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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Acts 5:38–39

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
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PASSAGE SELECTION

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SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

All 36 ranked passages are available for comparison.

From verse 38

  1. Matthew 15:13Rank 1 from verse 38
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    13But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

  2. Lamentations 3:37Rank 2 from verse 38
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    37¶ Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

  3. Isaiah 8:9–10Rank 3 from verse 38
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    9¶ Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.

    10Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

  4. Isaiah 7:5–7Rank 4 from verse 38
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    5Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,

    6Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal:

    7Thus saith the Lord God, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

  5. Job 5:12–14Rank 5 from verse 38
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    12He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

    13He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

    14They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night.

  6. Proverbs 21:30Rank 6 from verse 38
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    30There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.

  7. Psalms 33:10–11Rank 7 from verse 38
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    10The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

    11The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

  8. 1 Corinthians 1:26–28Rank 8 from verse 38
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    26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

    27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

    28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

  9. 1 Corinthians 3:19Rank 9 from verse 38
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    19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

  10. Isaiah 14:25Rank 10 from verse 38
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    25That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

  11. John 11:48Rank 11 from verse 38
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    48If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

  12. Nehemiah 4:15Rank 12 from verse 38
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    15And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.

  13. Acts 5:35Rank 13 from verse 38
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    35And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.

From verse 39

  1. Proverbs 21:30Rank 1 from verse 39
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    30There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.

  2. Isaiah 46:10Rank 2 from verse 39
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    10Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

  3. Matthew 16:18Rank 3 from verse 39
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    18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

  4. 1 Corinthians 1:25Rank 4 from verse 39
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    25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

  5. Acts 11:17Rank 5 from verse 39
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    17Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

  6. Acts 7:51Rank 6 from verse 39
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    51¶ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

  7. Acts 6:10Rank 7 from verse 39
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    10And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

  8. Acts 9:5Rank 8 from verse 39
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    5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

  9. Luke 21:15Rank 9 from verse 39
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    15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

  10. Isaiah 43:13Rank 10 from verse 39
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    13Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?

  11. Job 34:29Rank 11 from verse 39
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    29When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:

  12. Revelation 17:12–14Rank 12 from verse 39
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    12And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

    13These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

    14These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

  13. Daniel 4:35Rank 13 from verse 39
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    35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

  14. Acts 23:9Rank 14 from verse 39
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    9And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

  15. Exodus 10:3–7Rank 15 from verse 39
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    3And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.

    4Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:

    5And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:

    6And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.

    7And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

  16. Job 15:25–27Rank 16 from verse 39
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    25For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

    26He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

    27Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.

  17. Job 40:9–14Rank 17 from verse 39
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    9Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

    10Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.

    11Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.

    12Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.

    13Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.

    14Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.

  18. 1 Corinthians 10:22Rank 18 from verse 39
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    22Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

  19. Isaiah 45:9Rank 19 from verse 39
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    9Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

  20. 1 Kings 12:24Rank 20 from verse 39
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    24Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord.

  21. 2 Kings 19:22Rank 21 from verse 39
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    22Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.

  22. 2 Samuel 5:2Rank 22 from verse 39
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    2Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

  23. Genesis 24:50Rank 23 from verse 39
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    50Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Acts 5:38

COMBINED MEANING

say

↗

Sense 1: To speak, declare, tell, or express. Sense 2: What is said.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

you

↗

The second-person plural pronoun referring to those being addressed.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

refrain

↗

1. To hold back or restrain oneself or something. 2. To abstain or keep away from.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893

COMBINED MEANING

let

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Sense 1: To allow or permit; in older KJV use, also to hinder or restrain. Sense 2: To lower or send down.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

alone

↗

1. Without others, company, or help; by oneself. 2. Only or solely. 3. In "let ... alone," to leave undisturbed or refrain from interfering with.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

counsel

↗

1. A purpose, plan, design, or settled decision. 2. Advice, guidance, or direction. 3. Wisdom, judgment, or understanding for determining a course. 4. As a verb, to advise, direct, or recommend a course.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

work

↗

Sense 1: Labour, occupation, an assigned task, or service. Sense 2: An action, deed, operation, effect, product, thing made, or manner of workmanship. Sense 3: To labour, act, operate, perform, make, produce, accomplish, or bring about.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

nought

↗

Nothing, no thing, no value, no effect, no result, or no payment or cost; to come or be brought to nought is to fail, perish, or be made ineffective, and to set one at nought is to despise, reject, or treat as worthless.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Acts 5:39

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

ye

↗

The second-person plural subject pronoun, referring to the persons being addressed as those who are, do, or receive the stated predicate.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

overthrow

↗

Sense 1: To throw down, overturn, defeat, destroy, ruin, abolish, make ineffective, or bring to an end. Sense 2: The resulting destruction, downfall, defeat, or reversal.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

lest

↗

For fear that, to prevent the possibility that, or so that an undesired or warned-of result may not occur.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

even

↗

1. Used to emphasize, include, or precisely identify what is meant: indeed, precisely, or namely. 2. Used to mark a boundary, endpoint, or full reach in place, time, or degree: up to, as far as, or through. 3. In ‘even as,’ ‘even so,’ and like constructions, just as, exactly so, or in the same manner. 4. The evening, or close of day. 5. Equal, level, identical, balanced, or uniform.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

fight

↗

Sense 1: A battle, struggle, or contest. Sense 2: As a verb, to contend.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

against

↗

Opposed to, contrary to, facing, toward, or in contact with; in some settings, exposed to or ready for a stated time.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893

READ THE PASSAGE

View in context

Suggested context · Acts 5:33–40

The selected passage is highlighted. Context is a study aid.

5:33¶ When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

5:34Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;

5:35And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.

5:36For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

5:37After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

5:38And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

Selected passage

5:39But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

Selected passage

5:40And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

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