But many of them who heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
Read Chapter 4
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Five thousand. Not that hereby is meant the whole number of the believers, but five thousand, by this miracle and preaching, were added to those that believed before. (Witham)
Here again we remark the visible increase of the Catholic Church, by the preaching of the word.
This again is of God’s ordering. For those who now believe were more numerous than the former. Therefore it was that in their presence they bound the Apostles, to make them also more fearful. But the reverse took place. And they examine them not before the people, but privately, that the hearers may not profit by their boldness.
