Acts 18 6

Acts 18:6 kjv

And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

Acts 18:6 nkjv

But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, "Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."

Acts 18:6 niv

But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."

Acts 18:6 esv

And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."

Acts 18:6 nlt

But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, "Your blood is upon your own heads ? I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles."

Acts 18 verses

Acts 18 6 Meaning

Acts 18:6 describes a pivotal moment in Paul's ministry in Corinth where, faced with intense Jewish opposition and blasphemy against the Gospel message, he symbolically expressed his disassociation from their responsibility and declared a shift in his focus from the synagogue to the Gentile community in that city. It signifies a public pronouncement that the Jewish community's rejection of Christ brings self-incrimination, releasing Paul from further direct obligation to them there, and initiating an intentional turn towards evangelizing non-Jews.

Acts 18 6 Context

Verse Context: Paul had been diligently preaching the word in Corinth, teaching in the synagogue every Sabbath, "reasoning" and "persuading" both Jews and Greeks that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 18:4-5). The arrival of Silas and Timothy seems to have energized him further, enabling him to "devote himself completely to the word," pressing the message more emphatically. The verse immediately prior highlights this heightened intensity in his proclamation. Acts 18:6 then records the direct response to this fervent declaration—fierce, unyielding opposition and blasphemy from many of the Jews in the synagogue, prompting Paul's decisive action.

Chapter Context: Acts chapter 18 details Paul's significant eighteen-month ministry in Corinth, a major commercial hub known for its paganism and moral laxity. He initially works as a tentmaker alongside Aquila and Priscilla, exemplifying self-support. His strategy follows his typical pattern: evangelizing in the synagogue first, then turning to the Gentiles. The chapter showcases the growth of the church in Corinth (including the conversion of Crispus, the synagogue ruler), ongoing opposition leading to Paul being brought before Gallio (the proconsul), and the subsequent departure of Paul from Corinth. Verse 6 marks the formal pivot point of his ministry emphasis within Corinth.

Historical/Cultural Context:

• Synagogue Ministry: It was common practice for Jewish apostles to first share the Gospel in synagogues, leveraging shared Scriptures and offering Christ as the fulfillment of their prophecies (Acts 13:14; 14:1; 17:1-2).
• Shaking Garments/Dust: This symbolic action, akin to shaking dust off feet (Matt 10:14; Acts 13:51), was a Jewish custom signifying breaking off all connection or responsibility from a person or place considered unclean or unreceptive. It effectively meant, "I wash my hands of you, and any consequences are your own." It also declared an unrighteous or rebellious judgment on those rejected.
• "Your blood be on your own heads": This is a Hebrew idiom of self-imprecation, primarily found in the Old Testament, denoting absolute responsibility for one's own sin or its consequences (e.g., Lev 20:9, 11-13, 16). Paul is stating that he has fulfilled his duty to warn, and therefore, their spiritual fate is now solely their own responsibility. The messenger's responsibility is clear; once the message is delivered and rejected, the guilt shifts entirely to the hearer.
• Blasphemy: The term here implies not just rejection, but open insult and slandering of God and His Christ, as preached by Paul. This often involved rejecting Christ's divinity or the claim that Jesus was the Messiah.

Acts 18 6 Word analysis

• But: A strong conjunction indicating a direct contrast and a turning point. It highlights the consequence of the prior action (Paul's fervent preaching) meeting an opposing force.
• when they opposed: The Greek word is antitassomai (ἀντιτάσσομαι), meaning "to array oneself against," "to resist," or "to set oneself in opposition to." This suggests an organized, active, and hostile resistance, not mere disagreement.
• themselves and blasphemed: Blasphemeo (βλασφημέω) here signifies speaking injuriously or abusively against God, sacred things, or, in this context, against Christ and His message. Their opposition was not just silent disapproval but actively reviling the name of Jesus or the doctrine preached about Him. The "themselves" clarifies that their actions and words originated from their own will and responsibility.
• he shook: Greek ektinasso (ἐκτινάττω), meaning "to shake off" or "to shake out." It describes a forceful and deliberate act.
• his garments: Referring to Paul's clothing. This was a visible, dramatic, and widely understood symbolic action, drawing on common Jewish custom.
• and said to them: A direct, authoritative, and public declaration, reinforcing the solemnity of the action.
• Your blood: In this context, "blood" (haima - αἷμα) represents the responsibility for their spiritual death, condemnation, and ultimate destruction due to their rejection of Christ. It's about personal culpability.
• be on your own heads!: A powerful idiom (epi ten kephalen hymōn - ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ὑμῶν), carrying a strong Old Testament resonance of judgment and self-imprecation. It explicitly declares that they, and they alone, bear the responsibility and consequences of their decision to reject the Gospel and blaspheme. Paul thereby exonerates himself from any guilt concerning their lost state.
• I am innocent: Greek katharos (καθαρὸς), meaning "clean" or "pure." Paul proclaims his blamelessness. He has fulfilled his prophetic duty by proclaiming the truth; therefore, their blood is not "on his hands." This echoes the watchman imagery of Ezekiel.
• From now on: Indicating a definitive break and a change in strategy and direction in his local ministry. This is a point of no return for this particular community's reception of Paul's primary efforts.
• I will go: A statement of firm intent and redirection of effort.
• to the Gentiles: Greek ethnos (ἔθνος), referring to the non-Jewish peoples. This marks the local culmination of Paul's mission statement, particularly to reach the Gentiles after offering the Gospel to the Jews first, which was met with rejection.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "But when they opposed themselves and blasphemed": This phrase encapsulates the Jewish community's active, conscious, and vocal resistance against divine truth, elevating their will against God's revelation. Their actions were not passive, but a deliberate self-alignment against God's grace offered through Christ, moving beyond mere disagreement to open insult and scorn.
• "he shook his garments and said to them": This combines a powerful non-verbal symbolic gesture with a clear verbal pronouncement. The action communicates separation, finality, and a rejection of association. The words articulate the full weight of the symbolism and declare his spiritual and moral disengagement from their fate.
• "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent": This duo constitutes a strong legal and moral declaration. Paul emphatically removes any responsibility from himself for their spiritual demise. He essentially states that the legal and ethical culpability for their rejection, and consequent judgment, rests solely and directly upon the resisting Jewish community, having fulfilled his own obligation to proclaim.
• "From now on I will go to the Gentiles": This declares a pragmatic and programmatic shift in Paul's evangelistic efforts within Corinth. It marks the formal transition from initiating mission efforts within the synagogue context to dedicating primary efforts toward the non-Jewish population, an inevitable redirection when met with intractable Jewish opposition, as prophesied and exemplified earlier in Acts.

Acts 18 6 Bonus section

The repeated pattern of "Jew first, then Gentile" with subsequent Jewish rejection and turning to Gentiles (Acts 13:46-47; 19:8-9) highlights not a wholesale abandonment of Israel, but a shift in immediate missional priority when confronted with hardened resistance. Paul consistently upheld his obligation to his own people and continued to seek their salvation (Rom 9-11), yet his methods involved discerning divine timing and spiritual receptivity. This act in Acts 18:6 is a declarative legalistic act, effectively fulfilling his obligation as God's messenger and therefore transferring full responsibility for their continued state of unbelief and its consequences back to the Jews who heard and rejected. It demonstrates the balance between divine grace and human accountability, affirming that the Gospel will ultimately accomplish its purpose, even if it means moving past those who choose to refuse it. This moment contributes to the broader narrative of Gentile inclusion in God's plan.

Acts 18 6 Commentary

Acts 18:6 captures a crucial and frequently repeated pattern in Paul's missionary journeys: his initial offer of the Gospel to the Jews in their synagogues, followed by an indignant rejection, and a subsequent, definitive turning to the Gentiles. This is not a personal emotional outburst from Paul but a calculated and theologically grounded response rooted in his understanding of Israel's historic resistance and God's sovereign plan for the inclusion of Gentiles. His symbolic act of shaking his garments publicly declared the removal of all responsibility for their fate from himself, echoing Old Testament watchman principles (Ezek 33) and the Lord's instructions to the disciples (Matt 10). The Jewish leaders' "blasphemy" implies not merely disagreement, but outright contempt for the Messiah and the Spirit, effectively making their own judgment unavoidable. Paul's pronouncement "Your blood be on your own heads!" signifies self-incrimination, where they, not Paul, bear the guilt of rejecting the one true way of salvation. This momentous declaration of redirection "from now on I will go to the Gentiles" marks a shift in his primary focus for this particular city, acknowledging that God’s redemptive plan would proceed even in the face of stubborn unbelief, expanding its embrace to those who would listen. While he held profound sorrow for his own people (Rom 9:1-3), his mission required him to press on where the Spirit was clearly working.

• Practical Example 1: A pastor diligently preaches the truth to a congregation that consistently resists change and the application of scriptural principles to their lives. At some point, the pastor may have to acknowledge that further efforts in that specific area or with certain individuals will be futile without a change of heart on their part, and focus his energies where there is receptivity.
• Practical Example 2: An evangelist shares the Gospel passionately with a friend over many months, who repeatedly mocks the message and dismisses spiritual matters. After a period of persistent effort, the evangelist might, out of spiritual wisdom and knowing their friend bears responsibility for their choices, commit to praying for them while investing evangelistic energy in other, more open relationships, thus shaking the "dust" off their metaphorical feet in that specific relational dynamic.