Acts 5:28
in Acts 5“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
saying, We strictly charged you not to teach in this name: and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
KJV
Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
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This verse in Acts 5
Commentary
15 notes on this verse"And you want to bring upon us the blood of That Man." And even now they still think that Christ was a mere man. They say this, wishing to show by it that the prohibition was necessary for them and that they had made this …
This site's exposition
They brought them in
on Acts 5:27-28
The high priest repeats the order of chapter 4 and complains that they have filled Jerusalem with their teaching. The complaint is an unwilling witness to how far the preaching had spread.
This site's exposition
determined to make us responsible
Bede and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown recall the cry at Jesus' trial that called his blood down on the people and their children (Matthew 27:25). Jamieson, Fausset and Brown also note that the high priest avoids naming Jesus. Theophylact says they still thought Christ a mere man.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
For the deliverance by the angel of the prison proved to the apostles a comfort, and to the Jews a benefit. It deceived the Jews, so that first, as I said, they would be thrown into perplexity, and if they wished they themselves would also …
And the high-priest, shameless, reckless, senseless, asked them, saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. What then say the Apostles? Again with mildness they address them; and yet they might have said, "Who are ye, that ye countermand God?" But what do they say? Again in the way of exhortation and advice, and with much mildness, they make answer.
Well, if they undertook to obey you, ye do well to call them to account: but if even at the very time they told you they would not obey, what account have you to call them to, what defence is there for them to make? And behold ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Mark the inconsistency of the accusations and the exceeding folly. They want to make it appear now, that the dispositions of the Jews are sanguinary, as if they were doing these things not for the truth's sake, but in the wish to be revenged. And for this reason too the Apostles do not answer them with defiance: for they were teachers. And yet where is the man, who, with a whole city to back him, and endowed with so great grace, would not have spoken and uttered something big? But not so did these: for they were not angered; no, they pitied these men, and wept over them, and marked in what way they might free them from their error and wrath.
A very forward and dishonest and foolish man questioned them, "not to teach, etc." The command, indeed, has already been said to be full of rashness, and it is redundant to repeat the same things to them about the same matters.
He still seemed a mere man to them. And to show that the command had been necessary, and that he spared not his own salvation, and to harden the multitude against them, they said these things.
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
And the high priest questioned them, saying: Did we not strictly command you, etc. In the Greek it is more consistent: Did we not strictly command you? For it is more fitting for one questioning to speak thus.
You want to bring this man's blood upon us. The high priest forgot the obligation he had imprecated on himself and his own, saying: His blood be on us and on our children.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Did not we strictly command you, not to teach? - See the poor cunning of the enemies of the Gospel. They make laws and interdicts at their pleasure, which those who obey God cannot but break; and then take occasion thereby to censure and punish the innocent, as guilty. Ye would bring the blood of this man upon us - An artful and invidious word.
Saying, did not we straitly command you,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Did not we straitly command you - Ου παραγγελιᾳ παρηγγειλαμεν, With commanding did we not command you; a Hebraism - another proof of the accuracy and fidelity of St. Luke, who seems always to give every man’s speech as he delivered it; not the substance, but the very words. See Act 4:17. Not teach in this name? - That is, of Jesus as the Christ or Messiah. His saving name, and the doctrines connected with it, were the only theme and substance of their discourses.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
intend to bring this man's blood upon us--They avoid naming Him whom Peter gloried in holding up [BENGEL]. In speaking thus, they seem to betray a disagreeable recollection of their own recent imprecation, "His blood be upon us," &c. (Mt 27:25), and of the traitor's words as he threw down the money, "I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood" (Mt 27:4).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Straitly command you - Did we not command you with a “threat?” Act 4:17-18, Act 4:21. In this name - In the name of Jesus. Ye have filled Jerusalem - This, though not so desired, was an honorable tribute to the zeal and fidelity of the apostles. When Chastens are arraigned or persecuted, it is well if the only charge which their enemies can bring against them is that they have been distinguished for zeal and success in propagating their religion. See 1Pe 4:16, “If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glory God on this behalf”; also Act 5:13-15. Intend to bring this man’s blood upon us - To bring “one’s blood” upon another is a phrase signifying to hold or to prove him guilty of murdering the innocent. The expression here charges them with desiring to prove that they had put Jesus to death when he was innocent; to convince “the people” of this, and thus to enrage them against the Sanhedrin; and also to prove that they were guilty, and were exposed to the divine vengeance for having put the Messiah to death. Compare Act 2:23, Act 2:36; Act 3:15; Act 7:52. That the apostles “did” intend to charge them with being guilty of murder is clear; but it is observable that on “this occasion” they had said no thing of this, and it is further observable that they did not charge it on them “except in their presence.” See the places just referred to. They took no pains to spread this among the people, “except as the people were accessory to the crime of the rulers,” Act 2:23, Act 2:36. Their consciences were not at ease, and the remembrance of the death of Jesus would occur to them at once at the sight of the apostles.
The words behind it
29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| λέγων· | legon | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| οὐ | ou | Surely | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| παραγγελίᾳ | parangelia | by a charge | G3852 → | |
| παρηγγείλαμεν | parengeilamen | we commanded | G3853 → | 31 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| διδάσκειν | didaskein | to teach | G1321 → | 96 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | in | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὀνόματι | onomati | name | G3686 → | 227 times |
| τούτῳ. | touto | this. | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἰδοὺ | idou | behold | G2400 → | 200 times |
| πεπληρώκατε | peplerokate | you have filled | G4137 → | 86 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰερουσαλὴμ | ierousalem | Jerusalem | G2419 → | 76 times |
| τῆς | tes | with the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| διδαχῆς | didaches | teaching | G1322 → | 30 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| βούλεσθε | boulesthe | you intend | G1014 → | 37 times |
| ἐπαγαγεῖν | epagagein | to bring | G1863 → | |
| ἐφ᾽ | eph᾽ | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| ἡμᾶς | hemas | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| αἷμα | haima | blood | G129 → | 97 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνθρώπου | anthropou | man | G444 → | 549 times |
| τούτου.¶ | toutou | this. | G3778 → | 1381 times |
λέγων·saying;
legonG3004 →1325 times
οὐSurely
ouG3756 →1664 times
παραγγελίᾳby a charge
parangeliaG3852 →
παρηγγείλαμενwe commanded
parengeilamenG3853 →31 times
ὑμῖνyou
huminG4771 →2973 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
διδάσκεινto teach
didaskeinG1321 →96 times
ἐπὶin
epiG1909 →883 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
ὀνόματιname
onomatiG3686 →227 times
τούτῳ.this.
toutoG3778 →1381 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἰδοὺbehold
idouG2400 →200 times
πεπληρώκατεyou have filled
peplerokateG4137 →86 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἸερουσαλὴμJerusalem
ierousalemG2419 →76 times
τῆςwith the
tesG3588 →19766 times
διδαχῆςteaching
didachesG1322 →30 times
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
βούλεσθεyou intend
boulestheG1014 →37 times
ἐπαγαγεῖνto bring
epagageinG1863 →
ἐφ᾽upon
eph᾽G1909 →883 times
ἡμᾶςus
hemasG3165 →1936 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
αἷμαblood
haimaG129 →97 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
ἀνθρώπουman
anthropouG444 →549 times
τούτου.¶this.
toutouG3778 →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
Matthew 21:44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 8:14–15
And He will be a sanctuary—but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.
- 1 Peter 2:8
and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.
- Daniel 2:34–35
As you watched, a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them.
- Daniel 2:44–45
In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms…
- Romans 9:33
as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
- Isaiah 8:14–15
Through
Matthew 27:25All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”
it leads to
- Joshua 2:19
If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with…
- Joshua 2:19
Through
Acts 7:52Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—
it leads to
- Matthew 5:12
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
- 1 Kings 19:10
“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am…
- Matthew 5:12
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
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About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Bede, Retractions on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 13; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.