Acts 5:29 - “obey” (Peitharchein)
Here is how peitharchein is translated at Acts 5:29 in most Bibles:
New International Version (©1984)
Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!
New Living Translation (©2007)
But Peter and the apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than any human authority.
English Standard Version (©2001)
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.
King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
International Standard Version (©2008)
But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
Shimeon answered with the Apostles and said to them, “God ought to be obeyed more than men.”
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Peter and the other apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than people.
King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
American King James Version
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
American Standard Version
But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men.
Bible in Basic English
But Peter and the Apostles, answering, said, We have to do the orders of God, not of man.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But Peter and the apostles answering, said: We ought to obey God, rather than men.
Darby Bible Translation
But Peter answering, and the apostles, said, God must be obeyed rather than men.
English Revised Version
But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Weymouth New Testament
Peter and the other Apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than man.
World English Bible
But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.
(Compare Titus 3:1)
So, some anti-NWT critics claim that the NWT has falsely added “as ruler” to this scripture. But let’s examine what other authorities have to say about the word in question (peitharchein).
“We must (dei). Moral necessity left them no choice. They stood precisely where Peter and John were when before the Sanhedrin before (Acts 4:20). Obey (peitharchein). Old verb from peithomai and arche, to obey a ruler. Only by Luke and Paul in the N.T.” - Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament, p. 65, vol. 3.
Peitharchein: “to obey (a ruler or a superior)” p. 497, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Thayer, Baker Book House, 1977.
“The term ‘obey’ (peithomai) is used twice in [Acts 5] verses 36 and 37; it picks up the related verb ‘obey a leader’ (peitharchein) in verses 29 and 32.” - Note for Acts 5:37 in Sacra Pagina, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 100, the Liturgical Press, 1992.
(All emphasis above was added.)
New World Translation:
“In answer Peter and the [other] apostles said: ‘We must obey God as ruler rather than men.’ ” [underlining added]
