Acts 5:38
New International Version
Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.

New Living Translation
“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.

English Standard Version
So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail;

Berean Standard Bible
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.

Berean Literal Bible
And now I say to you, withdraw from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this work is from men, it will be overthrown.

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
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;

New American Standard Bible
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;

NASB 1995
“So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown;

NASB 1977
“And so in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action should be of men, it will be overthrown;

Legacy Standard Bible
So in the present case, I also say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown;

Amplified Bible
So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men [merely human in origin], it will fail and be destroyed;

Christian Standard Bible
So in the present case, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of human origin, it will fail;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And now, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of men, it will be overthrown;

American Standard Version
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 be overthrown:

Contemporary English Version
So I advise you to stay away from these men. Leave them alone. If what they are planning is something of their own doing, it will fail.

English Revised Version
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 be overthrown:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"We should keep away from these men for now. We should leave them alone. I can guarantee that if the plan they put into action is of human origin, it will fail.

Good News Translation
And so in this case, I tell you, do not take any action against these men. Leave them alone! If what they have planned and done is of human origin, it will disappear,

International Standard Version
"I'm telling you to keep away from these men for now. Leave them alone, because if this plan or movement is of human origin, it will fail.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
So in this case I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking originates with people, it will come to nothing,

New Heart English Bible
Now I tell you, withdraw from these men, and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of human origin, it will be overthrown.

Webster's Bible Translation
And now I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work is from men, it will come to naught:

Weymouth New Testament
And now I tell you to hold aloof from these men and leave them alone--for if this scheme or work is of human origin, it will come to nothing.

World English Bible
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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and now I say to you, refrain from these men, and leave them alone, because if this counsel or this work may be of men, it will be overthrown,

Berean Literal Bible
And now I say to you, withdraw from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this work is from men, it will be overthrown.

Young's Literal Translation
and now I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone, because if this counsel or this work may be of men, it will be overthrown,

Smith's Literal Translation
And now say I to you, Depart from these men, and leave them; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it shall be destroyed:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And now, therefore, I say to you, refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this council or this work be of men, it will come to nought;

Catholic Public Domain Version
And now therefore, I say to you, withdraw from these men and leave them alone. For if this counsel or work is of men, it will be broken.

New American Bible
So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself.

New Revised Standard Version
So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
So now I tell you, Keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this thought and this work is of men, it will fail and pass away.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“And I say to you, separate yourselves from these men and leave them, for if this counsel and work is from men, they will dissolve and pass away.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And now I say to you, keep away from these men, and let them alone; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to an end;

Godbey New Testament
And I now say this to you: Stand aloof from these men, and let them alone; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught;

Haweis New Testament
And as to the matters now before you, I say unto you, Abstain from these men, and leave them to themselves: for if this design or this work be of men, it will come to nothing:

Mace New Testament
my opinion therefore is, not to meddle with these men, but to let them go on: for if the design be a human project, it will fall of it self, but if it be from God,

Weymouth New Testament
And now I tell you to hold aloof from these men and leave them alone--for if this scheme or work is of human origin, it will come to nothing.

Worrell New Testament
And now I say to you, refrain from these men, and let them alone; for, if this counsel or this work be of men, it will be overthrown;

Worsley New Testament
And therefore as to the present affair I advise you to refrain from these men and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nothing;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Gamaliel's Advice
37After 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. 38So 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. 39But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”…

Cross References
Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.

Isaiah 8:10
Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”

Matthew 15:13
But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.

Job 5:12-13
He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success. / He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning.

Psalm 33:10
The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.

Isaiah 46:10
I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’

Lamentations 3:37
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?

Daniel 4:35
All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

Psalm 127:1
A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain.

Ecclesiastes 3:14
I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him.

Matthew 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

1 Corinthians 3:19-20
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” / And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”

James 4:15
Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”

Proverbs 19:21
Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.


Treasury of Scripture

And now I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nothing:

Refrain.

Acts 5:35
And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.

John 11:48
If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

for.

Nehemiah 4:15
And 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.

Job 5:12-14
He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise…

Psalm 33:10,11
The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect…

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Acts 5
1. After that Ananias and Sapphira his wife,
3. at Peter's rebuke had fallen down dead;
12. and that the rest of the apostles had wrought many miracles;
14. to the increase of the faith;
17. the apostles are again imprisoned;
19. but delivered by an angel bidding them preach openly to all;
21. when, after their teaching accordingly in the temple,
29. and before the council,
33. they are in danger to be killed;
34. but through the advice of Gamaliel, they are kept alive, and are only beaten;
41. for which they glorify God, and cease no day from preaching.














So in the present case
This phrase sets the context for a specific situation being addressed. The speaker, Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee and teacher of the law, is addressing the Sanhedrin regarding the apostles. The Greek word for "present" (νῦν) emphasizes the immediacy and relevance of the situation. Historically, this was a time of great tension between the Jewish authorities and the burgeoning Christian movement. Gamaliel's wisdom is highlighted here, as he calls for a measured response rather than a hasty judgment.

I advise you
Gamaliel's role as an advisor is crucial. The Greek word "παραγγέλλω" (parangellō) implies a command or authoritative instruction. His advice carries weight due to his status and experience. In a broader scriptural context, this reflects the biblical principle of seeking wise counsel, as seen in Proverbs 11:14, "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety."

Leave these men alone!
The directive to "leave" (ἀφίημι, aphiēmi) suggests a deliberate choice to release or let go. This is a call for restraint and non-interference. Historically, this reflects a period when the early church was under scrutiny and persecution. Gamaliel's counsel is a reminder of the power of divine providence and the futility of opposing God's will.

Let them go!
This phrase reinforces the idea of freedom and non-intervention. The Greek "ἄφετε" (aphete) is an imperative, urging the council to refrain from action. This reflects a trust in God's sovereignty, a theme prevalent throughout scripture, where human plans are subject to divine oversight.

For if their purpose or endeavor
The word "purpose" (βούλη, boulē) and "endeavor" (ἔργον, ergon) denote intention and action. Gamaliel distinguishes between human and divine origins of plans. This echoes the biblical teaching that human efforts, apart from God, are ultimately futile, as seen in Psalm 127:1, "Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain."

is of human origin
The phrase "of human origin" (ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, ex anthrōpōn) contrasts with divine origin. It underscores the transient nature of human schemes. Historically, many movements and rebellions had arisen and failed, reinforcing the idea that only what is rooted in God endures.

it will fail
The certainty of failure (καταλύω, katalyō) for human-originated plans is emphasized. This reflects a biblical worldview that sees God's purposes as ultimately prevailing. The historical context of the early church, which despite persecution, grew and thrived, serves as a testament to the truth of Gamaliel's insight. This assurance inspires believers to trust in God's eternal plan, knowing that what is of God will stand the test of time.

(38) Refrain from these men.--The advice implies something like a suppressed conviction not bold enough to utter itself. Gamaliel takes his place in the class, at all times numerous, of waiters upon Providence, who are neutral till a cause is successful, and then come forward with a tardy sympathy, but who, above all, shrink from committing themselves while there seems any possibility of failure. In 1Thessalonians 2:13, St. Paul seems almost to contrast the readiness of his disciples in receiving his gospel, not as "of man," but as "of God," with the timid caution of his Master. As a prudential dilemma, the argument was forcible enough. Resistance was either needless or it was hopeless. If needless, it was a waste of energy; if hopeless, it involved a fatal risk besides that of mere failure. We may legitimately think of the fiery disciple as listening impatiently to this temporising counsel, and as stirred by it to greater vehemence.

It will come to nought.--Better, it will be overthrown, so as to preserve the emphasis of the repetition of the same verb in the next clause of the dilemma.

Verse 38. - Be overthrown for come to nought, A.V.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
So
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

in the present [case]
νῦν (nyn)
Adverb
Strong's 3568: A primary particle of present time; 'now'; also as noun or adjective present or immediate.

I advise
λέγω (legō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

you:
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

Leave
ἀπόστητε (apostēte)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 868: From apo and histemi; to remove, i.e. instigate to revolt; usually to desist, desert, etc.

these
τούτων (toutōn)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

men {alone}.
ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

Let them go!
ἄφετε (aphete)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 863: From apo and hiemi; to send forth, in various applications.

For
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

if
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

[their]
αὕτη (hautē)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

purpose
βουλὴ (boulē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1012: Counsel, deliberate wisdom, decree. From boulomai; volition, i.e. advice, or purpose.

or
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

endeavor
ἔργον (ergon)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2041: From a primary ergo; toil; by implication, an act.

is
(ē)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

of
ἐξ (ex)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

human origin,
ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

it will fail.
καταλυθήσεται (katalythēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2647: From kata and luo; to loosen down, i.e. to demolish; specially to halt for the night.


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NT Apostles: Acts 5:38 Now I tell you withdraw from these (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 5:37
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