Acts 4:6-37

4:6 Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were members of the high priest’s family. ¹  4:7 After ²  making Peter and John ³  stand in their midst, they began to inquire, “By what power or by what name ⁴  did you do this?” 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, ⁵  replied, ⁶  “Rulers of the people and elders, ⁷  4:9 if ⁸  we are being examined ⁹  today for a good deed ¹⁰  done to a sick man – by what means this man was healed ¹¹  – 4:10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ ¹²  the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man stands before you healthy. 4:11 This Jesus ¹³  is the stone that was rejected by you, ¹⁴  the builders, that has become the cornerstone. ¹⁵  4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people ¹⁶  by which we must ¹⁷  be saved.”

4:13 When they saw the boldness ¹⁸  of Peter and John, and discovered ¹⁹  that they were uneducated ²⁰  and ordinary ²¹  men, they were amazed and recognized these men had been with Jesus. 4:14 And because they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against this. ²²  4:15 But when they had ordered them to go outside the council, ²³  they began to confer with one another, 4:16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For it is plain ²⁴  to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable miraculous sign ²⁵  has come about through them, ²⁶  and we cannot deny it. 4:17 But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more ²⁷  to anyone in this name.” 4:18 And they called them in and ordered ²⁸  them not to speak or teach at all in the name ²⁹  of Jesus. 4:19 But Peter and John replied, ³⁰  “Whether it is right before God to obey ³¹  you rather than God, you decide, 4:20 for it is impossible ³²  for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” 4:21 After threatening them further, they released them, for they could not find how to punish them on account of the people, because they were all praising ³³  God for what had happened. 4:22 For the man, on whom this miraculous sign ³⁴  of healing had been performed, ³⁵  was over forty years old.

The Followers of Jesus Pray for Boldness

4:23 When they were released, Peter and John ³⁶  went to their fellow believers ³⁷  and reported everything the high priests and the elders had said to them. 4:24 When they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind ³⁸  and said, “Master of all, ³⁹  you who made the heaven, the earth, ⁴⁰  the sea, and everything that is in them, 4:25 who said by the Holy Spirit through ⁴¹  your servant David our forefather, ⁴² 

‘Why do the nations ⁴³  rage, ⁴⁴ 

and the peoples plot foolish ⁴⁵  things?

4:26 The kings of the earth stood together, ⁴⁶ 

and the rulers assembled together,

against the Lord and against his ⁴⁷  Christ.’ ⁴⁸ 

4:27 “For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against ⁴⁹  your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, ⁵⁰  4:28 to do as much as your power ⁵¹  and your plan ⁵²  had decided beforehand ⁵³  would happen. 4:29 And now, Lord, pay attention to ⁵⁴  their threats, and grant ⁵⁵  to your servants ⁵⁶  to speak your message ⁵⁷  with great courage, ⁵⁸  4:30 while you extend your hand to heal, and to bring about miraculous signs ⁵⁹  and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 4:31 When ⁶⁰  they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, ⁶¹  and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak ⁶²  the word of God ⁶³  courageously. ⁶⁴ 

Conditions Among the Early Believers

4:32 The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, ⁶⁵  and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common. ⁶⁶  4:33 With ⁶⁷  great power the apostles were giving testimony ⁶⁸  to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all. 4:34 For there was no one needy ⁶⁹  among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling ⁷⁰  them ⁷¹  and bringing the proceeds from the sales 4:35 and placing them at the apostles’ feet. The proceeds ⁷²  were distributed to each, as anyone had need. 4:36 So Joseph, a Levite who was a native of Cyprus, called by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), ⁷³  4:37 sold ⁷⁴  a field ⁷⁵  that belonged to him and brought the money ⁷⁶  and placed it at the apostles’ feet.

[4:6]  ¹ sn The high priest’s family. This family controlled the high priesthood as far back as a.d. 6. Annas, Caiaphas, and Alexander were all high priests at one time (though Alexander held that office after this event).

[4:7]  ² tn Grk “And after.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new sentence is begun in the translation at the beginning of v. 7.

[4:7]  ³ tn Grk “making them”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:7]  ⁴ sn By what name. The issue of the “name” comes up again here. This question, meaning “by whose authority,” surfaces an old dispute (see Luke 20:1-8). Who speaks for God about the ancient faith?

[4:8]  ⁵ sn Filled with the Holy Spirit. The narrator’s remark about the Holy Spirit indicates that Peter speaks as directed by God and for God. This fulfills Luke 12:11-12 (1 Pet 3:15).

[4:8]  ⁶ tn Grk “Spirit, said to them.”

[4:8]  ⁷ tc The Western and Byzantine texts, as well as one or two Alexandrian witnesses, read τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ (tou Israhl, “of Israel”) after πρεσβύτεροι (presbuteroi, “elders”; so D E Ψ 33 1739 Ï it), while most of the better witnesses, chiefly Alexandrian (Ì⁷⁴ א A B 0165 1175 vg sa bo), lack this modifier. The longer reading was most likely added by scribes to give literary balance to the addressees in that “Rulers” already had an adjunct while “elders” was left absolute.

[4:9]  ⁸ tn This clause is a first class condition. It assumes for the sake of argument that this is what they were being questioned about.

[4:9]  ⁹ tn Or “questioned.” The Greek term ἀνακρίνω (anakrinw) points to an examination similar to a legal one.

[4:9]  ¹⁰ tn Or “for an act of kindness.”

[4:9]  ¹¹ tn Or “delivered” (σέσωται [seswtai], from σώζω [swzw]). See 4:12.

[4:10]  ¹² tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[4:11]  ¹³ tn Grk “This one”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:11]  ¹⁴ tn The word “you” is inserted into the quotation because Peter is making a direct application of Ps 118:22 to his hearers. Because it is not in the OT, it has been left as normal type (rather than bold italic). The remarks are like Acts 2:22-24 and 3:12-15.

[4:11]  ¹⁵ sn A quotation from Ps 118:22 which combines the theme of rejection with the theme of God’s vindication/exaltation.

[4:12]  ¹⁶ tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).

[4:12]  ¹⁷ sn Must be saved. The term used here (δεῖ, dei, “it is necessary”) reflects the necessity set up by God’s directive plan.

[4:13]  ¹⁸ tn Or “courage.”

[4:13]  ¹⁹ tn Or “and found out.”

[4:13]  ²⁰ sn Uneducated does not mean “illiterate,” that is, unable to read or write. Among Jews in NT times there was almost universal literacy, especially as the result of widespread synagogue schools. The term refers to the fact that Peter and John had no formal rabbinic training and thus, in the view of their accusers, were not qualified to expound the law or teach publicly. The objection is like Acts 2:7.

[4:13]  ²¹ tn For the translation of ἰδιῶται (idiwtai) as “ordinary men” see L&N 27.26.

[4:14]  ²² tn Or “nothing to say in opposition.”

[4:15]  ²³ tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[4:16]  ²⁴ tn Or “evident.”

[4:16]  ²⁵ tn Here σημεῖον (shmeion) has been translated as “miraculous sign” rather than simply “sign” or “miracle” since both components appear to be present in the context. It is clear that the healing of the lame man was a miracle, but for the Sanhedrin it was the value of the miraculous healing as a sign that concerned them because it gave attestation to the message of Peter and John. The sign “speaks” as Peter claimed in 3:11-16.

[4:16]  ²⁶ tn Or “has been done by them.”

[4:17]  ²⁷ tn Or “speak no longer.”

[4:18]  ²⁸ tn Or “commanded.”

[4:18]  ²⁹ sn In the name of Jesus. Once again, the “name” reflects the person. The person of Jesus and his authority is the “troubling” topic that, as far as the Jewish leadership is concerned, needs controlling.

[4:19]  ³⁰ tn Grk “answered and said to them.”

[4:19]  ³¹ tn Grk “hear,” but the idea of “hear and obey” or simply “obey” is frequently contained in the Greek verb ἀκούω (akouw; see L&N 36.14).

[4:20]  ³² tn Grk “for we are not able not to speak about what we have seen and heard,” but the double negative, which cancels out in English, is emphatic in Greek. The force is captured somewhat by the English translation “it is impossible for us not to speak…” although this is slightly awkward.

[4:21]  ³³ tn Or “glorifying.”

[4:22]  ³⁴ tn Here σημεῖον (shmeion) has been translated as “miraculous sign” rather than simply “sign” or “miracle” since both components appear to be present in the context. See also the note on this word in v. 16.

[4:22]  ³⁵ tn Or “had been done.”

[4:23]  ³⁶ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity, since a new topic begins in v. 23 and the last specific reference to Peter and John in the Greek text is in 4:19.

[4:23]  ³⁷ tn Grk “to their own [people].” In context this phrase is most likely a reference to other believers rather than simply their own families and/or homes, since the group appears to act with one accord in the prayer that follows in v. 24. At the literary level, this phrase suggests how Jews were now splitting into two camps, pro-Jesus and anti-Jesus.

[4:24]  ³⁸ sn With one mind. Compare Acts 1:14.

[4:24]  ³⁹ tn Or “Lord of all.”

[4:24]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “and the earth, and the sea,” but καί (kai) has not been translated before “the earth” and “the sea” since contemporary English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[4:25]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “by the mouth of” (an idiom).

[4:25]  ⁴² tn Or “ancestor”; Grk “father.”

[4:25]  ⁴³ tn Or “Gentiles.”

[4:25]  ⁴⁴ sn The Greek word translated rage includes not only anger but opposition, both verbal and nonverbal. See L&N 88.185.

[4:25]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “futile”; traditionally, “vain.”

[4:26]  ⁴⁶ tn Traditionally, “The kings of the earth took their stand.”

[4:26]  ⁴⁷ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[4:26]  ⁴⁸ sn A quotation from Ps 2:1-2.

[4:27]  ⁴⁹ sn The application of Ps 2:1-2 is that Jews and Gentiles are opposing Jesus. The surprise of the application is that Jews are now found among the enemies of God’s plan.

[4:27]  ⁵⁰ sn A wordplay on “Christ,” v. 26, which means “one who has been anointed.”

[4:28]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “hand,” here a metaphor for God’s strength or power or authority.

[4:28]  ⁵² tn Or “purpose,” “will.”

[4:28]  ⁵³ tn Or “had predestined.” Since the term “predestine” is something of a technical theological term, not in wide usage in contemporary English, the translation “decide beforehand” was used instead (see L&N 30.84). God’s direction remains as the major theme.

[4:29]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “Lord, take notice of.”

[4:29]  ⁵⁵ sn Grant to your servants to speak your message with great courage. The request is not for a stop to persecution or revenge on the opponents, but for boldness (great courage) to carry out the mission of proclaiming the message of what God is doing through Jesus.

[4:29]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “slaves.” See the note on the word “servants” in 2:18.

[4:29]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “word.”

[4:29]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “with all boldness.”

[4:30]  ⁵⁹ tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context.

[4:31]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[4:31]  ⁶¹ sn The place where they were assembled…was shaken. This signifies that God is in their midst. See Acts 16:26; Exod 19:18; Ps 114:7; Isa 6:4.

[4:31]  ⁶² tn The imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect (“began to speak”). Logical sequencing suggests that their speaking began after they were filled with the Spirit. The prayer was answered immediately.

[4:31]  ⁶³ tn Or “speak God’s message.”

[4:31]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “with boldness.”

[4:32]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “soul.”

[4:32]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “but all things were to them in common.”

[4:33]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “And with.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[4:33]  ⁶⁸ tn Or “were witnessing.”

[4:34]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “poor.”

[4:34]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “houses, selling them were bringing.” The participle πωλοῦντες (pwlounte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[4:34]  ⁷¹ tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[4:35]  ⁷² tn Grk “It” (or “They,” plural). The referent of the understood pronoun subject, the proceeds from the sales, of the verb διεδίδετο (diedideto) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:36]  ⁷³ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Note how the actions of Barnabas are in keeping with the meaning of his nickname. He stands in contrast to Ananias and Sapphira in 5:1-11.

[4:37]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “selling a field that belonged to him, brought” The participle πωλήσας (pwlhsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[4:37]  ⁷⁵ tn Or “a farm.”

[4:37]  ⁷⁶ tn Normally a reference to actual coins (“currency”). See L&N 6.68.