for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The accusers twist Stephen's words by deliberately framing Jesus of Nazareth with contempt and by suggesting Stephen advocates for the complete abolition of the Mosaic customs, when in reality, Stephen was likely pointing to the fulfillment and spiritual transformation of those customs in Christ. The charge implies that Stephen, by extension, is not just criticizing the current religious system but attacking its very foundation, Moses, and by extension, God himself.
for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Stephen is on trial, facing accusations of blasphemy against the Temple and the Law of Moses. These charges are brought by false witnesses who twist Stephen's words, claiming he spoke against the holy place and the customs given by Moses. This accusation is the culmination of the hostility towards Stephen and the growing early Christian movement, aiming to silence him and discredit their message.
How can words spoken with good intentions be so twisted that they lead to a death sentence? Stephen's accusers weaponized his message, and the same can happen today.
The charges against Stephen were a deliberate distortion of what he likely taught. The accusers heard something about Jesus of Nazareth destroying the Temple and changing customs. They then amplified and misrepresented these points to make Stephen sound like a blasphemer.
The Core Distortion:
This tactic of taking a kernel of truth and distorting it is an old one, designed to incite anger and fear.
Did Jesus come to tear down everything the Law stood for, or to bring it to its ultimate meaning? The accusations against Stephen reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of Jesus' mission.
Ask a follow-up
The charge that Jesus would 'destroy this place and change the customs' reveals the accusers' limited, literal understanding. They saw the Temple and the Mosaic Law as ends in themselves, rather than as pointers to something greater.
The True Purpose:
Why refer to Jesus so dismissively as 'this Jesus of Nazareth'? This seemingly small detail reveals a deep-seated prejudice and a profound theological truth.
The phrase 'this Jesus of Nazareth' was not just a neutral descriptor; it was loaded with contempt. For the religious elite, Nazareth was an insignificant, even suspect, place. Calling Jesus 'the Nazarene' was a way to diminish Him and His claims.
The Power in the Name:
The accusation against Stephen twists his teachings about Jesus into claims that Jesus would destroy the Temple and change Mosaic customs. This reflects a deep anxiety among some Jewish leaders who saw any challenge to the Temple and Law as an attack on their very identity and God's covenant.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Predicts Temple Destruction
Jesus foretells the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, a prophecy that would later be twisted by his accusers and those of his followers.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus Teaches Abrogation of Ceremonial Law
Jesus' teachings and actions implied the obsolescence of certain Mosaic laws and temple practices, which was seen as a radical departure by many religious authorities.
c. 33 AD
Pentecost and Early Church Growth
The Holy Spirit empowers the apostles, leading to rapid growth of the early Christian community and increased tension with Jewish leadership.
c. 33-35 AD— this verse
Stephen's Ministry and Accusation
Stephen, a Hellenistic Jewish Christian, boldly preaches in Jerusalem, challenging traditional interpretations of the Law and the Temple, leading to his arrest and trial.
c. 35 AD
Stephen's Trial and Martyrdom
Stephen is brought before the Sanhedrin and falsely accused of blasphemy against Moses and the Temple, culminating in his execution by stoning.
This passage shows Jesus speaking about destroying and rebuilding the 'temple' in three days, which his accusers twisted, much like they twisted Stephen's words here.
Matthew 24:2Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple, a statement that Stephen likely echoed and that his accusers weaponized against him, implying he was a follower of someone who wanted to see it ruined.
Jeremiah 26:12-16Jeremiah faced a similar accusation of speaking against the temple and the law, yet he was defended by some who pointed out that a prophet speaking God's truth should not be put to death, highlighting the pattern of religious leaders persecuting those who spoke against the established religious order.
Hebrews 8:13This New Testament passage explains that Jesus's new covenant makes the old covenant, including its temple and sacrificial system, obsolete and ready to vanish away, providing theological context for why Stephen's message about change would be perceived as a threat.
Daniel 9:26Daniel prophesied the future destruction of both the city and the sanctuary, showing that such pronouncements were part of God's unfolding plan and not necessarily blasphemy, a truth Stephen's accusers ignored.
ellicottActs 6:14: "For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us."
(14) This Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place. —The accusation rested in part on the words of John 2:19 , partly on the prediction of Matthew 24:2 , which Stephen must have known, and may well have reproduced. It would seem to the accusers a natural inference that He who had uttered the prediction should be the chief agent in its fulfilment.…
calvinActs 6:11-15: "Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God."
- Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard this man speak blasphemous words against Moses and God. 12. And they moved the people, and the elders, and the scribes. And invading him, they took him and brought him into the council. 13. And they brought forth false witnesses) which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and t…
The accusers twist Stephen's words by deliberately framing Jesus of Nazareth with contempt and by suggesting Stephen advocates for the complete abolition of the Mosaic customs, when in reality, Stephen was likely pointing to the fulfillment and spiritual transformation of those customs in Christ. The charge implies that Stephen, by extension, is not just criticizing the current religious system but attacking its very foundation, Moses, and by extension, God himself.
Stephen is on trial, facing accusations of blasphemy against the Temple and the Law of Moses. These charges are brought by false witnesses who twist Stephen's words, claiming he spoke against the holy place and the customs given by Moses. This accusation is the culmination of the hostility towards Stephen and the growing early Christian movement, aiming to silence him and discredit their message.
Stephen is on trial, facing accusations of blasphemy against the Temple and the Law of Moses. These charges are brought by false witnesses who twist Stephen's words, claiming he spoke against the holy place and the customs given by Moses. This accusation is the culmination of the hostility towards Stephen and the growing early Christian movement, aiming to silence him and discredit their message.
"for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”" — The accusers twist Stephen's words by deliberately framing Jesus of Nazareth with contempt and by suggesting Stephen advocates for the complete abolition of the Mosaic customs, when in reality, Steph…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026