^6:11Then they secretly instigated³⁴ some men to say, “We have heard this man³⁵ speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” ^6:12They incited the people, the³⁶ elders, and the experts in the law;³⁷ then they approached Stephen,³⁸ seized him, and brought him before the council.³⁹^6:13They brought forward false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop saying things against this holy place⁴⁰ and the law.⁴¹^6:14For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs⁴² that Moses handed down to us.”

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Footnotes

34 Another translation would be “they suborned” (but this term is not in common usage). “Instigate (secretly), suborn” is given by ὑποβάλλω.
35 Grk “heard him”; but since this is direct discourse, it is more natural (and clearer) to specify the referent (Stephen) as “this man.”
36 Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
37 Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
38 Grk “approaching, they seized him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
39 Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). Stephen suffers just as Peter and John did.
40 This holy place is a reference to the temple.
41 The law refers to the law of Moses. It elaborates the nature of the blasphemy in v. 11. To speak against God’s law in Torah was to blaspheme God (Deut 28:15–19). On the Jewish view of false witnesses, see Exod 19:16–18; 20:16; Sanhedrin 3.6; 5.1–5. Stephen’s speech in Acts 7 may indicate why the temple was mentioned.
42 Or “practices.” Will destroy this place and change the customs. Stephen appears to view the temple as a less central place in light of Christ’s work, an important challenge to Jewish religion, since it was at this time a temple-centered state and religion. Unlike Acts 3–4, the issue here is more than Jesus and his resurrection. Now the impact of his resurrection and the temple’s centrality has also become an issue. The “falseness” of the charge may not be that the witnesses were lying, but that they falsely read the truth of Stephen’s remarks.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”

So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came, seized him, and took him to the Sanhedrin. They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and the law. For we heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

NLTNew Living Translation

So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council.

The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God!” And they incited the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came up and seized him and brought him to the Sanhedrin. And they put forward false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop speaking words against the holy place and the law! For we have heard him saying that this Nazarene Jesus will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

KJV 1900King James Version

Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

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