And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
Parallel translations
- WEB Now I tell you, withdraw from these men, and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown.
- BSB So in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone. Let them go! For if their purpose or endeavor is of human origin, it will fail.
- NKJV And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing;
- NASB And so in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, for if the source of this plan or movement is men, it will be overthrown;
- NLT “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown.
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
Gamaliel advises leaving the apostles alone, since a merely human work will collapse on its own. He counsels patience over persecution.
Overview
His reasoning rests on the principle that what is not of God cannot endure. The advice spares the apostles, serving God's purposes despite Gamaliel's own uncertainty. Luke records it because history confirms the gospel was indeed of God and could not be overthrown.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Matt 15:13But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
- Lam 3:37Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
- Isa 8:9–10Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.
- Prov 21:30There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
- Isa 7:5–7Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,
- Job 5:12–14He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.
- Ps 33:10–11The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
- 1 Cor 1:26–28For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
- 1 Cor 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
- John 11:48If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
- Neh 4:15And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
- Isa 14:25That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.
- Acts 5:35And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
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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 5:38 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.