• Acts 18:6
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 6 ἀντιτασσομένων Of (ones) opposing δὲ but αὐτῶν of them καὶ and βλασφημούντων blaspheming ἐκτιναξάμενος having shaken out τὰ the ἱμάτια outer garments εἶπεν he said πρὸς toward αὐτούς them Τὸ The αἷμα blood ὑμῶν of YOU ἐπὶ upon τὴν the κεφαλὴν head ὑμῶν· of YOU; καθαρὸς clean ἐγώ· I; ἀπὸ from τοῦ the νῦν now εἰς into τὰ the ἔθνη nations πορεύσομαι. I shall go.

  • Acts 18:6
    The Bible in Living English

    • 6 But as they took a hostile attitude and blasphemed he shook out his clothes and said to them “Your blood be on your own heads; I am clean; from now on I will go to the foreigners”;

  • Acts 18:6
    American Standard Version

    • 6 And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook out his raiment and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

  • Acts 18:6
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 6 But as they began opposing and defaming shaking out his garments he said unto them—Your blood be upon your own head! Pure am I: Henceforth unto the nations will I go.

  • Acts 18:6
    King James Version

    • 6 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.

  • Acts Study Notes—Chapter 18
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 18:6

      he shook out his garments: This gesture by Paul indicated that he was free of responsibility for the Jews in Corinth who refused to accept the lifesaving message about the Christ. Paul had fulfilled his obligation and was no longer accountable for their lives. (See study note on Let your blood be on your own heads in this verse.) This type of gesture had a precedent in the Scriptures. When Nehemiah spoke to the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem, he shook out the folds of his garment to signify that a person who did not fulfill a certain promise would be cast off by God. (Ne 5:13) Paul performed a similar gesture in Pisidian Antioch when he “shook the dust off [his] feet” against those who opposed him in that city.​—See study notes on Ac 13:51; Lu 9:5.

      Let your blood be on your own heads: Paul uses this expression to show that he is not accountable for the consequences that would come upon the Jews who refused to accept the message about Jesus, the Messiah. Similar statements found in the Hebrew Scriptures convey the idea that a person who pursues a course of action worthy of death is responsible for the loss of his own life. (Jos 2:19; 2Sa 1:16; 1Ki 2:37; Eze 33:2-4; see study note on Mt 27:25.) Paul adds the declaration: I am clean, that is, “I am innocent [“guiltless; clear of responsibility”].”​—See study note on Ac 20:26.