When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end.
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.
- BSB When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening.
- 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.
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 4:1As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them,
- Acts 5:26Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.
- Isa 9:7Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.
- Acts 4:21When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that which was done.
- Dan 2:44–45In the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
- Luke 22:4He went away, and talked with the chief priests and captains about how he might deliver him to them.
- John 11:47–48The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, “What are we doing? For this man does many signs.
- Isa 53:1–2Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed?
- Mark 4:30–32He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?
- John 12:19The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”
- Acts 2:12They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
- Zech 6:12–13and speak to him, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies says, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build Yahweh’s temple;
- Acts 4:16–17saying, “What shall we do to these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can’t deny it.
- Luke 22:52Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and elders, who had come against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
- Dan 2:34–35You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
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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.