New International Version
Acts 5:36
36Some 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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 named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 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. 37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38Therefore, 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.
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 8:9Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,
- Matthew 24:24For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
- 2 Peter 2:18For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.
- Jude 1:16These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
- Revelation 17:3Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
- Acts 21:38“Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?”
- 2 Peter 2:2Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
- Matthew 24:26“So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here 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
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