When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.
Parallel translations
- WEB But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were determined to kill them.
- KJV When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
- NKJV When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them.
- NASB But when they heard this, they became infuriated and nearly decided to execute them.
- NLT When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them.
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
Cut to the heart, the council is determined to kill the apostles. The gospel provokes fierce resistance in hardened hearts.
Overview
The same truth that brings repentance to some only enrages those who refuse it. 'Cut to the heart' here is fury, not the godly sorrow seen at Pentecost. Their murderous intent shows how far opposition to Christ can drive otherwise religious men.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Acts 7:54On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
- Luke 4:28–29On hearing this, all the people in the synagogue were enraged.
- Acts 2:37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
- John 16:2They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.
- Matt 24:9Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
- Gen 4:5–8but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.
- Matt 23:34–35Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town.
- Matt 10:21Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.
- Matt 10:25It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
- Ps 37:12–15The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them,
- Luke 11:50–54As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world,
- Acts 22:22The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”
- Luke 19:45–48Then Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling there.
- Ps 37:32–33Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous, and seek to slay them,
- John 15:20Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.
- Ps 64:2–8Hide me from the scheming of the wicked, from the mob of workers of iniquity,
- Luke 6:11But the scribes and Pharisees were filled with rage and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
- Acts 9:23After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,
- Luke 20:19When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.
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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 5:33 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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