What Does Acts 19:37 Mean in the King James?
For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Public uproar proves neither temple-plundering nor slander of the goddess.
THE MEANING
A public accusation does not become true through volume. The verse names two concrete offenses, plundering a sacred place and speaking against the goddess, and says neither is present. A disturbance and a proven act remain distinct.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The crowd’s certainty is not proof that the accused committed the acts it fears.
THE ROOT
ἱεροσύλους
hierosylous
GROWS FROM
ἱερό- + συλ- (a Greek compound, not a Hebrew-style three-consonant root)
To plunder sacred property or a temple.
“robbers of churches” in this verse is hierosylous. This Greek compound makes the charge sharply concrete: taking from a sanctuary, not simply unsettling the city’s religious life. The verse separates feared influence from a charge of physical sacrilege.
ALSO GROWS
hierón: Temple, sanctuary
ἱερόν
The compound’s hiero- element points to the sacred place at the center of the charge.
syláō: To strip, rob, plunder
συλάω
This verb supplies the act: taking or stripping away, rather than merely causing offense.
βλασφημοῦντας
blasphēmóuntas
GROWS FROM
βλασφημ-
blasphēm-
To speak injuriously of someone, slander, or revile.
“blasphemers” in this verse is blasphēmóuntas. The word marks speech that maligns or defames, not every disagreement about the divine. Set beside temple-plundering, it names a distinct kind of offense: harmful speech rather than harmful taking.
ALSO GROWS
blasphēmía: Slander, injurious speech
βλασφημία
The related noun makes the verbal nature of the alleged offense clear.
blásphēmos: Slanderous, abusive in speech
βλάσφημος
This related form describes speech that attacks another’s standing or reputation.
THE PATTERN
An accusation must be tested against the specific act it names.
He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Cæsar, have I offended any thing at all.THE THREAD
While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Cæsar, have I offended any thing at all.Both verses distinguish an accusation from the specific acts that would support it. The Greek word for “temple” here, ἱερόν (hierón), shares the hiero- element in ἱερόσυλος (hierosylous), the word for a temple-plunderer.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us