Γαμαλιήλ (Gamaliēl)
Gamaliēl
Gamaliel
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
Gamaliel is a proper name meaning "my recompenser is God," appearing only twice in the New Testament within the Book of Acts. The text identifies him as a Pharisee and a respected teacher of the law, noted for his prudent counsel during the early church’s first major crisis.
In Acts 5:34-39, Gamaliel advises the Sanhedrin to leave the apostles alone, arguing that if their movement is merely human, it will fail, but if it is from God, opposing it would be futile. This measured approach contrasts with the more aggressive stance of other leaders present.
Acts 22:3 adds a personal dimension by revealing that Gamaliel was also the teacher of Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul. This connection highlights how the early Christian movement emerged within established Jewish educational circles, with one of its most prominent critics having been trained by a moderate voice in the very council that sought to suppress it.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Gamaliel appears in Scripture not as a central hero, but as a wise voice in a room full of tension. A respected teacher of the law, he stood before the Sanhedrin when the apostles faced potential punishment for preaching about Jesus. Instead of joining the call for immediate suppression, he urged caution and patience, suggesting that human efforts will crumble on their own, while divine movements cannot be stopped by force.
This story offers a quiet model for how we handle disagreement today. It reminds us that wisdom often looks like restraint rather than reaction. Even when we feel strongly about protecting truth or tradition, there is space to listen, to wait, and to let God reveal the direction of events without resorting to harsh measures.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- of Gamaliel1×
- Gamaliel,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Γαμαλιήλ,1×
- Γαμαλιὴλ1×
Key Verses
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Acts 5:34
But one stood up in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people, and commanded to put the apostles out for a little while.
This verse introduces Gamaliel’s role as a respected teacher who interrupts the council’s anger with a call for measured deliberation.
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Acts 22:3
“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.
Here Paul identifies Gamaliel as his mentor, showing that even those who opposed the early church were trained in its most rigorous Jewish schools.