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Acts 5:13

in Acts 5

Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

But of the rest durst no man join himself to them: howbeit the people magnified them;

KJV

And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

This verse in Acts 5

Commentary

10 notes on this verse
And of the rest - Different interpretations have been given of this expression. Lightfoot supposes that by “the rest” are meant the remainder of the 120 disciples of whom Ananias had been one; and that they feared to put themselves on an equality with the apostles. But this interpretation seems to be far-fetched. Kuinoel supposes that by “the rest” are meant those who had not already joined with the apostles, whether Christians or Jews, and that they were deterred by the fate of Ananias.

This site's exposition

The apostles performed many signs

on Acts 5:12-14

The people regarded the believers highly, yet no one else dared to join them, the fear of verse 11 spreading outward. Growth is still counted in believers, large numbers of both men and women.

This site's exposition

no one else dared to join them

Commentators differ on who the rest were. Lightfoot, cited by Barnes and Clarke, meant the other disciples, who feared to rank themselves with the apostles. Barnes prefers Kuinoel's view that outsiders were deterred by the fate of Ananias, while Clarke follows Calmet, who meant the Jewish sects.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Acts · Written before 550.

proposed

For he wishes to show this also in saying, "By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people," and immediately adds, "and no one from the rest dared to join them"; that is, no one dared to approach them. …

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 12 · Written before 407.

proposed

After this fear had come upon them, he wrought more miracles; both Peter and the rest; "And by the hands of the Apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them," i.e. to the Apostles; "but the people magnified them," i.e. the Jewish people. "And they were with one accord, all of them in Solomon's porch," no longer in a house, but having occupied the very Temple, they there passed their time! No longer they guarded themselves against touching the unclean; nay, without scruple they handled the dead. And observe how, while to their own people they are severe, against the aliens they do not exercise their power. "But the people," he says, "magnified them." And as he had mentioned their being "in Solomon's porch," that you may not wonder how the multitude allowed this, he tells us that they did not dare even to approach them: for "no man," he says, "durst join himself unto them." None groaned, none lamented, all were terrified. For as their faith increased, the signs also were multiplied, and great was the fear among their own company: for the things which are from without do not so militate against our peace, as do the acts of our own people. If we be firmly joined together, no warfare will be hard: but the mischief would be the being divided and broken up. Now they went about in the public place: with boldness they attacked even the market, and in the midst of enemies they prevailed, and that saying was fulfilled, "Be Thou Ruler in the midst among Thine enemies." This was a greater miracle, that they, arrested, cast into prison, should do such acts as these!

A commentator

Tertullian

On Modesty · Written before 220.

proposed

For they both raised the dead, which God alone (can do), and restored the debilitated to their integrity, which none but Christ (can do); nay, they inflicted plagues too, which Christ would not do.

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

proposed

Since Luke said "in Solomon's Porch," lest you wonder how the crowd permitted this, he says that "none of the rest dared join them, but the people" of the Jews "magnified" the apostles.

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And of the rest durst no man join himself to them,....
2 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The imprisonment of the apostles, and their miraculous discharge out of prison, with fresh orders to go on to preach the gospel, which they did, to the great vexation of their persecutors,

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

And of the rest, durst no man join him self to them - Who were these called the rest, των λοιπων? Dr. Lightfoot thinks the 120 are intended, of which he supposes Ananias to have been one; who, all seeing such wonders wrought by the apostles, were afraid to associate themselves with them in any way of equality, as they saw that God put peculiar honor upon them. Calmet more rationally observes, that the Jewish nation was then divided into many different sects, who entertained widely different opinions on various articles. The apostles adopted none of these jarring sentiments, and none of the different sects dared to join themselves to them; neither Pharisees, Sadducees, nor Herodians, as such, were found in this simple, holy Church. The people felt the force and power of the apostles’ doctrine, and magnified them, no more attending to the teaching of the others: the apostles taught them as men having authority, and not as the scribes and Pharisees. This irritated the high priest and his Sadducean council, and led them to adopt the measures mentioned below, Act 5:17.

The words behind it

12 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 2:47

    praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

    it leads to

    • Acts 16:5

      So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

    • Acts 5:13–14

      Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them.

    • Acts 2:41

      Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.

    • 1 Corinthians 1:18

      For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

    • Acts 2:39

      This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

  • Through

    John 12:42

    Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue.

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 51:7

      Listen to Me, you who know what is right, you people with My law in your hearts: Do not fear the scorn of men; do not be broken by their insults.

    • John 7:13

      Yet no one would speak publicly about Him for fear of the Jews.

    • John 9:22

      His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already determined that anyone who confessed Jesus as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
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 the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 12; 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; Tertullian, On Modesty and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.