English Standard Version
Acts 5:36
36For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.
Acts 5:36 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
- New International Version (NIV)Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing.
Context of Acts 5:36
34But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35And he said to them, "Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail;
Read all of Acts 5Acts 5:36 word by word
πρὸ γὰρ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀνέστη Θευδᾶς λέγων εἶναί τινα ἑαυτόν, ᾧ προσεκλίθη ἀνδρῶν ἀριθμὸς ὡς τετρακοσίων· ὃς ἀνῃρέθη, καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ διελύθησαν καὶ ἐγένοντο εἰς οὐδέν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- beforeπρόpro · beforeG4253
- theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- daysὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- rose upἀνίστημιanistēmi · to ariseG450
- TheudasΘευδᾶςTheudas · TheudasG2333
- boastingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- to beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- somebodyτιςtis · oneG5100
- to whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- a numberἀριθμόςarithmos · numberG706
- of menἀνήρanēr · manG435
- aboutὡσείhōsei · like/as/aboutG5616
- four hundredτετρακόσιοιtetrakosioi tetrakosia · four hundredG5071
- joined themselvesπροσκολλάωproskollaō · to joinG4347
- was slainἀναιρέωanaireō · to killG337
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- as many asὅσοςhosos · just as/how muchG3745
- obeyedπείθωpeithō · to persuadeG3982
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- were scatteredδιαλύωdialuō · to disperseG1262
- broughtγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- noughtοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
Cross-references for Acts 5:36
- Acts 8:9But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.
- Matthew 24:24For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
- 2 Peter 2:18For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.
- Jude 1:16These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.
- Revelation 17:3And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns.
- Acts 21:38Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?"
- 2 Peter 2:2And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.
- Matthew 24:26So, if they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.
Commentaries on Acts 5:36
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 36Rose up Theudas - Josephus, Ant. lib. xx. cap. 4, sect. 1, mentions one named Theudas who was the author of an insurrection; about whom there has been much controversy whether he were the person spoken of here by Gamaliel. Every circumstance, as related by Josephus agrees well enough with what is referred to here, except the chronology; for the Theudas mentioned by Josephus made his insurrection when Fadus was governor of Judea; which was at least ten…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 36For before those days - The “advice” of Gamaliel was to permit these men to go on. The “arguments” by which he enforced his advice were: (1)That there were cases or precedents in point Acts 5:36-37; and, (2)That if it should turn out to be truly of God, it would be a solemn affair to be involved in the consequences of opposing him. How long before “these days” this transaction occurred, cannot now be determined, as it is not certain to what case Gamaliel…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 34-42Verses 34-42 The Lord still has all hearts in his hands, and sometimes directs the prudence of the worldly wise, so as to restrain the persecutors. Common sense tells us to be cautious, while experience and observation show that the success of frauds in matters of religion has been very short. Reproach for Christ is true preferment, as it makes us conformable to his pattern, and serviceable to his interest. They rejoiced in it. If we suffer ill for doing…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 36-37This Theudas is otherwise unknown, although the Jewish historian Josephus mentions a different man with the same name who led a revolution some years later (see Josephus, Antiquities 20.5.1). Theudas was a common Jewish name. Judas of Galilee appears in Josephus as a rebel who opposed paying taxes to Caesar around AD 6 or 7, following the census of Quirinius (see Josephus, Antiquities 20.5.2; compare Luke 2:2). His resistance was stopped by the Roman…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 35-3935-39. Theudas--not the same with a deceiver of that name whom Josephus mentions as heading an insurrection some twelve years after this [Antiquities, 20.5.1], but some other of whom he makes no mention. Such insurrections were frequent.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 5:36
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries