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And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
Acts 6:10 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB They weren’t able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
  • KJV And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
  • BSB but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
  • NASB But they were unable to cope with his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.
  • NLT None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

They cannot withstand the wisdom and Spirit by which Stephen speaks. The Spirit gives irresistible wisdom to Christ's witnesses.

Overview

Stephen's effectiveness fulfills Jesus' promise that the Spirit would give His followers words their opponents could not contradict. The failure of his opponents in honest debate exposes the weakness of their position. Their next move to deceit shows that truth defeated drives men to falsehood.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 16

  • Luke 21:15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict.
  • Matt 10:19–20But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.
  • 1 Cor 2:4My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
  • John 7:46The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!”
  • Luke 12:11–12When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say;
  • Job 32:8But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
  • Exod 4:12Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak.”
  • Luke 1:17He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”
  • Ezek 3:27But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who forbears, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.”
  • Acts 7:51“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.
  • Job 32:18For I am full of words. The spirit within me constrains me.
  • Acts 5:39But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be fighting against God!”
  • Jer 15:20I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; and they shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you to save you and to deliver you,” says Yahweh.
  • Mic 3:8But as for me, I am full of power by Yahweh’s Spirit, and of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin.
  • Jer 1:18–19For, behold, I have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land.
  • Isa 54:17No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of Yahweh’s servants, and their righteousness is of me,” says Yahweh.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 6:10YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.

How Acts 6:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.