Acts 5:29
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Arrested a second time and freed by an angel, the apostles are brought before the council and reminded of the order to stop preaching; Peter answers for them all.
What Does Acts 5:29 Mean?
Acts 5:29 is one of the clearest statements of allegiance in Scripture -- when human authority forbids what God commands, the apostles answer that they must obey God rather than men. The apostles had been arrested again for preaching about Jesus. An angel had freed them from prison overnight, and by morning they were back teaching in the temple. Brought once more before the council, they were reminded that they had been ordered to stop. Peter and the other apostles respond with this short, weighty sentence.
The statement is not a rejection of all human authority. Elsewhere believers are taught to honor rulers and live as good citizens. Rather, it draws a line at the precise point where human commands collide with God's. The Greek peitharcheo means to obey one in authority, to submit to a commanding voice. When two such voices conflict -- the council saying "be silent" and God saying "be My witnesses" -- the higher authority must prevail. The apostles' answer flows directly from their commission: they had been told by the risen Christ to be His witnesses, and no earthly council could override that charge. There is courage here, but also humility. They were not seeking conflict or asserting their own will; they were simply unwilling to disobey God to please men. This verse has steadied the consciences of believers ever since, marking the boundary where faithfulness to God must come first.
In the Original Language
The Greek "peitharcheo" (obey) means to submit to or obey one in authority, used here to weigh God's command against the council's order.
Cross References
“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.”
- Acts 4:19
“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.”
- Daniel 3:18
“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.”
- Acts 5:42
Application
While believers honor lawful authority, their highest loyalty belongs to God; when the two conflict, faithfulness calls them to stand with God even at personal cost.