Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 5:33

"But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and minded to slay them." — Acts 5:33 (ASV)

As far as the Sadducees were concerned, the charge of contempt of court was not only uncontested but repeated. On hearing the apostles reaffirm what to them could only be considered intolerable obstinacy, the Sadducees were furious and wanted to destroy them. While the Sanhedrin did not have authority under Roman jurisdiction to inflict capital punishment, undoubtedly they would have found some pretext for handing these men over to the Romans for such action— as they did with Jesus himself—had it not been for the intervention of the Pharisees, as represented particularly by Gamaliel.