Acts 5:38

Acts 5:38 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So 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;
• New King James Version (NKJV)And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing;

Context of Acts 5:38

36Some time ago Theudas appeared. He claimed that he was important, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, and all his followers were scattered. The whole movement was a failure. 37“After that man, at the time of the census, Judas from Galilee appeared and led people in a revolt. He, too, died, and all his followers were scattered. “We should keep away from these men for now. We should leave them alone. I can guarantee that if the plan they put into action is of human origin, it will fail. 39However, if it’s from God, you won’t be able to stop them. You may even discover that you’re fighting against God.” 40The council took his advice. They called the apostles, beat them, ordered them not to speak about the one named Jesus, and let them go.

Acts 5:38 word by word

καὶ τὰ νῦν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπόστητε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τούτων καὶ ἄφετε αὐτούς, ὅτι ἐὰν ᾖ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἡ βουλὴ αὕτη ἢ τὸ ἔργον τοῦτο, καταλυθήσεται·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• Refrainἀφίστημιaphistēmi · to leaveG868
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• letἐάωeaō · to allowG1439
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• counselβουλήboulē · planG1012
• orἤē · orG2228
• workἔργονergon · workG2041
• beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• it will come to noughtκαταλύωkataluō · to destroy/lodgeG2647

Cross-references for Acts 5:38

• Acts 5:35Then he said to the council, “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you do with these men.
• John 11:48If we let him continue what he’s doing, everyone will believe in him. Then the Romans will take away our position and our nation.”
• Nehemiah 4:15When our enemies heard that we knew about their plots and that God had prevented their plans from being successful, we all went back to the work on the wall. Each person performed his own job.
• Job 5:12He keeps shrewd people from carrying out their plans so that they cannot do anything successfully.
• Psalms 33:10The Lord blocks the plans of the nations. He frustrates the schemes of the people of the world.
• Proverbs 21:30No wisdom, no understanding, and no advice ⌞can stand up⌟ against the Lord.
• Isaiah 7:5Aram, Ephraim, and Remaliah’s son have planned evil against you, saying,
• Isaiah 8:9Be broken, you people. Be terrified. Listen, all you distant parts of the earth. Prepare for battle, but be terrified. Prepare for battle, but be terrified.
• Isaiah 14:25I’ll crush Assyria on my land. I’ll trample it underfoot on my mountains. Then its yoke will be removed from my people, and its burden will be removed from their shoulders.”
• Lamentations 3:37Who was it who spoke and it came into being? It was the Lord who gave the order.
• Matthew 15:13He answered, “Any plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted.
• 1 Corinthians 1:26Brothers and sisters, consider what you were when God called you to be Christians. Not many of you were wise from a human point of view. You were not in powerful positions or in the upper social classes.
• 1 Corinthians 3:19The wisdom of this world is nonsense in God’s sight. That’s why Scripture says, “God catches the wise in their cleverness.”

Commentaries on Acts 5:38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38Refrain from these men - Do not molest them, leave them to God; for if this counsel and work be of man it will come to nought, like the rebellion of Theudas, and that of Judas of Galilee: for whatever pretends to be done in the name of God, but is not of him, will have his curse and not his blessing. He whose name is prostituted by it will vindicate his injured honor, and avenge himself.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38Refrain from these men - Cease to oppose them or to threaten them. The “reason” why he advised this he immediately adds, that if it were of human origin, it would come to nothing; if of God, they could not overthrow it. This counsel or this work be of men - This plan or purpose. If the apostles had originated it for the purposes of imposture. It will come to nought - Gamaliel “inferred” that from the two instances which he specified. They had been…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. 33-40God once again stopped the plans of the Jewish leaders to silence the apostles. This time, he did so through the advice of Gamaliel.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 5:38

• Court
• Gamaliel
• Government
• Minister, Christian
• Persecution
• Peter
• Priest
• Prisoners

In the dictionaries

• Doctor
• Gamaliel
• Haply
• Keep
• Lie
• Privy
• Refrain
• Sanhedrim
• Scribes
• Somebody

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