Paragraph 6:11–15

6:11a

prompted: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as prompted:

(1) It refers to convincing someone to do something that is wrong to do. It implies any method of convincing. For example:

secretly instigated (English Standard Version)
-or-
persuaded…to lie (New Living Translation (2004))

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, King James Version, English Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, New Century Version)

(2) It refers to giving money to someone to do something that is wrong to do. For example:

bribed (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, God’s Word)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because most Greek lexicons and scholars support it.

say: This verb refers to the men who were secretly persuaded. The Greek tense indicates that they continued for some time telling others the lie of 6:11b.

6:11b

This sentence is the lie about what Stephen was telling people.

speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God: This phrase indicates that these people claim that Stephen insulted Moses and God. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

slander Moses and God (God’s Word)
-or-
speak evil about Moses and about God

Moses: The Jews considered Moses to have been their greatest prophet. He wrote the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. This name also occurs in 3:22.

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