Acts 18 13

Acts 18:13 kjv

Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

Acts 18:13 nkjv

saying, "This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law."

Acts 18:13 niv

"This man," they charged, "is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law."

Acts 18:13 esv

saying, "This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law."

Acts 18:13 nlt

They accused Paul of "persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to our law."

Acts 18 verses

Acts 18 13 Meaning

Acts 18:13 records the accusation brought by the Jewish opponents against the Apostle Paul before Gallio, the Roman proconsul of Achaia in Corinth. The core of their charge was that Paul was actively persuading people to worship God in a manner contrary to the established law. This "law" primarily refers to the Mosaic Law as understood and adhered to by the Jews, implying that Paul's teaching deviated from the recognized and permissible form of religious practice. The accusers sought to present Paul's evangelistic work as an illegal or seditious activity, aiming for Roman intervention against him.

Acts 18 13 Context

Acts chapter 18 finds the Apostle Paul in Corinth, a major Roman city in Achaia. He arrived there after his ministry in Athens and quickly began evangelizing in the synagogue. Despite some initial success, he soon faced intense opposition from many Jews who blasphemed against his message. Turning his focus to the Gentiles, Paul remained in Corinth for a year and a half, establishing a thriving Christian community. His prolonged and effective ministry stirred significant jealousy and antagonism among the unbelieving Jews. Acts 18:12 sets the immediate scene, noting the arrival of Gallio as the new proconsul. The Jewish leaders seized this moment, perhaps hoping a new administrator would be more amenable to their accusations, and brought Paul to Gallio's judgment seat. Their complaint, as articulated in verse 13, reflects their deep-seated rejection of Paul's teachings, which they perceived as a direct challenge to their established religious customs and the Mosaic Law, sanctioned as a religio licita (licit religion) by Rome. This incident highlights the recurring conflict between early Christian proclamation and traditional Jewish interpretations of the Law.

Acts 18 13 Word analysis

• saying: Implies the formal presentation of an accusation. It sets the stage for the direct quote of their complaint.
• This fellow (οὗτος, houtos): A derogatory and dismissive term, indicating contempt and a refusal to even address Paul by name. It serves to diminish his authority and status before the proconsul.
• persuadeth (ἀναπείθει, anapeithei): From anapeithō, meaning "to persuade up," or "to mislead," "to seduce," "to instigate." It carries a negative connotation, suggesting that Paul is cunningly and deceptively influencing people, possibly against their better judgment or established norms. The accusers are implying an unlawful and subversive form of persuasion, aiming to stir trouble.
• men: Refers to people generally, but specifically to both Jews and Gentiles whom Paul was evangelizing and converting, broadening the scope of his supposed offense beyond just the Jewish community.
• to worship (σέβεσθαι, sebesthai): From sebō, meaning "to worship," "to reverence," "to be devout." It refers to religious devotion and adoration towards God. The accusers are not denying that Paul encourages worship, but are concerned about the manner of worship.
• God: Refers to the one true God, specifically the God of Israel. Both Paul and his accusers believed in the same God, but differed on how He should be approached and worshipped, particularly through Christ.
• contrary to (παρὰ, para): A preposition indicating "alongside," but here carrying the sense of "contrary to," "contrary to the authority of," "against the rule of." It denotes deviation, transgression, or a violation of established standards.
• the law (νόμον, nomon): Primarily refers to the Mosaic Law (Torah), which governed Jewish religious and social life. From the perspective of the Jewish accusers, Paul's teachings on salvation by faith in Jesus, the diminishing role of circumcision and ritual observances, and the inclusion of Gentiles without full conversion to Judaism were "contrary" to this divine law. It could also implicitly refer to Roman law, which recognized Judaism as a religio licita and thereby offered some protection, meaning any deviation might be seen as disturbing this established order.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "saying, This fellow persuadeth men": This opening establishes a direct accusation against Paul, framed pejoratively. The use of "persuadeth" (ἀναπείθει) suggests more than simple teaching; it implies subversion or deceptive influence, fitting the narrative of an accusation designed to solicit official intervention.
• "to worship God": This part acknowledges the religious nature of Paul's activities but immediately pivots to how that worship is being conducted. It confirms that the core issue is not polytheism, but the method of worship within monotheistic understanding.
• "contrary to the law": This is the crux of the legal charge. The accusation frames Paul's ministry as a violation of established religious tradition (Mosaic Law) and potentially, by extension, a disruption of Roman public order, as Roman policy generally upheld recognized religious customs. It transforms a theological dispute into a legal offense that they hoped the Roman proconsul would adjudicate. This specific phrasing also recalls earlier accusations against Jesus and Stephen concerning their relationship to the Law and the Temple.

Acts 18 13 Bonus section

The accusers' choice of "contrary to the law" for their charge against Paul was strategically smart. While Roman authorities typically refrained from adjudicating internal Jewish religious disputes, any perceived challenge to established laws, even religious ones if they caused civil unrest, could draw their intervention. Judaism enjoyed the status of religio licita (a legal religion) within the Roman Empire, granting its adherents certain protections and freedoms. The accusation implied that Paul was promoting an illegal, unsanctioned form of worship that might not qualify for this protected status, potentially destabilizing the recognized religious order and causing sedition (as often accused in Acts 17:6-7). This attempt to portray Christian worship as illegitimate under both Jewish and Roman understandings underscores the early church's struggle for recognition and autonomy amidst a world steeped in various legal and religious traditions. Gallio's dismissal of the case in Acts 18:14-16 would be a significant legal precedent, marking a Roman official's recognition that Paul's preaching was a matter of internal Jewish religious discussion, not a civil crime, thereby offering some temporary, implicit protection to early Christian missions.

Acts 18 13 Commentary

Acts 18:13 captures a pivotal moment of accusation, laying bare the profound chasm between traditional Judaism and the emerging Christian faith. The Jewish accusers leverage the Roman legal system, not primarily because Paul had broken a Roman law, but because they wished for a Roman official to enforce their interpretation of religious legitimacy. By asserting Paul "persuades men to worship God contrary to the law," they are deliberately ambiguous: is it Jewish law or Roman law? Their intent was for Gallio to see Paul's actions as disturbing public order (a Roman concern) rather than merely an internal theological dispute (which Roman authorities usually ignored). Paul's teaching that salvation comes through faith in Christ, rendering specific ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic Law obsolete for salvation, directly challenged their legalistic framework and identity rooted in the Law. This charge echoes earlier accusations against Jesus for disregarding tradition (Mt 15:2) and Stephen for speaking against the Law and the Temple (Acts 6:11-14), demonstrating a recurring pattern of resistance against God's new work and new covenant. The Jewish leaders' zeal for "the law" blinded them to its fulfillment in Christ and fueled their relentless persecution of His followers.