At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
Parallel translations
- WEB They agreed with him. Summoning the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
- KJV And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
- NKJV And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
- NASB They followed his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them.
- NLT The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.
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
The council beats the apostles, reorders their silence, and releases them. Persecution continues but cannot stop the message.
Overview
Persuaded by Gamaliel against killing them, the council still inflicts a flogging and renews its ban. The beating fulfills Jesus' warning that His witnesses would suffer for His name. Yet release means the apostles are free to keep preaching, which they promptly do.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Matt 10:17But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
- John 19:1–4Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.
- Mark 13:9So be on your guard. You will be delivered over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues. On My account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.
- Acts 5:28“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”
- Acts 4:17–21But to keep this message from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in this name.”
- 2 Cor 11:24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
- Prov 12:10A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are only cruelty.
- Amos 2:12“But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.
- Mic 2:6“Do not preach,” they preach. “Do not preach these things; disgrace will not overtake us.”
- Matt 23:34Because 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.
- Luke 20:10At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed.
- Isa 30:10They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions.
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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 5:40 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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