Acts 19:37 Meaning and Explanation
“For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The clerk declares that the men seized are guilty of no crime, neither robbing temples nor blaspheming the goddess.
What Does Acts 19:37 Mean?
A city official publicly clears the Christians: Gaius and Aristarchus have plundered no shrine and reviled no goddess. The testimony reveals how Paul's company had preached for two years in the most idol-proud city of Asia, proclaiming the living God without raiding sanctuaries or trading in insults (v. 26).
The gospel advances by truth spoken in love, not by desecration and mockery. The believers gave Ephesus no charge to lay against them except the persuasiveness of their message, the pattern Scripture commends: ready always to give an answer, with meekness and fear, keeping a good conscience (1 Pet 3:15-16).
Acts 19:37 in the Original Language
hierosylos (ἱερόσυλος), 'robbers of churches' -- temple robbers, plunderers of sacred places.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 19:37
What does Acts 19:37 mean?
The clerk declares that the men seized are guilty of no crime, neither robbing temples nor blaspheming the goddess.