The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
Parallel translations
- WEB They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus’ name.
- KJV And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
- NKJV So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
- NASB So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.
- NLT The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.
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 apostles leave rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Jesus' name. Suffering for Christ is received as an honor, not a defeat.
Overview
Their joy reflects Jesus' beatitude that those persecuted for His sake are blessed. They count shame for Christ as glory because they share in His sufferings. This response models the Christian's confidence that union with Christ transforms even disgrace into joy.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Jas 1:2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
- 1 Pet 4:13–16But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.
- Luke 6:22Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man.
- Phil 1:29For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him,
- John 15:21But they will treat you like this because of My name, since they do not know the One who sent Me.
- Matt 5:10–12Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Isa 66:5You who tremble at His word, hear the word of the LORD: “Your brothers who hate you and exclude you because of My name have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified that we may see your joy!’ But they will be put to shame.”
- 2 Cor 12:10That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
- Heb 12:2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Rom 5:3Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
- Heb 10:34You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.
- Acts 16:23–25And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.
- Isa 65:14My servants will shout for joy with a glad heart, but you will cry out with a heavy heart and wail with a broken spirit.
- Isa 61:10I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
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 5:41 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.