Acts 5:24
in Acts 5When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed concerning them whereunto this would grow.
KJV
Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
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This verse in Acts 5
Commentary
10 notes on this verseBut when the temple magistrates and the chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed about what was to happen concerning them. And here "magistrate" should be read in singular form, as also in the following passages where it says: Then the magistrate went into …
This site's exposition
did not find them there
on Acts 5:22-26
The officers find the jail securely locked with the guards at the doors, yet no one inside. The captain brings the apostles back without force, for fear the people would stone them, the crowd's favor now a shield.
This site's exposition
they were perplexed
Barnes explains that the word for perplexed describes someone who has lost his way. Clarke suggests the rulers could not decide whether the apostles escaped by magic or by a real miracle. Bede says malice hardened them even against clear signs.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
It is well ordered that the information was not brought to them at once, but they are first utterly at a loss what to think, that when they have considered it well and seen that there is a Divine Power in the case, then they may learn the whole state of the case.
When these things were completed by the apostles, and the multitude was increased by the preaching, and the number of the faithful was already growing great by the daily distribution; the high priest, he says, having risen, that is, being aroused and stirred by what …
The Medieval Church2 voices
They were in doubt about what would happen to them. They were not willing to give themselves to faith even in this way. For inborn malice hardens an unfaithful heart even against manifest signs.
But why did the chief priests and the rest not learn immediately that the apostles had left the prison? This was so that, remaining for some time in perplexity, they might more easily be able to comprehend and understand that this was an act of …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Now when the high priest,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
They doubted of them whereunto this would grow - They did not know what to think of the apostles, whether they had saved themselves by magic, or whether they were delivered by a real miracle; and they were at a loss to tell what the issue of these things would be.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The captain of the temple - See the notes on Act 4:1. Doubted of them - They were in “perplexity” about these things. The word rendered “doubted” denotes “that state of anxiety which arises when a person has lost his way, or when he does not know what to do to escape from a difficulty.” See Luk 9:7. Whereunto this would grow - What this “would be”; or, what would be the result or end of these events. For: (1) Their authority was disregarded. (2) God had opposed them by a miracle. (3) The doctrines of the apostles were gaining ground. (4) Their efforts to resist them had been in vain. They need “not” have doubted; but sinners are not disposed to be convinced of the truth of religion.
The words behind it
21 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὡς | hos | When | G5613 → | 500 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἤκουσαν | ekousan | they heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| τοὺς | tous | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγους | logous | words | G3056 → | 329 times |
| τούτους | toutous | these | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ὅ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τε | te | both | G5037 → | 213 times |
| στρατηγὸς | strategos | captain | G4755 → | 10 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἱεροῦ | hi'erou | temple | G2411 → | 70 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀρχιερεῖς, | archiereis | chief priests | G749 → | 122 times |
| διηπόρουν | dieporoun | were perplexed | G1280 → | 4 times |
| περὶ | peri | concerning | G4012 → | 332 times |
| αὐτῶν, | auton | them, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τί | ti | what | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἂν | an | maybe | G302 → | 165 times |
| γένοιτο | genoito | would be | G1096 → | 667 times |
| τοῦτο. | touto | this. | G3778 → | 1381 times |
ὡςWhen
hosG5613 →500 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ἤκουσανthey heard
ekousanG191 →425 times
τοὺς<the>
tousG3588 →19766 times
λόγουςwords
logousG3056 →329 times
τούτουςthese
toutousG3778 →1381 times
ὅ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
τεboth
teG5037 →213 times
στρατηγὸςcaptain
strategosG4755 →10 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
ἱεροῦtemple
hi'erouG2411 →70 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἀρχιερεῖς,chief priests
archiereisG749 →122 times
διηπόρουνwere perplexed
dieporounG1280 →4 times
περὶconcerning
periG4012 →332 times
αὐτῶν,them,
autonG846 →5565 times
τίwhat
tiG5101 →563 times
ἂνmaybe
anG302 →165 times
γένοιτοwould be
genoitoG1096 →667 times
τοῦτο.this.
toutoG3778 →1381 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 4:21After further threats they let them go. They could not find a way to punish them, because all the people were glorifying God for what had happened.
it leads to
Through
Acts 4:1While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,
it leads to
- Luke 22:4
And Judas went to discuss with the chief priests and temple officers how he might betray Jesus to them.
- Acts 23:6–9
Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in…
- Acts 6:12
So they stirred up the people, elders, and scribes and confronted Stephen. They seized him and brought him before the Sanhedrin,
- Luke 22:4
Through
John 12:19Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!”
it leads to
- Acts 17:6
But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,
- Psalms 22:27
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him.
- Acts 4:16–17
“What shall we do with these men?” they asked. “It is clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has occurred through them, and we cannot deny it.
- Acts 17:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies20
- Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5)
- Hanged on a tree
- Holiness and Purity
- Integrity
- Daniel's Open Window
- Rejoice in the Lord Always
Show the next 6 titles
About Acts

This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on Acts; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Retractions on Acts; Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 13; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.
