Acts 5:21

5:21 When they heard this, they entered the temple courts ¹  at daybreak and began teaching. ² 

Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin ³  – that is, the whole high council ⁴  of the Israelites ⁵  – and sent to the jail to have the apostles ⁶  brought before them. ⁷ 

Acts 5:25

5:25 But someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courts ⁸  and teaching ⁹  the people!”

Acts 5:29-32

5:29 But Peter and the apostles replied, ¹⁰  “We must obey ¹¹  God rather than people. ¹²  5:30 The God of our forefathers ¹³  raised up Jesus, whom you seized and killed by hanging him on a tree. ¹⁴  5:31 God exalted him ¹⁵  to his right hand as Leader ¹⁶  and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ¹⁷  5:32 And we are witnesses of these events, ¹⁸  and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey ¹⁹  him.”

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¹ tn Grk “the temple.” See the note on the same phrase in the preceding verse.

² tn The imperfect verb ἐδίδασκον (edidaskon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

³ tn Or “the council” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

⁴ tn A hendiadys (two different terms referring to a single thing) is likely here (a reference to a single legislative body rather than two separate ones) because the term γερουσίαν (gerousian) is used in both 1 Macc 12:6 and Josephus, Ant. 13.5.8 (13.166) to refer to the Sanhedrin.

⁵ tn Grk “sons of Israel.”

⁶ tn Grk “have them”; the referent (the apostles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁷ tn The words “before them” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

⁸ tn Grk “the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

⁹ sn Obeying God (see v. 29), the apostles were teaching again (4:18-20; 5:20). They did so despite the risk.

¹⁰ tn Grk “apostles answered and said.”

¹¹ sn Obey. See 4:19. This response has Jewish roots (Dan 3:16-18; 2 Macc 7:2; Josephus, Ant. 17.6.3 [17.159].

¹² tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).

¹³ tn Or “ancestors”; Grk “fathers.”

¹⁴ tn Or “by crucifying him” (“hang on a tree” is by the time of the first century an idiom for crucifixion). The allusion is to the judgment against Jesus as a rebellious figure, appealing to the language of Deut 21:23. The Jewish leadership has badly “misjudged” Jesus.

¹⁵ tn Grk “This one God exalted” (emphatic).

¹⁶ tn Or “Founder” (of a movement).

¹⁷ tn Or “to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.”

¹⁸ tn Or “things.” They are preaching these things even to the hostile leadership.

¹⁹ sn Those who obey. The implication, of course, is that the leadership is disobeying God.