (as of fruits), a contracting. |
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| τῆς | - |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| λεγομένης | called |
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Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: λέγω Sense: to say, to speak. |
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| Λιβερτίνων | Freedmen |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: Λιβερτῖνος Sense: one who has been liberated from slavery, a freedman, or the son of a freed man. |
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| καὶ | including |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: καί Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but. |
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| Κυρηναίων | Cyrenians |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: Κυρεῖνος Sense: a native of Cyrene. |
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| Ἀλεξανδρέων | Alexandrians |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: Ἀλεξανδρεύς Sense: a native or resident of Alexandria in Egypt. |
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| Κιλικίας | Cilicia |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: Κιλικία Sense: a maritime province in the southeast of Asia Minor, boarding on Pamphylia in the west, Lycaonia and Cappadocia in the north and Syria in the east. |
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| Ἀσίας | Asia |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: Ἀσία Sense: Asia proper or proconsular Asia embracing Mysia, Lydia, Phrygia, and Caria, corresponding closely to Turkey today. |
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| συζητοῦντες | disputing |
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Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: συζητέω Sense: to seek or examine together. |
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| Στεφάνῳ | Stephen |
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Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular Root: Στέφανοσ1 Sense: one of the seven deacons in Jerusalem and the first Christian martyr. |
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Greek Commentary for Acts 6:9
The Libertines (Latin libertinus, a freedman or the son of a freedman) were Jews, once slaves of Rome (perhaps descendants of the Jews taken to Rome as captives by Pompey), now set free and settled in Jerusalem and numerous enough to have a synagogue of their own. Schuerer calls a Talmudic myth the statement that there were 480 synagogues in Jerusalem. There were many, no doubt, but how many no one knows. These places of worship and study were in all the cities of the later times where there were Jews enough to maintain one. Apparently Luke here speaks of five such synagogues in Jerusalem (that of the Libertines, of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, of Cilicia, and of Asia). There probably were enough Hellenists in Jerusalem to have five such synagogues. But the language of Luke is not clear on this point. He may make only two groups instead of five since he uses the article των tōn twice (once before Λιβερτινων και Κυρηναιων και Αλεχανδρεων Libertinōn kai Kurēnaiōn kai Alexandreōn again before απο Κιλικιας και Ασιας apo Kilikias kai Asias). He also changes from the genitive plural to απο apo before Cilicia and Asia. But, leaving the number of the synagogues unsettled whether five or two, it is certain that in each one where Stephen appeared as a Hellenist preaching Jesus as the Messiah he met opposition. Certain of them “arose” Present active participle of συνζητεω sunzēteō to question together as the two on the way to Emmaus did (Luke 24:15). Such interruptions were common with Jews. They give a skilled speaker great opportunity for reply if he is quick in repartee. Evidently Stephen was fully equipped for the emergency. One of their synagogues had men from Cilicia in it, making it practically certain that young Saul of Tarsus, the brilliant student of Gamaliel, was present and tried his wits with Stephen. His ignominious defeat may be one explanation of his zest in the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1). [source]
See on Church, Matthew 16:18. [source]
In Jerusalem, and probably in other large cities, the several synagogues were arranged according to nationalities, and even crafts. Thus we have in this verse mention of the synagogues of the Cyrenians, Alexandrians, Cilicians, and Asiatics. Libertines is a Latin word (libertini, freedmen )and means here Jews or their descendants who had been taken as slaves to Rome, and had there received their liberty; and who, in consequence of the decree of Tiberius, about 19 a.d., expelling them from Rome, had returned in great numbers to Jerusalem. They were likely to be the chief opponents of Stephen, because they supposed that by his preaching, their religion, for which they had suffered at Rome, was endangered in Jerusalem. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 6:9
Imperfect active of sunzēteō the very verb used in Acts 6:9 of the disputes with Stephen in these very synagogues in one of which (Cilicia) Saul had probably joined issue with Stephen to his own discomfort. It was intolerable to these Hellenistic Jews now to hear Saul taking the place of Stephen and using the very arguments that Stephen had employed. But they went about to kill him (Hoi de epecheiroun anelein auton). Demonstrative hoi with de and the conative imperfect of epicheireō to put the hand to, to try, an old verb used in the N.T. only three times (Luke 1:1; Acts 9:29; Acts 19:3). They offer to Saul the same conclusive answer that he gave to Stephen, death. Paul tells how the Lord Jesus appeared to him at this juncture in a vision in the temple (Acts 22:17-21) with the distinct command to leave Jerusalem and how Paul protested that he was willing to meet the fate of Stephen in whose death he had a shameful part. That is to Saul‘s credit, but the Lord did not want Saul to be put to death yet. His crown of martyrdom will come later. [source]
Only here. Compare the kindred verb συζητέω toquestion with, Mark 1:27; Luke 22:23; Acts 6:9; and συζήτησις disputation Acts 15:2, Acts 15:7. Referring to Grecian sophistical reasoners, while scribe refers to rabbinical hair-splitters. [source]
Paul makes use of Isaiah 33:18 without exact quotation. The sudden retreat of Sennacherib with the annihilation of his officers. “On the tablet of Shalmaneser in the Assyrian Gallery of the British Museum there is a surprisingly exact picture of the scene described by Isaiah” (Robertson and Plummer). Note the absence of the Greek article in each of these rhetorical questions though the idea is clearly definite. Probably σοπος sophos refers to the Greek philosopher, γραμματευς grammateus to the Jewish scribe and συνζητητης sunzētētēs suits both the Greek and the Jewish disputant and doubter (Acts 6:9; Acts 9:29; Acts 17:18; Acts 28:29). There is a note of triumph in these questions. The word συνζητητης sunzētētēs occurs here alone in the N.T. and elsewhere only in Ignatius, Ephesians. 18 quoting this passage, but the papyri give the verb συνζητεω sunzēteō for disputing (questioning together). [source]
The word synagogue is a transcript of this. From σύν , together, and ἄγω , to bring. Hence, literally, a gathering or congregation, in which sense the word is common in the Septuagint, not only of assemblies for worship, but of gatherings for other public purposes. From the meeting itself the transition is easy to the place of meeting, the synagogue; and in this sense the term is used throughout the New Testament, with the following exceptions: In Acts 13:43, it is rendered congregation by the A. V., though Rev. gives synagogue; and in Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9, the unbelieving Jews, as a body, are called synagogue of Satan. As a designation of a distinctively Jewish assembly or place of worship it was more sharply emphasized by the adoption of the word ἐκκλησία , ecclesiato denote the Christian church. In this passage alone the word is distinctly applied to a Christian assembly or place of worship. The simplest explanation appears to be that the word designates the place of meeting for the Christian body, James using the word most familiar to the Jewish Christians; an explanation which receives countenance from the fact that, as Huther observes, “the Jewish Christians regarded themselves as still an integral part of the Jewish nation, as the chosen people of God.” As such a portion they had their special synagogue. From Acts 6:9, we learn that there were numerous synagogues in Jerusalem, representing different bodies, such as the descendants of Jewish freedmen at Rome, and the Alexandrian or Hellenistic Jews. Among these would be the synagogue of the Christians, and such would be the case in all large cities where the dispersed Jews congregated. Alford quotes a phrase from the “Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs:” the synagogue of the Gentiles. Compare Hebrews 10:25, “the assembling together ( ἐπισυναγωγὴν ) of yourselves.”With a gold ring ( χρυσοδακτύλιος )Only here in New Testament. Not a man wearing a single gold ring (as A. V. and Rev.), which would not attract attention in an assembly where most persons wore a ring, but a gold-ringed man, having his hands conspicuously loaded with rings and jewels. The ring was regarded as an indispensable article of a Hebrew's attire, since it contained his signet; and the name of the ring, tabbath, was derived from a root signifying to impress a seal. It was a proverbial expression for a most valued object. See Isaiah 22:24; Haggai 2:23. The Greeks and Romans wore them in great profusion. Hannibal, after the battle of Cannae, sent as a trophy to Carthage, three bushels of gold rings from the fingers of the Roman knights slain in battle. To wear rings on the right hand was regarded as a mark of effeminacy; but they were worn profusely on the left. Martial says of one Charinus that he wore six on each finger, and never laid them aside, either at night or when bathing. The fops had rings of different sizes for summer and winter. Aristophanes distinguishes between the populace and those who wear rings, and in his comedy of “The Clouds” uses the formidable word σφραγιδονυχαργοκομῆται , lazy, long-haired fops, with rings and well-trimmed nails. Demosthenes was so conspicuous for this kind of ornament that, at a time of public disaster, it was stigmatized as unbecoming vanity. Frequent mention is made of their enormous cost. They were of gold and silver, sometimes of both; sometimes of iron inlaid with gold. The possible beauty of these latter will be appreciated by those who have seen the elegant gold and iron jewellery made at Toledo, in Spain. Sometimes they were of amber, ivory, or porcelain. The practice of wearing rings was adopted by the early Christians. Many of their rings were adorned with the symbols of the faith - the cross, the anchor, the monogram of Christ, etc. Among the rings found in the catacombs are some with a key, and some with both a key and a seal, for both locking and sealing a casket.Goodly apparel ( ἐσθῆτι λαμπρᾷ )Lit., bright or shining clothes. Rev., fine clothing. Vile ( ῥυπαρᾷ )Compare James 1:21; and see on 1 Peter 3:21. [source]