Acts 18:6 Meaning and Explanation
“And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →When his hearers oppose and revile the message, Paul shakes out his garment, declares himself clear of their blood, and turns to the Gentiles.
What Does Acts 18:6 Mean?
Opposition in the synagogue hardens into open reviling of Jesus. Paul answers with a prophet's gesture, shaking out his garment as one shakes off dust, and with a watchman's words drawn from Ezekiel: having faithfully given the warning, he is not answerable for those who refuse it.
Hearing the word lays a weight on the hearer; truth received or refused is never neutral. Yet this turning is mercy widening, not love abandoned. Within this very chapter Paul walks into the synagogue at Ephesus and reasons with the Jews again. God's word, refused in one house, moves to the next door open to it, and it never stops inviting all.
Acts 18:6 in the Original Language
katharos (καθαρός), 'clean' -- free of stain or guilt, clear of responsibility.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 18:6
What does Acts 18:6 mean?
When his hearers oppose and revile the message, Paul shakes out his garment, declares himself clear of their blood, and turns to the Gentiles.