Acts 5:37
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
American King James Version (AKJV)
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
American Standard Version (ASV)
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the enrolment, and drew away'some of the people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
After this man, there was Judas of Galilee, at the time of the numbering, and some of the people went after him: he was put to death, and all his supporters were put to flight.
Webster's Revision
After this man rose Judas of Galilee, in the days of the taxing, and drew away many people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
World English Bible
After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.
English Revised Version (ERV)
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some of the people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.
Clarke's Acts 5:37 Bible Commentary
Judas of Galilee - Concerning Judas of Galilee, Rabbi Abraham, in Jucasin, fol. 139, writes thus: "In this time there were three sects: for, besides the Pharisees and Sadducees, Judas of Galilee began another sect, which was called Essenes. They caused the Jews to rebel against the Romans, by asserting that they should not obey strangers; nor call any one Lord (or Governor) but the holy blessed God above." Rabbi Abraham makes a mistake here: the Essenes existed long before the days of Judas of Galilee; but it is very possible that he might have been one of that sect. Josephus mentions the insurrection made by Judas of Galilee, Ant. lib. xviii. cap. 1, and says it was when Cyrenius was governor of Syria: see the note on Luke 2:2. Bp. Pearce supposes that there were two απογραφαι, taxations or enrolments; and that the one mentioned here took place ten years after that mentioned in Luke 2:1-5. He observes also, in conformity with the note on the preceding verse, that the Judas mentioned here, was not only different from that Judas or Theudas spoken of before, but that his pretense for rebellion was different; the former wished to have the empire of Judea; the latter only maintained that it was base and sinful to obey a heathen governor.
Barnes's Acts 5:37 Bible Commentary
Judas of Galilee - Josephus has given an account of this man (Antiq., xvii. 10, section 5), and calls him a "Galilean." He afterward calls him a "Gaulonite," and says he was of the city of "Gamala" (Antiq., 18:1:1). He says that the revolt took place under "Cyrenius," a Roman senator, who came into "Syria to be judge of that nation, and to take account of their substance." "Moreover," says he, "Cyrenius came himself into Judea, which was now added to the province of Syria, to take an account of their substance, and to dispose of Archelaus' money." "Yet Judas, taking with him Saddouk, a Pharisee, became zealous to draw them to a revolt, who both said that this taxation was no better than an introduction to slavery, and exhorted the nation to assert their liberty, etc." "This" revolt, he says, was the commencement of the series of revolts and calamities that terminated in the destruction of the city, temple, and nation.
In the days of the taxing - Or, rather, the "enrolling," or "the census." Josephus says it was designed to take an account of their substance. Compare Luke 2:1-2.