Acts 5 27

Acts 5:27 kjv

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

Acts 5:27 nkjv

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them,

Acts 5:27 niv

The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.

Acts 5:27 esv

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them,

Acts 5:27 nlt

Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them.

Acts 5 verses

Acts 5 27 Meaning

This verse details the crucial moment when the apostles, having been re-arrested by the temple guards, were presented formally before the Jewish supreme court, the Sanhedrin, for an interrogation led by the high priest. It marks the commencement of the official judicial proceedings against them for continuing to preach in the name of Jesus after a previous prohibition.

Acts 5 27 Context

Acts 5:27 follows a series of escalating events. The apostles had been performing many signs and wonders among the people (Acts 5:12-16), leading to great numbers joining the Lord. This spiritual surge angered the Sadducees, who were jealous and had them arrested and imprisoned (Acts 5:17-18). However, an angel miraculously opened the prison doors by night and instructed the apostles to continue preaching in the temple (Acts 5:19-20). The next morning, the Sanhedrin assembled and sent for the prisoners, only to find the prison empty (Acts 5:21-23). A messenger then reported that the apostles were back in the temple, openly teaching (Acts 5:24-25). The captain of the temple guard, wary of potential rioting from the people, went and brought them back "without violence" (Acts 5:26). Verse 27, therefore, describes the immediate re-convening of the Sanhedrin to interrogate these mysteriously released, defiant preachers, signifying the direct clash between their perceived religious authority and the divine command under which the apostles operated. Historically, the Sanhedrin was the supreme Jewish court, holding immense power in Jerusalem, often clashing with those perceived to challenge their traditional interpretations and authority, particularly regarding the Messianic claims of Jesus.

Acts 5 27 Word analysis

• And (Καὶ - Kai): A common conjunction, here serves to seamlessly continue the narrative from the re-arrest of the apostles, indicating immediate sequence.
• when they had brought (προσάγουσιν - prosagousin): From prosago, meaning to bring or lead forward, to present, especially to authorities. It emphasizes the physical act of presenting them before a superior body. The subject "they" refers to the temple captain and his officers, as mentioned in the preceding verse (Acts 5:26).
• them (αὐτοὺς - autous): Refers to the apostles, who had just been taken from the temple courts where they were openly teaching.
• they set them (ἔστησαν αὐτοὺς - estesan autous): From histemi, to stand, to make to stand, to place. This implies formally positioning them, typically in the center of the chamber, for questioning or judgment, underscoring the solemn, judicial nature of the occasion.
• before (ἐν τῷ - en tō): Preposition indicating location or presence in relation to the council.
• the council (συνεδρίῳ - synedriō): Referring to the Sanhedrin (Συνέδριον), the supreme judicial and religious council of the Jews. Its members included the High Priest, chief priests, elders, and scribes. This body had previously condemned Jesus and attempted to silence Peter and John. Their authority was challenged by the apostles' divine release and persistent preaching.
• and the high priest (ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς - ho archiereus): Refers to Caiaphas, as identified earlier in Acts 4:6. As the president of the Sanhedrin, he takes immediate charge of the proceedings, reflecting the urgent and sensitive nature of the case from their perspective. His role was crucial in guiding the council's decisions.
• asked (ἐπηρώτησεν - epērōtēsen): From eperotao, which means to interrogate, question closely, inquire. It is not merely to ask for information, but to press for answers, often implying a legal or authoritative questioning that seeks to establish facts or guilt. This suggests a direct and challenging inquiry right from the outset of the session.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And when they had brought them, they set them before the council": This phrase emphasizes the orderly yet confrontational process. The apostles, though divinely freed, willingly submitted to being brought back by the officers to this human court. Their "setting before" is a formal arraignment, putting them on display and under direct scrutiny of the highest Jewish authority. It is a spectacle designed to assert the council's control and intimidation.
• "and the high priest asked them": This immediate action from the high priest signals the swift resumption of the judicial proceedings. His direct questioning demonstrates his intent to get answers, reflecting both the Sanhedrin's confusion over the miraculous escape and their determination to suppress the growing Christian movement that defied their previous injunctions and religious order.

Acts 5 27 Bonus section

• The passive re-submission of the apostles ("brought them without violence" Acts 5:26) to the Sanhedrin underscores their obedience to human law when it doesn't contradict divine law. They could have resisted but chose not to, demonstrating their witness was through preaching, not physical confrontation.
• This immediate summoning by the High Priest reflects the Sanhedrin's palpable frustration and loss of face, knowing their previous command had been openly disregarded, and the apostles' escape defied logical explanation. It speaks to their desperate need to regain control of the narrative and populace.

Acts 5 27 Commentary

Acts 5:27 presents a scene of immediate and intense confrontation. Having endured a miraculous release from prison, the apostles are once again arrayed against the full force of the Jewish religious establishment. The Sanhedrin's decision to "set them before the council" is a clear attempt to reassert their authority, which had been publicly undermined by the prison break and the apostles' brazen return to preaching. The high priest's instant "asking" indicates the gravity and urgency of the council's predicament; they are not merely curious, but engaged in an interrogation intended to establish defiance and halt the perceived spread of a dangerous, heterodox teaching. This scene encapsulates the clash between the instituted religious power of the era and the nascent Christian movement, divinely empowered and steadfast in its commitment to proclaiming the resurrection of Christ. It demonstrates the persistent human opposition against God's will and the unwavering obedience of His chosen witnesses, preparing the ground for the apostles' renowned declaration in the subsequent verse (Acts 5:29).