Limitless Word
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
Acts 5:37 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.
  • BSB After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.
  • NKJV After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed.
  • NASB After this man, Judas of Galilee appeared in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he also perished, and all those who followed him were scattered.
  • NLT After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.

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

He cites Judas of Galilee, whose followers were also scattered. Another failed uprising supports his point.

Overview

Like Theudas, Judas perished and his movement dispersed, showing the fate of merely human ventures. Gamaliel reasons that time will likewise expose a false cause. The repeated pattern strengthens his call to let events test the apostles' claims.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 6

  • Luke 2:1–2And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
  • Ps 9:15–16The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.
  • Matt 26:52Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
  • Ps 7:14–15Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
  • Luke 13:1–2There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
  • Job 20:5–9That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (8)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 5:37YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 5:37 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.