Acts 5 30

Acts 5:30 kjv

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Acts 5:30 nkjv

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.

Acts 5:30 niv

The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead?whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.

Acts 5:30 esv

The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.

Acts 5:30 nlt

The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross.

Acts 5 verses

Acts 5 30 Meaning

Acts 5:30 presents Peter's concise yet powerful declaration to the Sanhedrin, affirming that the very God whom the Jewish leaders claimed to serve, "the God of our fathers," definitively reversed their judicial and executive actions against Jesus. While they "murdered" Jesus by orchestrating His execution and subjecting Him to the death of one "hung on a tree" (a sign of divine curse), God triumphantly "raised" Him from the dead. This verse directly asserts God's ultimate authority and righteous vindication of Jesus, directly confronting the Sanhedrin's unjust condemnation and perceived victory.

Acts 5 30 Context

Acts chapter 5 describes the burgeoning early church, characterized by remarkable signs and wonders performed by the apostles (vv. 12-16). This growth and divine favor incite the intense jealousy of the high priest and the Sadducees, leading to the arrest of the apostles (vv. 17-18). However, an angel miraculously delivers them from prison during the night with the instruction to continue speaking "to the people all the words of this life" in the Temple courts (vv. 19-20). Obedient, the apostles are found preaching again, leading to their re-arrest and appearance before the Sanhedrin (vv. 21-27). The high priest admonishes them for disobeying the previous order not to teach in Jesus' name (Acts 4:18). Acts 5:29 provides Peter's iconic response, "We must obey God rather than men." Verse 30 directly follows as the foundational theological explanation for their unwavering obedience and the content of their defiant message to their accusers—the Sanhedrin itself, the highest Jewish religious and judicial authority.

Historically, the Sanhedrin was keenly aware of their religious heritage and saw themselves as the custodians of God's law. Peter's challenge strikes at the core of their authority and their perception of God's will. The phrase "hanging on a tree" immediately invokes a strong theological significance within Jewish thought, connected to a cursed death in Deut 21:22-23. The apostles are not only accusing the Sanhedrin of murder but also of misunderstanding God's action in a deeply ironic and damning way—God overturned their curse with resurrection and exaltation.

Acts 5 30 Word analysis

• The God: (Greek: Ho Theos, Ὁ Θεὸς). This refers to the one true God, specifically the God of Israel, whom the Sanhedrin claimed to worship. Peter establishes common ground before delivering a jarring indictment, demonstrating that the Sanhedrin’s actions contradict the will of their own God.
• of our fathers: (Greek: tōn paterōn hēmōn, τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν). This phrase directly connects to the covenant God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, establishing continuity with Israel's ancestral faith. By invoking "our fathers," Peter implicitly aligns the apostles with the faithful lineage while contrasting the Sanhedrin’s current actions as a betrayal of this very heritage.
• raised: (Greek: ēgeiren, ἤγειρεν). Aorist active indicative of egeirō. This verb signifies a decisive and complete action by God. In the context of "murdered," it primarily refers to Jesus' physical resurrection from the dead, overcoming death. It also carries the broader implication of God exalting or setting Jesus apart as significant, leading into His exaltation as Prince and Savior in the very next verse (Acts 5:31).
• Jesus: (Greek: Iēsoun, Ἰησοῦν). The historical, human name of the Messiah, emphasized here to refer to the specific person they had killed.
• whom: (Greek: hon, ὅν). A relative pronoun linking the person God raised (Jesus) directly to the person the Sanhedrin "murdered," emphasizing the same individual as the subject of two profoundly opposite actions.
• you: (Greek: hymeis, ὑμεῖς). This emphatic second-person plural pronoun is a direct and forceful accusation, laying the responsibility for Jesus' death squarely on the Sanhedrin council members. It’s an assertive challenge to their authority and actions.
• murdered: (Greek: diecheirisasthe, διεχειρίσασθε). From diacheirizō. This strong verb means "to put to death with one's own hand," "to dispatch," or "to assassinate." It implies direct personal involvement and responsibility, rather than mere acquiescence. It starkly contrasts with God's life-giving act of "raising."
• by hanging Him: (Greek: kremasantes, κρεμάσαντες). Aorist active participle of kremaō, meaning "to hang up" or "to suspend." This specifies the method of execution, namely crucifixion, a common Roman method, but laden with a specific theological significance for Jewish listeners.
• on a tree: (Greek: epi xylou, ἐπὶ ξύλου). Literally "on wood" or "on a piece of timber." While simply descriptive of the cross, this phrase carries immense theological weight due to Deut 21:22-23, which states that "anyone hung on a pole is under God’s curse." By specifying this detail, Peter not only identifies the crucifixion but also highlights that the Sanhedrin intended to mark Jesus as one cursed by God. This setup creates the powerful theological paradox that God reversed this "curse" through resurrection and subsequent glorification.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "The God of our fathers raised Jesus": This opening statement positions God as the ultimate agent of action and vindication, establishing continuity with Israel's sacred history. It immediately declares God's counter-action to human sin. The raising of Jesus speaks of His divine approval, overcoming the Sanhedrin's condemnation.
• "whom you murdered": This segment presents the stark accusation against the Sanhedrin. "Whom" creates a direct causal link, unequivocally assigning guilt to them for His death, effectively turning the trial around. The act of "murder" (deliberate putting to death) strips them of any pretense of religious or legal justification for their actions in Jesus’ case.
• "by hanging Him on a tree": This concluding phrase specifies the ignominious method of Jesus' death. Far from a simple description, it carries a potent polemical sting. In Jewish understanding, to be "hanged on a tree" implied being cursed by God (Deut 21:23). By forcing this mode of death, the Jewish leadership sought to delegitimize Jesus permanently by branding Him as one accursed by God. Peter, however, by stating that "The God of our fathers raised Jesus" (who was put to this very "cursed" death), underscores the incredible divine reversal: God not only overturned their sentence but demonstrated that Jesus, far from being cursed, was indeed His chosen and anointed one.

Acts 5 30 Bonus section

• Polemical Nature: This verse serves as a powerful polemic against the Sanhedrin's authority. Peter asserts that their judicial verdict on Jesus was not only mistaken but fundamentally opposed to the will of God Himself, who demonstrably validated Jesus. This direct challenge was profoundly offensive to those in power, who saw themselves as upholding God's law.
• Reversal of Perceived Curse: The choice of "hanging Him on a tree" highlights a major theological reversal. The Jewish leaders sought to demonstrate Jesus was cursed by God by arranging His crucifixion (Deut 21:23). Yet, God's act of raising Him proved their verdict wrong, indicating that Jesus bore the curse not for His own sin but to redeem others (Gal 3:13).
• The Courage of the Apostles: The fact that Peter delivers such a provocative and accusatory message to the very powerful individuals who could put him to death underscores the apostles' Spirit-empowered boldness and their conviction in the resurrected Christ. Their obedience to God was unwavering even in the face of mortal threats.

Acts 5 30 Commentary

Acts 5:30 encapsulates the audacious heart of the early apostolic preaching. Standing before the very court that orchestrated Jesus' death, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, does not apologize or retract. Instead, he levels a profound counter-indictment. He begins by invoking "The God of our fathers," deliberately appealing to the Sanhedrin's shared theological heritage, then dramatically reveals how they have acted against this very God's will. The phrase "raised Jesus" stands in stark opposition to "whom you murdered," demonstrating God's sovereign power to override human injustice and the certainty of death itself. The added detail of "hanging Him on a tree" highlights the particularly damning nature of Jesus' execution from a Jewish perspective – the death of one cursed by God (Deut 21:23). Peter powerfully shows that despite the Sanhedrin’s best efforts to discredit Jesus by associating Him with divine curse, God gloriously vindicated Him through resurrection. This declaration served as both an indictment of their sin and an invitation to recognize God's true Messiah, prompting a choice: reject the crucified-then-raised Christ and God's will, or repent and follow Him. It underlines a central biblical truth: human wickedness cannot thwart God's ultimate plan, and His power transforms perceived defeat into glorious victory.