Acts 5:41 kjv
And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Acts 5:41 nkjv
So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
Acts 5:41 niv
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
Acts 5:41 esv
Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
Acts 5:41 nlt
The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.
Acts 5 41 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 5:10 | "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake..." | Blessedness in persecution. |
| Matt 5:11-12 | "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you... Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven..." | Command to rejoice in reviling. |
| Luke 6:22-23 | "Blessed are you when people hate you... on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven..." | Joy for suffering on Christ's account. |
| Acts 9:16 | "For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." | Jesus' prophecy about suffering for His name. |
| Rom 5:3 | "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance..." | Rejoicing in sufferings leading to endurance. |
| Phil 1:29 | "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake" | Suffering for Christ as a divine grant. |
| Col 1:24 | "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake..." | Paul's joy in his sufferings for others. |
| Heb 10:34 | "You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had better possessions and an abiding one." | Joyful acceptance of loss for faith. |
| Jas 1:2 | "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds..." | Universal call to joy in trials. |
| 1 Pet 2:20-21 | "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example..." | Suffering for doing good is God's will. |
| 1 Pet 4:13 | "But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed." | Sharing Christ's sufferings brings joy. |
| 1 Pet 4:14 | "If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." | Blessing in being insulted for Christ's Name. |
| 2 Thess 1:5 | "This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering..." | Suffering proving worthiness for God's kingdom. |
| Isa 53:3 | "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief..." | Prophecy of Messiah's despised suffering. |
| 2 Cor 12:10 | "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." | Contentment in hardships for Christ. |
| 2 Tim 3:12 | "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..." | Expectation of persecution for godliness. |
| Acts 4:12 | "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mankind by which we must be saved.” | The uniqueness of Christ's Name as a cause for persecution. |
| Matt 10:22 | "and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved." | Hatred for Christ's name, call to endure. |
| Lk 21:12 | "But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons... for my name's sake." | Prediction of persecution for Christ's Name. |
| Mk 8:35 | "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it." | Losing life for Christ and the gospel. |
| Rom 8:17 | "and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." | Shared suffering with Christ for glorification. |
| 1 Pet 1:6-7 | "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith..." | Joy amid trials, testing of faith. |
Acts 5 verses
Acts 5 41 Meaning
Acts 5:41 reveals the radical joy of the apostles following their public humiliation and flogging by the Sanhedrin. Instead of despair or anger, they departed the council chambers filled with rejoicing, deeming it a profound privilege and honor to endure suffering and disgrace specifically for identifying with Jesus Christ, often referred to as "the Name." Their joy was not a human bravado, but a spiritual endowment, signifying their steadfast faith and commitment, aligning themselves with Christ's own suffering and transforming an act of intended shame into a mark of divine favor.
Acts 5 41 Context
Acts chapter 5 continues the narrative of the early church's rapid growth and the apostles' bold proclamation of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. The chapter details miraculous signs and wonders performed by the apostles, leading to many conversions and provoking the envy and hostility of the Sadducees, who dominated the Sanhedrin. Despite repeated warnings and arrests, the apostles consistently chose to "obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). This verse specifically follows their second arrest, a dramatic rescue from prison by an angel, their continued public preaching in the temple, and their subsequent re-arrest and interrogation before the Sanhedrin. After Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee, advised against harsh measures, the Sanhedrin relented from their initial intent to kill them but ordered the apostles to be flogged and forbidden to speak in the name of Jesus. Acts 5:41 describes the apostles' immediate, profound, and paradoxical response to this punitive and humiliating experience.
Acts 5 41 Word analysis
- So: Indicating the immediate consequence and direct outcome of the Sanhedrin's decision to flog them and release them, as well as the apostles' steadfast refusal to cease preaching.
- they left: Signifies their physical departure from the Jewish high court, marking an end to the interrogation and punishment, but also highlighting their freedom in spirit despite external constraint.
- the presence of the council: Refers to the Sanhedrin (synedrion in Greek), the supreme religious and judicial body of the Jewish people, which had just condemned and punished them. This public setting amplified the perceived shame.
- rejoicing: (Greek: chairontes, from chairo) This is a present participle, conveying continuous action. It means "to be glad," "to be filled with delight or joy." It describes an internal state of deep gladness, not merely external composure. This joy is a supernatural response to suffering for Christ, directly counter to typical human reactions to pain and dishonor. It showcases the indwelling Spirit (Gal 5:22).
- that: Connects their joy to its specific cause—the privilege bestowed upon them.
- they were counted worthy: (Greek: katēxiōthēsan, from kataxioo) Means "to deem worthy of," "to reckon worthy," or "to consider honorable." The passive voice implies that God was the one who counted them worthy. This concept elevates suffering from a mere misfortune to a divine appointment and a high honor, a mark of God's favor and validation of their mission.
- to suffer dishonor: (Greek: atimasthenai, from atimazō) Atimazō means "to dishonor," "to treat shamefully," "to disgrace," or "to abuse." This specifically refers to the physical flogging they just received, which was a deeply humiliating and painful act in public. To "suffer dishonor" in this context also highlights their public disgrace by the highest Jewish authority, an experience they embraced rather than avoided.
- for the name: (Greek: hyper tou Onomatos) "Hyper" means "on behalf of," or "for the sake of." "The Name" is a powerful and specific circumlocution used in early Christianity for Jesus Christ Himself. It encompasses His person, authority, divine identity, character, power, and mission. Suffering "for the Name" meant suffering for their unwavering proclamation of Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and Savior, and for living lives that testified to Him, often provoking strong opposition.
- for the name (grouping): This phrase signifies that the apostles understood the cause of their suffering not as mere legal disobedience or political agitation, but as directly related to their allegiance to Jesus Christ. It was not generic suffering, but specific suffering due to their devotion and proclamation of His unique authority and saving power. This links their experience to Jesus' own suffering (Isa 53:3; 1 Pet 4:13). The ability to suffer for "the Name" was a divine sign, proof that they belonged to Him and were following His path (Acts 9:16).
Acts 5 41 Bonus section
The apostles' joy in suffering echoes the paradoxical nature of the Kingdom of God, where strength is found in weakness (2 Cor 12:9-10), honor in humility, and life through death. Their experience sets a powerful precedent for subsequent generations of Christians, illustrating that genuine faith in Christ not only endures persecution but can even embrace it as a badge of honor. This perspective reframes suffering from a curse to a consecrated pathway, validating the apostles' apostolic authority and the divine source of their mission, a stark contrast to the world's values. It also reveals the ineffectiveness of human efforts to suppress God's truth; what was intended for their defeat became their distinguishing glory.
Acts 5 41 Commentary
Acts 5:41 presents a pivotal moment, transforming the narrative of persecution into a testimony of faith's triumph. The Sanhedrin's intent was to instill fear and silence the apostles through pain and public shame. However, their response of radical joy was not merely resilience; it was a divine counter-action. This joy stemmed from the Holy Spirit's empowerment, allowing them to perceive suffering not as failure, but as a privileged participation in Christ's own journey of sacrifice and glorification. Their conviction that God had "counted them worthy" to endure ignominy for "the Name" revealed a profound theological truth: that identifying with the crucified Christ, even in His reproach, marked them as authentic disciples and partners in His redemptive work. This paradoxical joy validated their message, demonstrating a Kingdom reality that transcends worldly fear and embraces the path of costly discipleship.