Acts 5:35
in Acts 5“Men of Israel,” he said, “consider carefully what you are about to do to these men.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as touching these men, what ye are about to do.
KJV
And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
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This verse in Acts 5
Commentary
8 notes on this verseHe brings two examples and mentions not ancient events, but recent ones, because these latter are more powerful for persuasion. Therefore, pointing to them, Gamaliel said "before these days." Knowing other examples as well, he was satisfied with these two, that is, the example of …
This site's exposition
a Pharisee named Gamaliel
on Acts 5:34-35
Gamaliel, a Pharisee and teacher of the law honored by all the people, has the apostles put outside before he speaks. The Mishnah names him among the great teachers of his generation, and Paul names him as his own teacher at 22:3.
This site's exposition
consider carefully what you are
Clarke notes that the council had already resolved to kill the apostles and was about to act. Chrysostom observes that Gamaliel speaks mildly and briefly, choosing recent cases because they persuade best. The Clementine Recognitions claim Gamaliel was secretly a believer.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
This Gamaliel was the teacher of Paul. (see Acts 22:3) That a teacher who was respected for his legal judgments should not believe this, even if not entirely understanding it, is extreme folly. And from his words themselves, which differed also in understanding, he shows …
"When I had thus spoken, the whole multitude of the priests were in a rage, because I had foretold to them the overthrow of the temple. Which when Gamaliel, a chief of the people, saw — who was secretly our brother in the faith, but …
"Ye men of Israel take heed to yourselves." See here, I pray you, how mildly Gamaliel reasons, and how he says but a few words to them, and does not recount ancient histories, although he might have done so, but more recent instances, which are most powerful to produce belief. With this view he throws out a hint himself, saying, "For before these days" meaning, not many days before. Now had he at once said, "Let these men go," both himself would have fallen into suspicion, and his speech would not have been so effective: but after the examples, it acquired its own proper force.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And said unto them, ye men of Israel,.... This he said after the apostles were put out, when the council was by themselves; and he addressed them as "men of Israel"; not as distinct from the priests and Levites in the council, but because they were all of the stock of Israel; for this council did not consist of Israelites only, as distinct from priests and Levites, as appears from Act 5:21. A sanhedrim commonly consisted of each of these; though if only of Israelites it was a lawful one.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
What ye intend to do - Τι μελλετε πρασσειν, What ye are about to do: they had already intended to destroy them; and they were now about to do it.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἶπέν | eipen | He said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| τε | te | then | G5037 → | 213 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| αὐτούς· | autous | them; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἄνδρες | andres | Men | G435 → | 216 times |
| Ἰσραηλῖται, | israelitai | Israelites, | G2475 → | 9 times |
| προσέχετε | prosechete | do take heed | G4337 → | 24 times |
| ἑαυτοῖς | he'autois | to yourselves | G1438 → | 322 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | with | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τοῖς | tois | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνθρώποις | anthropois | men | G444 → | 549 times |
| τούτοις | toutois | these | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| τί | ti | what | G5101 → | 563 times |
| μέλλετε | mellete | you are about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| πράσσειν. | prassein | to do. | G4238 → | 39 times |
εἶπένHe said
eipenG2036 →925 times
τεthen
teG5037 →213 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
αὐτούς·them;
autousG846 →5565 times
ἄνδρεςMen
andresG435 →216 times
Ἰσραηλῖται,Israelites,
israelitaiG2475 →9 times
προσέχετεdo take heed
prosecheteG4337 →24 times
ἑαυτοῖςto yourselves
he'autoisG1438 →322 times
ἐπὶwith
epiG1909 →883 times
τοῖς<the>
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἀνθρώποιςmen
anthropoisG444 →549 times
τούτοιςthese
toutoisG3778 →1381 times
τίwhat
tiG5101 →563 times
μέλλετεyou are about
melleteG3195 →109 times
πράσσειν.to do.
prasseinG4238 →39 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 27:19While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”
it leads to
- Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of…
- 1 Peter 2:22
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”
- Proverbs 29:1
A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.
- Matthew 27:24
When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he…
- Zechariah 9:9
Through
Jeremiah 26:19Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did Hezekiah not fear the LORD and seek His favor, and did not the LORD relent of the disaster He…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 24:16
But when the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand now!” At that…
- Exodus 32:14
So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.
- 2 Chronicles 29:6–11
For our fathers were unfaithful and did evil in the sight of the LORD our God. They abandoned Him, turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the LORD, and turned their backs…
- Isaiah 37:15–20
And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD:
- 2 Samuel 24:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies20
On this verse
On this chapter
- 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 Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 14; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; Pseudo-Clement, Clementine Recognitions, Book 1 and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.