“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.
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.
- KJV 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:
- 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;
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, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted.
- Lam 3:37Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn’t command it?
- Isa 8:9–10Make an uproar, you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Listen, all you from far countries: dress for battle, and be shattered! Dress for battle, and be shattered!
- Prov 21:30There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh.
- Isa 7:5–7Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have plotted evil against you, saying,
- Job 5:12–14He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands can’t perform their enterprise.
- Ps 33:10–11Yahweh brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.
- 1 Cor 1:26–28For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble;
- 1 Cor 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He has taken the wise in their craftiness.”
- John 11:48If we leave him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
- Neh 4:15When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nothing, all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.
- Isa 14:25that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and tread him under foot on my mountains. Then his yoke will leave them, and his burden leave their shoulders.
- Acts 5:35He said to them, “You men of Israel, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do.
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 5:38 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.