Acts 18:6

But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Paul, having been given a full opportunity to testify to the Jews in Corinth that Jesus is the Christ (v. 5), breaks with the synagogue after they oppose and denigrate him.

The words — blasphēmountōn (βλασφημοῦντων) is not mere disagreement but active denigration; ektinaxamenos (ἐκτιναξάμενος) is the decisive physical act of shaking out the dust, a gesture of severing association.

The thread — The formula "your blood be on your own heads" echoes Jesus' words in Matthew 23:35–36 and Luke 19:27, and the Ezekiel 33:4–8 pattern of warning given and responsibility transferred to the hearer.

Why it lands — It places the weight of rejection squarely on the rejecter and sets a boundary: the messenger is not obligated to remain where his message is met with denigration.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Ezekiel 33:4 Then if anyone hears the sound of the horn but fails to heed the warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head.
2 Samuel 1:16 For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”
Ezekiel 33:8 If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to dissuade him from his way, then that wicked man will die in his iniquity, yet I will hold you accountable for his blood.
Ezekiel 18:13 He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.
Nehemiah 5:13 I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.
Acts 13:51 So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.
1 Peter 4:4 Because of this, they consider it strange of you not to plunge with them into the same flood of reckless indiscretion, and they heap abuse on you.
Luke 9:5 If anyone does not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that town, as a testimony against them.”
Luke 10:10 But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare,
Acts 13:45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.