What Does Acts 5:29 Mean in the King James?
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
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
Peter’s Greek for “obey” joins persuasion with rule, exposing the conflict as a question of which authority governs his response.
THE MEANING
When human demands collide with God’s claim, allegiance to God takes precedence. The verse presents this as a present necessity, and that priority can require refusing a human command.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Human authority has the final word, even when its command conflicts with obedience to God.
THE ROOT
πειθαρχεῖν
peitharchein
GROWS FROM
πειθ- (peith-), the persuasion stem in πειθαρχέω
πειθ- (peith-, persuade or convince) joins here with ἀρχή (archē, rule or authority), giving the verb the sense of obeying a ruling authority.
The word translated “obey” is πειθαρχέω (peitharcheō), a compound that brings persuasion and rule into the same word. Its form makes the verse’s conflict about which authority governs the response, not just about following a command.
ALSO GROWS
peithō: persuade, convince
πείθω
This base verb reveals the persuasion carried within the word for obedience.
peithomai: be persuaded; trust; obey
πείθομαι
This form describes the response of someone who is persuaded, showing how the same word family links conviction with obedience.
THE PATTERN
When human commands collide with God’s claim, divine authority sets the boundary of obedience.
But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.THE THREAD
And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.The same Greek verb for “obey” appears here in the phrase “that obey him.” Its repetition connects the apostles’ refusal to yield to human command with their witness to what they have seen.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
You can read any verse this way in the app, keep it as a card, and send it on.
A Bible app where you send verses from your keyboard and in Messages, and every verse has a Deep Dive.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us