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

36For, some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37After this man, Judas of Galilee appeared in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he also perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. And so in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, for if the source of this plan or movement is men, it will be overthrown; 39but if the source is God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.” 40They followed his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them.

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

• in the presentνῦνnun · nowG3568
• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• to you, stayἀφίστημιaphistēmi · to leaveG868
• from theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• and leaveἀφίημιaphiēmi · to release: leaveG863
• for ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• the sourceἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• planβουλήboulē · planG1012
• orἤē · orG2228
• movementἔργονergon · workG2041
• it will be overthrownκαταλύωkataluō · to destroy/lodgeG2647

Cross-references for Acts 5:38

• Acts 5:35And he said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful as to what you are about to do with these men.
• John 11:48If we let Him go on like this, all the people will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take over both our place and our nation.”
• Nehemiah 4:15Now when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.
• Job 5:12He frustrates the schemes of the shrewd, So that their hands cannot attain success.
• Psalms 33:10The Lord nullifies the plan of nations; He frustrates the plans of peoples.
• Proverbs 21:30There is no wisdom, no understanding, And no plan against the Lord.
• Isaiah 7:5Because Aram, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has planned evil against you, saying,
• Isaiah 8:9“Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; And listen, all remote places of the earth. Get ready, yet be shattered; Get ready, yet be shattered.
• Isaiah 14:25to break Assyria in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains. Then his yoke will be removed from them, and his burden removed from their shoulders.
• Lamentations 3:37Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it?
• Matthew 15:13But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted.
• 1 Corinthians 1:26For consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
• 1 Corinthians 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. For it is written: “He is the one who catches the wise by their craftiness”;

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