Acts 4:3

Translation
King James Version
And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And G2532 they laid G1911 hands G5495 on them G846, and G2532 put G5087 them in G1519 hold G5084 unto G1519 the next day G839: for G1063 it was G2258 now G2235 eventide G2073.
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Complete Jewish Bible
The Temple police arrested them; and since it was already evening, they put them in custody overnight.
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Berean Standard Bible
They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in custody until the next day.
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American Standard Version
And they laid hands on them, and put them in ward unto the morrow: for it was now eventide.
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World English Bible Messianic
They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And they layde handes on them, and put them in holde, vntill the next day: for it was now euentide.
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Young's Literal Translation
and they laid hands upon them, and did put them in custody unto the morrow, for it was evening already;
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See also
Acts 5:18Matthew 10:16Matthew 10:17Acts 6:12Acts 9:2John 18:12Acts 16:19
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In the KJVVerse 27,026 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Acts 4:3 records the immediate and forceful response of the Jewish religious authorities to Peter and John's bold proclamation of Jesus' resurrection. Following the miraculous healing of a lame man and Peter's subsequent sermon, the temple officials, particularly the Sadducees, were deeply disturbed by the apostles' teaching. This verse details their physical arrest and temporary imprisonment, necessitated by the late hour, marking the nascent church's first direct confrontation with institutional persecution.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Acts 4:3 is a pivotal moment following the dramatic events of Acts 3. Peter and John had just healed a man lame from birth at the Beautiful Gate, a miracle that drew a large, astonished crowd. Peter seized this opportunity to preach a powerful sermon, attributing the healing to Jesus Christ and calling the people to repentance and faith in the resurrected Messiah. This public display of divine power and the explicit proclamation of Jesus' resurrection directly challenged the prevailing religious establishment, particularly the Sadducees who denied the resurrection. The arrest in Acts 4:3 is the direct consequence of this bold evangelism and the authorities' inability to deny the undeniable miracle, leading to their attempt to suppress the message.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The "they" who laid hands on Peter and John were the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees, as identified in Acts 4:1. The temple guard was responsible for maintaining order within the temple precincts, and their captain was a high-ranking official, second only to the High Priest. The Sadducees were a powerful aristocratic sect within Judaism, closely aligned with the priestly class. They held significant political and religious authority, often controlling the Sanhedrin. Crucially, they rejected the concept of a bodily resurrection, angels, and spirits, making the apostles' message of Jesus' resurrection profoundly offensive and subversive to their core beliefs. The timing, "eventide," refers to late afternoon or early evening, which was after the traditional time for legal proceedings, thus necessitating the overnight detention.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully introduces several recurring themes in the Book of Acts. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Persecution for the Gospel, demonstrating that proclaiming the truth of Christ, especially His resurrection, often invites opposition from those whose power or beliefs are challenged. This echoes Jesus' own warnings to His disciples about the persecution they would face for His name's sake, as seen in John 15:20. Secondly, it underscores the theme of Divine Authority vs. Human Authority, as the religious establishment attempts to silence a message that clearly carries divine power and endorsement. Their actions reveal a deep-seated resistance to God's unfolding plan. Finally, while not explicitly stated in this verse, it implicitly sets the stage for the theme of God's Unstoppable Plan, as the arrest, far from halting the spread of the gospel, actually provides a platform for Peter and John to bear witness before the Sanhedrin, leading to further growth of the church, as immediately noted in Acts 4:4.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • laid (Greek, epibállō, G1911): Meaning "to throw upon (literal or figurative, transitive or reflexive; usually with more or less force); specially (with ἑαυτοῦ implied) to reflect; impersonally, to belong to." In this context, it signifies a forceful, physical act of seizing or arresting, indicating the immediate and authoritative nature of their apprehension by the temple guard.
  • hold (Greek, tḗrēsis, G5084): Meaning "a watching, i.e. (figuratively) observance, or (concretely) a prison." This word denotes a place of custody or imprisonment, specifically a detention for observation or safekeeping until a later time. It emphasizes that Peter and John were not yet formally tried but were being held under guard.
  • eventide (Greek, hespéra, G2073): Meaning "the eve (ὥρα being implied)." This term precisely indicates the late hour of the day, specifically the evening. This detail is crucial for understanding why the apostles were held overnight rather than being immediately interrogated or tried; legal proceedings typically did not occur after dark.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And they laid hands on them,": This phrase describes the physical act of arrest. "They" refers to the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees, who were the authorities present and disturbed by the apostles' teaching. "Laying hands on" is a common biblical idiom for seizing or apprehending someone by force, signifying their official and immediate detention.
  • "and put [them] in hold unto the next day:": This clause details the consequence of their arrest: imprisonment. The term "hold" (Greek: tḗrēsis) implies custody or a prison, indicating that they were confined and guarded. The phrase "unto the next day" specifies the duration of their detention, highlighting that their formal interrogation or trial was postponed due to the late hour.
  • "for it was now eventide.": This final clause provides the reason for the overnight detention. "Eventide" (Greek: hespéra) signifies that it was late in the day, likely after sunset, making it impractical or unlawful to conduct formal legal proceedings until the following morning. This detail underscores the immediate, rather than premeditated, nature of the arrest.

Literary Devices

The verse employs Conciseness to convey a significant event with brevity, focusing on the action and its immediate cause. The phrase "laid hands on them" is an example of Idiom, a common biblical expression indicating arrest or seizure. The use of "eventide" serves as a Temporal Marker, providing a specific detail that explains the practical necessity of the overnight "hold," thereby adding realism and grounding the narrative in a specific time and place. This simple statement of fact also functions as a form of Foreshadowing, hinting at the escalating opposition the apostles will face, while simultaneously setting the stage for the dramatic confrontation with the Sanhedrin in the subsequent verses.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Acts 4:3 serves as a stark reminder that the proclamation of the Gospel, particularly the transformative truth of Christ's resurrection, often provokes opposition from those threatened by its message or power. This verse marks the beginning of institutional persecution against the early church, demonstrating that faithfulness to Christ can lead to suffering and imprisonment. However, it also subtly highlights God's sovereignty, as even in their arrest, the apostles were being strategically positioned for a powerful witness before the highest religious council, fulfilling Jesus' promise that they would be brought before rulers and kings for His name's sake.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Acts 4:3 offers profound insights for believers today. It reminds us that proclaiming the radical truth of Jesus Christ, especially His resurrection and Lordship, may not always be met with acceptance but can often incite opposition, even from those who claim religious authority. The apostles' experience teaches us that faithfulness to the Gospel may come at a personal cost, whether through social ostracization, professional setbacks, or even direct persecution. However, their steadfastness in the face of immediate arrest serves as a powerful example of courage and conviction. It encourages us to remain unyielding in our witness, trusting that God's purposes cannot be thwarted by human resistance. Even in moments of confinement or challenge, God is at work, often using such circumstances to amplify His message and demonstrate His power. We are called to embody a similar boldness, knowing that our ultimate allegiance is to Christ, not to human systems or opinions.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways might proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ provoke opposition in my own context today?
  • How does the apostles' immediate arrest challenge my understanding of what it means to faithfully follow Christ?
  • What fears or hesitations do I have about sharing my faith, and how can I cultivate the boldness demonstrated by Peter and John?
  • How can I remember that God is sovereign and working His purposes, even when I face resistance or difficulty for my faith?

FAQ

Why were Peter and John arrested, and who arrested them?

Answer: Peter and John were arrested primarily because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead, as stated in Acts 4:2. This message was particularly offensive to the Sadducees, who formed a significant part of the arresting party and denied the resurrection. The "they" who laid hands on them were the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees, representing the established religious and temple authorities who felt their power and theological beliefs challenged by the apostles' message and the undeniable miracle they had performed.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Acts 4:3, while describing the arrest of Peter and John, powerfully highlights the ongoing conflict between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world, a conflict ultimately resolved in Christ. The apostles' suffering for proclaiming the resurrection directly mirrors the suffering of Christ Himself, who was arrested, tried, and crucified by religious and political authorities who rejected His claims and truth. Just as Jesus was "delivered over by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge" (Acts 2:23), so too were His disciples now being "delivered over" for His name's sake, fulfilling His own prophecies that His followers would face persecution (Matthew 10:17-18). This verse also sets the stage for the apostles' powerful witness before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:8-12, where Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly declares that salvation is found in no one else but Jesus Christ, the very stone the builders rejected who has become the cornerstone. Thus, the arrest, far from being a setback, becomes another platform for the exaltation of Christ and the advancement of His kingdom, demonstrating that even human opposition serves God's ultimate redemptive purposes.

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Commentary on Acts 4 verses 1–4

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

We have here the interests of the kingdom of heaven successfully carried on, and the powers of darkness appearing against them to put a stop to them. let Christ's servants be ever so resolute, Satan's agents will be spiteful; and therefore, let Satan's agents be ever so spiteful, Christ's servants ought to be resolute.

I. The apostles, Peter and John, went on in their work, and did not labour in vain. The Spirit enabled the ministers to do their part, and the people theirs.

1.The preachers faithfully deliver the doctrine of Christ: They spoke unto the people, to all that were within hearing, Act 4:1. What they said concerned them all, and they spoke it openly and publicly. They taught the people, still taught the people knowledge; taught those that as yet did not believe, for their conviction and conversion; and taught those that did believe, for their comfort and establishment. They preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, (1.) Was verified in Jesus; this they proved, that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, as the first, the chief, that should rise from the dead, Act 26:23. They preached the resurrection of Christ as their warrant for what they did. Or, (2.) It is secured by him to all believers. The resurrection of the dead includes all the happiness of the future state. This they preached through Jesus Christ, attainable through him (Phi 3:10, Phi 3:11), and through him only. They meddled not with matters of state, but kept to their business, and preached to the people heaven as their end and Christ as their way. See Act 17:18.

2.The hearers cheerfully receive it (Act 4:4): Many of those who heard the word believed; not all - perhaps not the most, yet many, to the number of about five thousand, over and above the three thousand we read of before. See how the gospel got ground, and it was the effect of the pouring out of the Spirit. Though the preachers were persecuted, the word prevailed; for sometimes the church's suffering days have been her growing days: the days of her infancy were so.

II. The chief priests and their party now made head against them, and did what they could to crush them; their hands were tied awhile, but their hearts were not in the least changed. Now here observe, 1. Who they were that appeared against the apostles. They were the priests; you may be sure, in the first place, they were always sworn enemies to Christ and his gospel; they were as jealous for their priesthood as Caesar for his monarchy, and would not bear one they thought their rival now, when he was preached as a priest, as much as when he himself preached as a prophet. With them was joined the captain of the temple, who, it is supposed, was a Roman officer, governor of the garrison placed in the tower of Antonia, for the guard of the temple: so that still here were both Jews and Gentiles confederate against Christ. The Sadducees also, who denied the being of spirits and the future state, were zealous against them. "One would wonder" (saith Mr. Baxter) "what should make such brutists as the Sadducees were to be such furious silencers and persecutors. If there is no life to come, what harm can other men's hopes of it do them? But in depraved souls all faculties are vitiated. A blind man has a malignant heart and a cruel hand, to this day." 2. How they stood affected to the apostles' preaching: They were grieved that they taught the people, Act 4:2. It grieved them, both that the gospel doctrine was preached (was so preached, so publicly, so boldly,), and that the people were so ready to hear it. They thought, when they had put Christ to such an ignominious death, his disciples would ever after be ashamed and afraid to own him, and the people would have invincible prejudices against his doctrine; and now it vexed them to see themselves disappointed, and that his gospel got ground, instead of losing it. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved, Psa 112:10. They were grieved at that which they should have rejoiced in, at that which angels rejoice in. Miserable is their case to whom the glory of Christ's kingdom is a grief; for, since the glory of that kingdom is everlasting, it follows of course that their grief will be everlasting too. It grieved them that the apostles preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. The Sadducees were grieved that the resurrection from the dead was preached; for they opposed that doctrine, and could not bear to hear of a future state, to hear it so well attested. The chief priests were grieved that they preached the resurrection of the dead through Jesus, that he should have the honour of it; and, though they professed to believe the resurrection of the dead against the Sadducees, yet they would rather give up that important article than have it preached and proved to be through Jesus. 3. How far they proceeded against the apostles (Act 4:3): They laid hands on them (that is, their servants and officers did at their command), and put them in hold, committed them to the custody of the proper officer until the next day; they could not examine them now, for it was even-tide, and yet would defer it no longer than till next day. See how God trains up his servants for sufferings by degrees, and by less trials prepares them for greater; now they resist unto bonds only, but afterwards to blood.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–4. Public domain.
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John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on Acts 10
"And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day; for it was now eventide." What impudence! They feared not the multitude; for this also the captain of the temple was with them: they had their hands still reeking with the blood of the former victim. "For it was now eventide," it is said. It was with the wish to abate their spirit that those men did this, and guarded them; but the delay only served to make the Apostles more intrepid.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on Acts 10
"By their teaching the people." For already they were in ill repute with them by reason of what they had done to Christ; so that they were rather increasing their own obloquy. "And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold until the morrow; for it was now eventide." In the case of Christ, however, they did not so; but having taken Him at midnight, they immediately led him away, and made no delay, being exceedingly in fear of the multitude: whereas in the case of the Apostles here, they were bold. And they no more take them to Pilate, being ashamed and blushing at the thought of the former affair, lest they should also be taken to task for that.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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