Acts 5:41
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The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
departed . . . rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name--"thought worthy by God to be dishonored by man" (Mat 5:12; Pe1 4:14, Pe1 4:16) [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. This was their first taste of persecution, and it felt sweet for His sake whose disciples they were.
Open source ↗In this chapter we have, I. The sin and punishment of Ananias and Sapphira, who, for lying to the Holy Ghost, were struck dead at the word of Peter (Act 5:1-11). II. The flourishing state of the church, in the power that went along with the preaching of the gospel (Act 5:12-16). III. The imprisonment of the apostles, and their miraculous discharge out of prison, with fresh orders to go on to preach the gospel, which they did, to the great vexation of their persecutors (Act 5:17-26). IV. Their arraignment before the great sanhedrim, and their justification of themselves in what they did (Act 5:27-33). V. Gamaliel's counsel concerning them, that they should not persecute them, but let them alone, and see what would come of it, and their concurrence, for the present, with this advice, in the dismission of the apostles' cheerful progress in their work notwithstanding the prohibition laid upon them and the indignity done them (Act 5:41, Act 5:42).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man.
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him,
But they will treat you like this because of My name, since they do not know the One who sent Me.
That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
You who tremble at His word, hear the word of the LORD: “Your brothers who hate you and exclude you because of My name have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified that we may see your joy!’ But they will be put to shame.”
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.
My servants will shout for joy with a glad heart, but you will cry out with a heavy heart and wail with a broken spirit.