Acts 5:36

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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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.

Context of Acts 5:36

34But a certain Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Torah respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35Then he said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful what you are about to do with these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody; and a number of men, maybe four hundred, joined up with him. He was killed, and all who followed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37After this fellow, Judah the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and got people to follow him. He also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38So now I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or undertaking is of men, it will come to an end;

Acts 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 a man named Simon had been practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying he was someone great.
• Matthew 24:24For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and show great signs and wonders so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:3Let no one deceive you in any way, for the Day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the one destined to be destroyed.
• 2 Peter 2:18For by mouthing grandiosities that amount to nothing, they entice in sensual fleshly passions those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.
• Jude 1:16These are bellyaching grumblers, following after their own desires. Their mouth speaks grandiose things, showing favoritism for the sake of gain.
• Revelation 17:3So he carried me away in the Ruach into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
• Acts 21:38Then you’re not the Egyptian who stirred up a rebellion some time ago—and led four thousand men of the Assassins out into the desert?”
• 2 Peter 2:2Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result the way of the truth will be maligned.
• Matthew 24:26“So if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. Or, ‘Look, 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

• Citizens
• Gamaliel
• Government
• Jesus Continued
• Minister, Christian
• Persecution
• Peter
• Presumption
• Priest
• Prisoners
• Punishment
• Sedition
• Theudas

In the dictionaries

• Four Hundred
• Doctor
• Gamaliel
• Haply
• Keep
• Lie
• Privy
• Refrain
• Robbery
• 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