Acts 5:39

Acts 5:39 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
• New International Version (NIV)But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!" So they took his advice,
• New King James Version (NKJV)but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”

Context of Acts 5:39

37After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census, and incited people to follow him in revolt. He too was killed, and all who followed him were scattered. 38So in this case I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking originates with people, it will come to nothing, but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them, or you may even be found fighting against God.” He convinced them, 40and they summoned the apostles and had them beaten. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. 41So they left the council rejoicing because they had been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

Acts 5:39 word by word

εἰ δὲ ἐκ θεοῦ ἐστιν, οὐ δυνήσεσθε καταλῦσαι αὐτούς, μήποτε καὶ θεομάχοι εὑρεθῆτε. ἐπείσθησαν δὲ αὐτῷ,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• it beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• ye cannotοὐou · noG3756
• ye cannotδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• overthrowκαταλύωkataluō · to destroy/lodgeG2647
• itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• lest haplyμήποτεmēpote mē pote · lestG3379
• ye be foundεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• evenκαίkai · andG2532
• to fight against Godθεομάχοςtheomachos · opposing GodG2314

Cross-references for Acts 5:39

• Acts 6:10Yet they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
• Genesis 24:50Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. Our wishes are of no concern.
• 2 Samuel 5:2In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel. The Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over Israel.’”
• 1 Kings 12:24‘The Lord says this: “Do not attack and make war with your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you go home, for I have caused this to happen.”’” They obeyed the Lord and went home as the Lord had ordered them to do.
• Job 34:29But if God is quiet, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, then who can see him? Yet he is over the individual and the nation alike,
• Isaiah 43:13From this day forward I am he; no one can deliver from my power; I will act, and who can prevent it?”
• Isaiah 46:10who announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred, who says, ‘My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire,’
• Daniel 4:35All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he wishes with the army of heaven and with those who inhabit the earth. No one slaps his hand and says to him, ‘What have you done?’
• Matthew 16:18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
• Luke 21:15For I will give you the words along with the wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.
• 1 Corinthians 1:25For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
• Revelation 17:12The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive ruling authority as kings with the beast for one hour.
• Acts 7:51“You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did!
• Acts 9:5So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting!
• Acts 23:9There was a great commotion, and some experts in the law from the party of the Pharisees stood up and protested strongly, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
• Exodus 10:3So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and told him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: ‘How long do you refuse to humble yourself before me? Release my people so that they may serve me!

Commentaries on Acts 5:39

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it - Because his counsel cannot fail; and his work cannot be counteracted. If he be determined that this doctrine shall prevail, it is vain for us to attempt to suppress it. Lest haply ye be found - to fight against God - ̔ . Some have thought that they saw a parallel to these words in the speech of Diomede, when, seeing Mars, associated with Hector, oppose the Grecians, he judged farther opposition vain, and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 39But if it be of God - If God is the “author” of this religion. From this it seems that Gamaliel supposed that it was at least possible that this religion was divine. He evinced a far more candid mind than did the rest of the Jews; but still it does not appear that he was entirely convinced. The arguments which could not but stagger the Jewish Sanhedrin were those drawn from the resurrection of Jesus, the miracle on the day of Pentecost, the healing of the…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 5:39

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

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Doctor
• Gamaliel
• Haply
• Keep
• Lie
• Privy
• Refrain
• Sanhedrim

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