What Does Acts 5:25 Mean in the King James?
Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The prison can hold their bodies for a night; it cannot keep them from standing and teaching in the temple.
THE MEANING
The verse holds confinement and public presence in one frame: the men put in prison are now standing in the temple, teaching the people. For you now, a place that has confined you is not the whole truth about where you can stand or whether your voice can be heard.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that once someone is shut away, their voice is finished.
THE ROOT
ἑστῶτες
hestōtes
GROWS FROM
ἵστημι
histēmi
to stand, set, or place
The Greek verb carries both standing and being set in a position. The men are not merely somewhere in the temple; they have taken their place there, teaching openly after being confined.
ALSO GROWS
stēnai: to stand; an infinitive form of the same verb
στῆναι
Ephesians 6:13 uses this form for standing after struggle, echoing the public stance of the men here.
stasis: a standing or position; in some contexts, an uprising or faction
στάσις
The word family can connect taking a position with public disturbance; here, their visible presence and teaching disrupt the attempt to keep them out of sight.
THE PATTERN
Confinement can give way to a person’s return into open presence.
Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.THE THREAD
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.Acts uses ἑστῶτες (hestōtes, “standing”), while Ephesians uses στῆναι (stēnai, “to stand”): forms of the same Greek verb, ἵστημι (histēmi, “stand”). In Acts, the standing is literal and public; Ephesians carries the same root into standing after struggle.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us