Acts 17 7

Acts 17:7 kjv

Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

Acts 17:7 nkjv

Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king?Jesus."

Acts 17:7 niv

and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus."

Acts 17:7 esv

and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus."

Acts 17:7 nlt

And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus."

Acts 17 verses

Acts 17 7 Meaning

Acts 17:7 describes the specific accusation leveled against Jason and other Christians in Thessalonica before the city authorities. The accusers alleged that these believers, by proclaiming Jesus as "another king," were acting contrary to the official decrees of the Roman Emperor (Caesar), thereby implying treasonous sedition against the Roman state. This verse encapsulates the core misunderstanding and misrepresentation of Jesus' spiritual kingship by those hostile to the burgeoning Christian faith, framing a theological truth as a political threat.

Acts 17 7 Context

Acts chapter 17 recounts Paul's missionary journey, starting with his visit to Thessalonica, a significant city in Macedonia, serving as a capital and a free city, implying a degree of self-governance under Roman oversight. Paul, Silas, and Timothy spent three Sabbath days preaching in the synagogue, reasoning from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah who had to suffer and rise from the dead. Some Jews and many prominent Greeks and women believed. This success, however, provoked jealousy among the non-believing Jews, who, gathering a mob, incited an uproar in the city. Failing to find Paul and Silas, they targeted Jason, a host to the missionaries, and some other believers, dragging them before the city officials. The general charge (Acts 17:6) was that these men "have caused trouble all over the world," implying a disturbance of Roman peace. Acts 17:7 provides the specific and most severe accusation: treason against Caesar. In the Roman Empire, advocating for any other "king" was a capital offense, challenging the sole sovereignty of the emperor. The historical context shows Rome was sensitive to anything perceived as sedition, especially in cities where there was existing social unrest or anti-Roman sentiment, which Thessalonica sometimes experienced. The accusers expertly weaponized the Christian proclamation of Jesus as King, twisting its spiritual meaning into a direct political challenge, knowing the Roman authorities would take such a charge seriously.

Acts 17 7 Word analysis

• and these all: Refers to Jason and the other believers who were apprehended and accused. While Paul and Silas were the primary target, the accusation broadened to encompass their associates and, by extension, the new Christian community.
• act contrary (ὑπεναντίους - hypenantious): Greek term meaning "set against," "opposed to," or "hostile to." This isn't merely passive non-compliance but implies active antagonism or rebellion. It frames their actions as direct defiance.
• to the decrees (δογμάτων - dogmaton): Refers to official edicts, ordinances, or pronouncements. These were the established laws and policies of the Roman state, which all citizens and residents were expected to uphold. Violation was a serious matter.
• of Caesar (Καίσαρος - Kaisaros): The title for the Roman Emperor, representing the ultimate temporal authority of the Roman Empire. At this time, it was Claudius. Naming Caesar makes the charge direct, specific, and incredibly serious, as it directly challenges the Emperor's sovereignty and legal authority.
• saying that there is: Indicates the nature of their proclamation. The accusers attributed a specific message to the Christians, interpreting their preaching of Jesus' kingship in a politically incendiary manner.
• another king (ἄλλον βασιλέα - allon basilea): "Another king" (different from Caesar). This phrase is the crux of the treasonous accusation. In the Roman worldview, there could be no rival sovereign to Caesar within the Empire. The idea of another king was inherently seditious, threatening the pax Romana and the Emperor's divine mandate.
• Jesus: The name of the person whom the Christians proclaimed as this "other king." While Christians understood Jesus' kingship to be spiritual and heavenly, the accusers presented it as an earthly, political claim directly in opposition to Caesar. This illustrates the fundamental clash between heavenly authority and earthly dominion, and how truth can be distorted for hostile ends.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• and these all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar: This phrase legally criminalizes the Christian message. It shifts the theological proclamation of Jesus' Lordship into a direct political accusation of undermining Roman law and authority. The emphasis on "decrees of Caesar" elevates the charge from a local disturbance to an act of state treason, which carried severe penalties.
• saying that there is another king, Jesus: This is the interpretative core of the accusation. It highlights how the spiritual truth of Jesus' messianic kingship (His sovereignty over believers and the cosmos) was intentionally misrepresented as a political challenge to the emperor. The accusers knew that promoting any "king" other than Caesar was treason and aimed to exploit this sensitive point to persecute the believers. This underscores the early conflict between the Christian assertion of Jesus' supreme authority and the exclusive claims of earthly imperial power.

Acts 17 7 Bonus section

The charge in Acts 17:7, similar to the one made against Jesus (Luke 23:2; John 19:12), signifies a recurring pattern: the spiritual and theological claims of Christianity were often perceived and prosecuted as political threats. For Rome, the worship of Jupiter Optimus Maximus and the veneration of the Emperor were civic duties ensuring pax deorum (peace of the gods) and pax Romana (Roman peace). The Christian declaration of "Jesus is Lord" directly undermined the absolute loyalty Rome demanded, creating an immediate conflict with Caesar's absolute sovereignty. Christianity, initially, did not fit neatly into the category of religio licita (a permitted religion), partly because its exclusive claims were viewed as disruptive. The term dogmaton for decrees is also significant; it connects the official pronouncements of Caesar with a concept that later describes Christian doctrine, emphasizing the contrast between worldly and divine foundational principles.

Acts 17 7 Commentary

Acts 17:7 provides a profound insight into the early friction between the nascent Christian movement and the Roman state, a tension that would define Christian experience for centuries. The accusation isn't simply that Christians were troublemakers, but that they propagated sedition by proclaiming a rival monarch to Caesar. This was a direct manipulation of the core Christian message of Jesus' kingship, which believers understood spiritually (John 18:36; Col 1:13) but opponents strategically twisted into a political threat to the imperial system.

The "decrees of Caesar" encompassed the entirety of Roman law and the concept of imperial divinity and supremacy. To act "contrary" to these decrees, especially by advocating for "another king," amounted to crimen maiestatis, or treason, a capital offense. This highlights the vulnerability of the early Church: its central tenet – Jesus is Lord/King – could be (and often was) construed as political subversion by a suspicious Roman Empire that tolerated many religions as long as they didn't challenge state authority or the emperor's veneration.

This verse therefore serves as a vital reminder of the ultimate authority of Christ (Phil 2:9-11; Rev 19:16) clashing with the temporal claims of earthly rulers. It encapsulates the "two kingdoms" dynamic: while Christians are to honor the emperor (1 Pet 2:17) and submit to governing authorities (Rom 13:1), their ultimate allegiance is to God's heavenly king. This tension is inherent in following a King whose kingdom is "not of this world," yet profoundly impacts it.For practical usage, this tension illustrates the need for discernment in how believers navigate their responsibilities to both God and government, especially when core convictions clash with state demands. It also highlights the danger of external forces misrepresenting biblical truth for hostile purposes.