Acts 5:23-29

5:23 “We found the jail locked securely and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, ¹  we found no one inside.” 5:24 Now when the commander ²  of the temple guard ³  and the chief priests heard this report, ⁴  they were greatly puzzled concerning it, ⁵  wondering what this could ⁶  be. 5:25 But someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courts ⁷  and teaching ⁸  the people!” 5:26 Then the commander ⁹  of the temple guard ¹⁰  went with the officers ¹¹  and brought the apostles ¹²  without the use of force ¹³  (for they were afraid of being stoned by the people). ¹⁴ 

5:27 When they had brought them, they stood them before the council, ¹⁵  and the high priest questioned ¹⁶  them, 5:28 saying, “We gave ¹⁷  you strict orders ¹⁸  not to teach in this name. ¹⁹  Look, ²⁰  you have filled Jerusalem ²¹  with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood ²²  on us!” 5:29 But Peter and the apostles replied, ²³  “We must obey ²⁴  God rather than people. ²⁵ 

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¹ tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

² tn Or “captain.”

³ tn Grk “the official of the temple,” a title for the commander of the Jewish soldiers guarding the temple (thus the translation, “the commander of the temple guard”). See L&N 37.91.

⁴ tn Grk “heard these words.”

⁵ tn Grk “concerning them,” agreeing with the plural antecedent “these words.” Since the phrase “these words” was translated as the singular “this report,” the singular “concerning it” is used here.

⁶ tn The optative verb here expresses confused uncertainty.

⁷ tn Grk “the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

⁸ sn Obeying God (see v. 29), the apostles were teaching again (4:18-20; 5:20). They did so despite the risk.

⁹ tn Or “captain.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “the official [of the temple],” a title for the commander of the Jewish soldiers guarding the temple (thus the translation, “the commander of the temple guard”). See L&N 37.91.

¹¹ tn The Greek term ὑπηρέτης (Juphreth") generally means “servant,” but in the NT is used for many different types of servants. See the note on the word “officers” in v. 22.

¹² tn Grk “brought them”; the referent (the apostles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹³ tn Or “without violence.” It is clear, as well, that the apostles did not resist arrest.

¹⁴ tn Grk “for they feared lest they be stoned by the people.” The translation uses a less awkward English equivalent. This is an explanatory note by the author.

¹⁵ tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

¹⁶ tn Or “interrogated,” “asked.”

¹⁷ tc ‡ The majority of mss, including a few important witnesses (א² D E [Ψ] 1739 Ï sy sa), have the negative particle οὐ (ou) here, effectively turning the high priest’s words into a question: “Did we not give you strict orders not to teach in this name?” But the earliest and most important mss, along with some others (Ì⁷⁴ א* A B 1175 lat bo), lack the particle, making this a strong statement rather than a question. Scribes may have been tempted to omit the particle to strengthen the contrast between official Judaism and the new faith, but the fact that v. 27 introduces the quotation with ἐπηρώτησεν (ephrwthsen, “he questioned”) may well have prompted scribes to add οὐ to convert the rebuke into a question. Further, that excellent witnesses affirm the shorter reading is sufficient ground for accepting it as most probably authentic. NA²⁷ includes the particle in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

¹⁸ tn Grk “We commanded you with a commandment” (a Semitic idiom that is emphatic).

¹⁹ sn The name (i.e., person) of Jesus is the constant issue of debate.

²⁰ tn Grk “And behold.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

²¹ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

²² sn To bring this man’s blood on us is an idiom meaning “you intend to make us guilty of this man’s death.”

²³ tn Grk “apostles answered and said.”

²⁴ 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].

²⁵ tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).