New Living Translation
Acts 5:38
38“So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown.
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 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. 37After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered. “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!” 40The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.
Read all of Acts 5Acts 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 his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men!
- John 11:48If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”
- Nehemiah 4:15When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall.
- Job 5:12He frustrates the plans of schemers so the work of their hands will not succeed.
- Psalms 33:10The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes.
- Proverbs 21:30No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the Lord.
- Isaiah 7:5Yes, the kings of Syria and Israel are plotting against him, saying,
- Isaiah 8:9“Huddle together, you nations, and be terrified. Listen, all you distant lands. Prepare for battle, but you will be crushed! Yes, prepare for battle, but you will be crushed!
- Isaiah 14:25I will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel; I will trample them on my mountains. My people will no longer be their slaves nor bow down under their heavy loads.
- Lamentations 3:37Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission?
- Matthew 15:13Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted,
- 1 Corinthians 1:26Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.
- 1 Corinthians 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own 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
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries