Acts 18:15 Meaning and Explanation
“But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Gallio rules that the dispute is about words, names, and Jewish law, and refuses to be a judge of such matters.
What Does Acts 18:15 Mean?
To Gallio the case is a quarrel over words and names, likely whether Jesus may be named the Christ, and over the meaning of a law Rome does not enforce. He sends the whole matter back to the synagogue. His ruling quietly sets a precedent: this faith is no crime against Rome, a shelter the gospel would enjoy for years to come.
What a Roman magistrate waves off as semantics is in fact the hinge of history: whether Jesus is the Christ. The world still shrugs at the question as a dispute over names, yet on that name hang forgiveness, resurrection, and hope. The court's indifference changed nothing about the weight of the question it declined to hear.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 18:15
What does Acts 18:15 mean?
Gallio rules that the dispute is about words, names, and Jewish law, and refuses to be a judge of such matters.