Acts 5:39
in Acts 5But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God.
KJV
But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
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This verse in Acts 5
Commentary
12 notes on this verseWe who are without fear ourselves are not seeking to frighten you, but we would save all men if possible by warning them not to fight with God. You may perform the duties of your charge, and yet remember the claims of humanity; if on no other ground than that you are liable to punishment yourself, (you ought to do so).
This site's exposition
Some time ago Theudas rose up
on Acts 5:36-39
Gamaliel cites two failed movements, Theudas with about four hundred men and Judas the Galilean, both scattered once their leaders died. His test is that if the work is from God, the council will not be able to stop them.
This site's exposition
fighting against God
Bede notes that the Greek uses a single word for those who fight against God. Barnes thinks Gamaliel was open to the movement being divine yet unconvinced, while Chrysostom says later events proved it was of God. Tertullian repeats the warning against fighting God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Once more he checks them by the impossibility and the inexpediency of the thing, saying, "Lest haply ye be found even to fight against God." And he does not say, If Christ be God; but the work itself declares this. He does not pronounce upon it, either that it is "of men," or that it is "of God;" but he leaves the proof to the future. But what a great thing it was that he ventured to affirm: that it was of God, when in the sequel it received its proof from the events! Great boldness of speech, great freedom from all respect of persons!
Then, having therefore smoothed the discourse with them, he tries to turn aside the hearers from plotting against the apostles, for fear that, if they set out upon an unhindered occasion, we should, he says, by dying in opposition to God, fall into godlessness, and …
Gamaliel did not say that it is from God, but neither that the work is human. For with regard to what is from God, those men would immediately have opposed it, whereas what is from humans made them bolder against the apostles. Therefore observe the …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Lest you be found to be fighting against God. For what we have as fighting against God, or, as some have interpreted, opposing God, in Greek one word is used, θεομάχοι. I thought this worth mentioning, so that when we find θεομάχος or θεομαχίαν in …
Having pointed to the examples of false teachers who perished, Gamaliel advises them to think also about themselves: beware, lest in your efforts to destroy others you yourselves perish, because he who goes against what is pleasing to God destroys not his opponent, but himself. …
4 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
But if it is from God, you will not be able to destroy them. And in the Greek, more is added here: Neither you, nor your rulers.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
But if it be of God,.... If it is according to the counsel of his will; if it is a scheme of his forming, and a work to which he has called these men, and they proceed in it on good principles, and with a view to the honour and glory of God: ye cannot overthrow it; it will proceed and get ground, and stand, maugre all the opposition of hell and earth; therefore do nothing to them, or hinder them from going on.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But if it be of God - If God is the “author” of this religion. From this it seems that Gamaliel supposed that it was at least possible that this religion was divine. He evinced a far more candid mind than did the rest of the Jews; but still it does not appear that he was entirely convinced.
But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it - Because his counsel cannot fail; and his work cannot be counteracted. If he be determined that this doctrine shall prevail, it is vain for us to attempt to suppress it. Lest haply ye be found - to fight against God - Μηποτε και θεομαχοι εὑρεθητε. Some have thought that they saw a parallel to these words in the speech of Diomede, when, seeing Mars, associated with Hector, oppose the Grecians, he judged farther opposition vain, and desired his troops to retire from the battle. Τῳ δ’ αιει παρα εἱς γε θεων, ὁς λοιγον αμυνει· Και νυν οἱ παρα κεινος Αρης, βροτῳ ανδρι εοικως. Αλλα προς Τρωας τετραμμενοι αιεν οπισσω Εικετε, μηδε Θεοις μενεαινεμεν ιφι μαχεσθαι. Iliad, lib. v. 603. Protected always by some power divine; And Mars attends this moment at his side, In form a man. Ye therefore still retire, But facing still your foes: nor battle wage, However fierce, yet fruitless, with the gods. Cowper.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰ | ei | if | G1487 → | 508 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐκ | ek | from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἐστιν, | estin | it is, | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| δυνήσεσθε | dunesesthe | you will be able | G1410 → | 207 times |
| καταλῦσαι | katalusai | to overthrow | G2647 → | 17 times |
| αὐτούς, | autous | them, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| μήποτε | mepote | otherwise | G3361 →G4218 → | 1066 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| θεομάχοι | theomachoi | fighting against God | G2314 → | |
| εὑρεθῆτε. | heurethete | You shall be found. | G2147 → | 175 times |
εἰif
eiG1487 →508 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐκfrom
ekG1537 →911 times
θεοῦGod
theouG2316 →1312 times
ἐστιν,it is,
estinG1510 →2333 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
δυνήσεσθεyou will be able
dunesestheG1410 →207 times
καταλῦσαιto overthrow
katalusaiG2647 →17 times
αὐτούς,them,
autousG846 →5565 times
μήποτεotherwise
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
θεομάχοιfighting against God
theomachoiG2314 →
εὑρεθῆτε.You shall be found.
heuretheteG2147 →175 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
Isaiah 46:10I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
it leads to
- Proverbs 19:21
Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 33:11
The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations.
- Ephesians 1:9–11
And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
- Isaiah 43:13
Even from eternity I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
- Proverbs 19:21
Through
Matthew 16:18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:19–22
Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household,
- 1 Corinthians 3:9–11
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
- Isaiah 28:16
So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.
- Colossians 1:18
And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
- Ephesians 2:19–22
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 9 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; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 14; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; Tertullian, To Scapula and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.
