Acts 6:13
 
Acts 6:13
(KJV) And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
(1611 KJV) And set vp false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speake blasphemous words against this holy place, and the Law.
(1587 Geneva Bible) And set forth false witnesses, which sayd, This man ceasseth not to speake blasphemous wordes against this holy place, and the Law.
(1526 Tyndale) and brought forth falce witnesses which sayde. This ma ceasith not to speake blasphemous wordes agaynst this holy place and the lawe:
 
Counterfeit Versions
(1881 RV) and set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law:
(1901 ASV) and set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law:
(CSB) They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and the law.
(NIV) They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.
(NASV) They put forward false witnesses who said, "This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law;
(THE MESSAGE) They put forward their bribed witnesses to testify: "This man talks nonstop against this Holy Place and God's Law.
(AMP) And they brought forward false witnesses who asserted, This man never stops making statements against this sacred place and the Law [of Moses];
(NLT) The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses.
(ESV) and they set up false witnesses who said, "This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law,
(CEV) Some men agreed to tell lies about Stephen, and they said, "This man keeps on saying terrible things about this holy temple and the Law of Moses.
(NCV) They brought in some people to tell lies about Stephen, saying, "This man is always speaking against this holy place and the law of Moses.
(NIRV) They found people who were willing to tell lies. The false witnesses said, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place. He also speaks against the law.
(RSV) and set up false witnesses who said, "This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law;
(NAB-Roman Catholic) They presented false witnesses who testified, "This man never stops saying things against (this) holy place and the law.
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) And they brought forward false witnesses, who said: “This man does not stop speaking things against this holy place and against the Law.
 
Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
εστησαν τε μαρτυρας ψευδεις λεγοντας ο ανθρωπος ουτος ου παυεται ρηματα βλασφημα λαλων κατα του τοπου του αγιου τουτου και του νομου
 
Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
εστησαν τε μαρτυρας ψευδεις λεγοντας ο ανθρωπος ουτος ου παυεται λαλων ρηματα κατα του τοπου του αγιου τουτου και του νομου
 
Corrupted Manuscripts
This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century
 
Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse
E 08 - Sixth century
P 025 - Ninth century
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
 
Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions
Omits “blasphemous” before words
Greisbach, Johann - 1805
Lachmann, Karl - 1842
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871
Wordsworth, Christopher - 1856 revised in 1870
Westcott and Hort - 1881
Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941
Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition
Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition
United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition
 
Affected Teaching
This is another strange omission because the word “blasphemous” is included in verse 11 in the modern versions and yet they omit it in verse 13. It seems that the modern versions are trying to mollify the accusations brought by the false witnesses. In the King James, they stated that Stephen was speaking blasphemy against Moses and the Temple. In the modern versions, they claim he “spoke against” not specifying what was spoken. Blasphemy is a specific charge while “speaking against” is a nebulous charge which can even be something positive. However, in this case the charges were trumped up that Stephen was a blasphemer and blasphemy would be a capitol offense, especially if someone was preaching truth about a false system which Stephen was definitely doing in Chapter 7. So there was no reason to leave out the false accusation the false witnesses brought concerning Stephen. It is just another effort by the modern versions to protect those guilty ones who persecute Christians.

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