Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Parallel translations
- WEB But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
- BSB But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
- NKJV But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.
- NASB But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
- NLT But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.
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
Peter and the apostles answer, 'We must obey God rather than men.' When human commands contradict God's, allegiance to God comes first.
Overview
This is a foundational principle for Christian conscience under hostile authority, echoing Peter's earlier words in Acts 4. It does not endorse lawlessness but submits all human authority to God's higher claim. The apostles cannot stop proclaiming the risen Christ whom God commissioned them to make known.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Acts 4:19But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
- 1 Sam 15:24And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
- Mark 7:7–9Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
- Gen 3:17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
- Rev 14:8–12And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
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 5:29 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
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