Definition: And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten [them], they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this passage from Acts 5:40. It's a really important story about how the early church responded to someone who was trying to take credit for Jesus’ ministry. Here’s what it means in simpler terms: The Situation: A man named Peter was preaching and leading people to believe in Jesus as the Messiah – essentially, he was claiming Jesus was the one who would bring about a new era of good things. He was getting a lot of attention and followers. What happened next: Some of these followers, feeling threatened or wanting to claim credit for Peter’s work, started arguing with him. They were trying to get him to stop preaching. The Church's Response: The leaders of the church – specifically the apostles – immediately decided to stop this. They told Peter to stop speaking about Jesus in that way. They essentially said, “Don’t talk about Jesus like that!” What they did next: Then, they asked Peter to treat these people with respect and not allow them to preach or speak for Jesus. They wanted to discourage the idea of someone taking credit for his ministry. Finally, they took action: They told the people to let them go – that is, to leave the situation without any further interaction. In short, this verse describes a moment where the church leaders stopped someone from claiming Jesus as their own and protected themselves against potential conflict. Key takeaway: This story shows the importance of standing up for what’s right and protecting believers from those who might try to take credit for them. It’s about safeguarding faith and preventing people from misrepresenting or exploiting Jesus' message. --- Do you have any other questions about this verse, or would you like me to explain it in a different way (e.g., focusing on the context of the time)?