Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
6:9 Libertines. The “Libertines” were “freedmen,” formerly slaves. All of these groups were Jewish immigrants to Jerusalem from other lands, and had evidently formed their own synagogue. As such they were quite legalistic and very zealous of the Mosaic traditions, especially the temple worship. They may well have immigrated to Jerusalem for this very reason.