Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.

ACTS 5:26KJV
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Acts 5:26 (KJV)

What does Acts 5:26 mean?

Acts 5:26 describes how the captain and officers brought the apostles in for questioning, but did so carefully and without using force, because they were afraid the people might react violently and stone them. The authorities were cautious because the apostles had strong public support at that moment.

The scene takes place after the apostles had been preaching and performing miracles in Jerusalem, drawing large crowds. The religious leaders wanted to arrest them, but the officers, led by the captain, were concerned about upsetting the crowd. The verse highlights the tension between the leaders’ authority and the people’s admiration for the apostles, showing that public opinion limited how harshly the authorities could act.

The Greek behind Acts 5:26

  • βίᾳ (bia, "violence"): This word means force or violence. Its use here makes it clear that the officers deliberately avoided any rough treatment, showing their fear of the crowd’s reaction.
  • ἐφοβοῦντο (ephobounto, "feared"): This verb means to be afraid or to fear. The verse emphasizes that the officers’ actions were motivated by fear of the people, not respect for the apostles or the law.
  • λιθασθῶσιν (lithasthōsin, "be stoned"): This word refers to being killed by stoning, a common form of execution by a mob. The officers were genuinely concerned that the crowd might turn violent against them if they mistreated the apostles.

Why Acts 5:26 matters

  • Acts 5:26 clarifies that the apostles’ popularity protected them, at least temporarily, from harsh treatment by the authorities, which helps explain why the arrest was peaceful.
  • The verse shows the growing divide between the religious leaders and the general public, highlighting the influence the apostles had gained.
  • This detail sets up the tension in the following verses, where the apostles are questioned but not immediately punished, revealing the leaders’ limited power in the face of public opinion.

Where else these words appear

“violence” Greek G970 · used in 4 verses

  • Acts 21:35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.
  • Acts 24:7 But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
  • Acts 27:41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.

“stoned” Greek G3034 · used in 8 verses

  • John 10:31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
  • John 10:33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
  • Acts 14:19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

“captain” Greek G4755 · used in 10 verses

  • Luke 22:4 And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.
  • Acts 5:24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
  • Acts 16:35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.

“officers” Greek G5257 · used in 20 verses

  • Matthew 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
  • John 7:32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
  • John 18:22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?