The counsel "keep away from these men and let them alone" was offered by Gamaliel. In the Bible, Gamaliel was a Pharisee who was well-respected by the Jewish people. When the apostles of Jesus were preaching and performing miracles in Jerusalem, the religious leaders became angry and arrested them. Gamaliel advised caution, pointing out that other messianic movements had arisen in the past, and they had ultimately failed. He suggested that if the apostles' movement was not from God, it would come to nothing, but if it was from God, they would not be able to stop it. This advice was heeded, and the apostles were released. Gamaliel's wisdom and moderation were highly regarded by the people and showed his respect for the rule of law and the sovereignty of God.