Acts 5:17-42

The Apostles Arrested and Freed

17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of ¹the Sadducees), and filled with ²jealousy

18 they arrested the apostles and ³put them in the public prison.

19 But during the night ⁴an angel of the Lord ⁵opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,

20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all ⁶the words of ⁷this ⁸Life. ”

21 And when they heard this, ⁹they entered the temple ¹⁰at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,

23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside. ”

24 Now when ¹¹the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to.

25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison ¹²are standing in the temple and teaching the people. ”

26 Then ¹³the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for ¹⁴they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them,

28 saying, ¹⁵“We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you ¹⁶intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. ”

29 But Peter and the apostles answered, ¹⁷“We must obey God rather than men.

30 ¹⁸The God of our fathers ¹⁹raised Jesus, ²⁰whom you killed by hanging him on ²¹a tree.

31 God exalted ²²him at his right hand as ²³Leader and ²⁴Savior, ²⁵to give ²⁶repentance to Israel and ²⁷forgiveness of sins.

32 And ²⁸we are witnesses to these things, and ²⁹so is the Holy Spirit, ³⁰whom God has given to those who obey him. ”

33 When they heard this, they ³¹were enraged and wanted to kill them.

34 But a Pharisee in the council named ³²Gamaliel, ³³a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.

35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men.

36 For ³⁴before these days Theudas rose up, ³⁵claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.

37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of ³⁶the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.

38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for ³⁷if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail;

39 but ³⁸if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You ³⁹might even be found opposing God! ” So they took his advice,

40 and ⁴⁰when they had called in the apostles, ⁴¹they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41 Then they left the presence of the council, ⁴²rejoicing that they were counted worthy ⁴³to suffer dishonor for ⁴⁴the name.

42 And every day, ⁴⁵in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and ⁴⁶preaching ⁴⁷that the Christ is Jesus.

Cross References

• 1. 5:17 See Matt. 22:23
• 2. 5:17 ch. 13:45; James 3:14, 16; [ch. 7:9; 17:5]
• 3. 5:18 See Luke 21:12
• 4. 5:19 See ch. 8:26
• 5. 5:19 ch. 12:10; 16:26
• 6. 5:20 [John 6:63, 68; Phil. 2:16]
• 7. 5:20 [ch. 13:46; 22:4; 28:28]
• 8. 5:20 ch. 3:15; 11:18
• 9. 5:21 ver. 25, 42
• 10. 5:21 [John 8:2]
• 11. 5:24 ver. 26; See ch. 4:1
• 12. 5:25 ver. 21
• 13. 5:26 ver. 24
• 14. 5:26 ver. 13; See ch. 4:21
• 15. 5:28 ch. 4:18
• 16. 5:28 ch. 2:23, 36; 3:15; 4:10; 7:52; Matt. 27:25
• 17. 5:29 [ch. 4:19, 20]
• 18. 5:30 See ch. 3:13
• 19. 5:30 See ch. 2:24
• 20. 5:30 ch. 10:39; Gal. 3:13; See Luke 24:20
• 21. 5:30 ch. 13:29; 1 Pet. 2:24
• 22. 5:31 See ch. 2:33
• 23. 5:31 See ch. 3:15
• 24. 5:31 See Luke 2:11
• 25. 5:31 Luke 24:47; See Luke 5:32
• 26. 5:31 ch. 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:25; [Rom. 2:4]
• 27. 5:31 Luke 24:47; See Luke 5:32
• 28. 5:32 See Luke 24:48
• 29. 5:32 [ch. 15:28; John 15:26, 27; Heb. 2:4; 1 John 5:7]
• 30. 5:32 See ch. 2:4
• 31. 5:33 ch. 7:54; [ch. 2:37]
• 32. 5:34 ch. 22:3
• 33. 5:34 See Luke 5:17
• 34. 5:36 [ch. 21:38]
• 35. 5:36 ch. 8:9; [Gal. 2:6; 6:3]
• 36. 5:37 [Luke 2:2]
• 37. 5:38 Lam. 3:37
• 38. 5:39 Prov. 21:30; Isa. 8:9, 10; Nah. 1:9
• 39. 5:39 2 Chr. 13:12; [ch. 11:17]
• 40. 5:40 ch. 4:18
• 41. 5:40 [ch. 22:19; Mark 13:9; Luke 23:16]
• 42. 5:41 1 Pet. 4:13, 14, 16; See Matt. 5:12
• 43. 5:41 ch. 9:16; 21:13; [Rom. 1:5]; See John 15:21
• 44. 5:41 Lev. 24:11, 16; Phil. 2:9; 3 John 7
• 45. 5:42 ch. 2:46
• 46. 5:42 ch. 8:35; 11:20; 17:18
• 47. 5:42 See ch. 18:5