When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this.
- KJV Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
- NKJV Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be.
- NASB Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this.
- NLT When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The temple captain and chief priests are perplexed, fearing where this might lead. They sense events slipping beyond their control.
Overview
Their perplexity reveals leaders confronted by a power they cannot explain or contain. The worry about 'what might become of this' shows they grasp the threat to their authority. Their fear ironically confirms that God, not the council, is directing the course of events.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Acts 4:1While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,
- Acts 5:26At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.
- Isa 9:7Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.
- Acts 4:21After further threats they let them go. They could not find a way to punish them, because all the people were glorifying God for what had happened.
- Dan 2:44–45In 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 and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever.
- Luke 22:4And Judas went to discuss with the chief priests and temple officers how he might betray Jesus to them.
- John 11:47–48Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs.
- Isa 53:1–2Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
- Mark 4:30–32Then He asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we present it?
- John 12:19Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!”
- Acts 2:12Astounded and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
- Zech 6:12–13And you are to tell him that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Here is a man whose name is the Branch, and He will branch out from His place and build the temple of the LORD.
- Acts 4:16–17“What shall we do with these men?” they asked. “It is clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has occurred through them, and we cannot deny it.
- Luke 22:52Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple officers, and elders who had come for Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against an outlaw?
- Dan 2:34–35As 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.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 5:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.