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Acts 4

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Peter and John Arrested 1–4

1
And as they spake unto the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, ​
2
being sore troubled because they taught the people, and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. ​
3
And they laid hands on them, and put them in ward unto the morrow: for it was now eventide.
4
But many of them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. ​

Trial Before the Sanhedrin 5–12

5
And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem;
6
and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest. ​
7
And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power, or in what name, have ye done this? ​
8
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders, ​
9
if we this day are examined concerning a good deed done to an impotent man, by what means this man is made whole;
10
be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even in him doth this man stand here before you whole. ​
11
He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner. ​
12
And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved. ​

The Council’s Dilemma and Threat 13–22

13
Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. ​
14
And seeing the man that was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
15
But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
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saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been wrought through them, is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
17
But that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
18
And they called them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
19
But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye: ​
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for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard.
21
And they, when they had further threatened them, let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people; for all men glorified God for that which was done.
22
For the man was more than forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was wrought.

The Believers Pray for Boldness 23–31

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And being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them. ​
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And they, when they heard it, lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, O Lord, thou that didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is: ​
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who by the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say, Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples imagine vain things? ​
26
The kings of the earth set themselves in array, And the rulers were gathered together, Against the Lord, and against his Anointed:
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for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together, ​
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to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council foreordained to come to pass. ​
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And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, ​
30
while thou stretchest forth thy hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of thy holy Servant Jesus.
31
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness. ​

Unity and Generosity in the Church 32–37

32
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: and not oneof themsaid that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. ​
33
And with great power gave the apostles their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
34
For neither was there among them any that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
35
and laid them at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need. ​
36
And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of exhortation), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race, ​
37
having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Acts 4

Verse 1

the captain of the temple — Strategos, the officer over the temple guard, who later brings the apostles 'without violence' (Acts 5:26). The Sadducees join him because they 'say that there is no resurrection' (Acts 23:8), the very thing Peter and John were preaching.

Verse 2

preached through Jesus the resurrection — Katangello, to proclaim openly. Their message was that the resurrection of the dead has taken place in Jesus, so the Sadducees' denial (Acts 23:8) was met by a risen man. 'Grieved' (diaponeo) is to be worn out with vexation.

Verse 4

about five thousand — 'Men' is aner, adult males, a count of men alone. It follows the 'about three thousand souls' of Acts 2:41. The arrest did not stop the word: 'the word of God is not bound' (2 Tim 2:9).

Verse 6

Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas — Annas was 'father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year' (John 18:13), and Luke 3:2 names both as 'the high priests'. Both had sat in judgment on Jesus; the same court now faces his apostles.

Verse 7

By what power, or by what name — Dynamis (power) and onoma (name). The question resembles the one put to Christ in the temple: 'By what authority doest thou these things?' (Matt 21:23). Peter's answer in v.10 is a name: 'the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth'.

Verse 8

filled with the Holy Ghost — The verb is pletho, the same as in Acts 2:4, 'they were all filled with the Holy Ghost', and in v.31. Christ had promised that 'the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say' (Luke 12:12).

Verse 10

whom ye crucified, whom God raised — The charge of Acts 2:36, 'whom ye have crucified', is repeated before the council itself, set against God's act of raising. 'Whole' is hygies, sound in body. The healing is traced to the name Peter spoke in Acts 3:6.

Verse 11

the stone which was set at nought — Peter applies Ps 118:22, 'The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner', to Jesus, and 'you builders' to the rulers before him. Christ had put the same verse to the chief priests and elders (Matt 21:42).

Verse 12

none other name under heaven — 'Be saved' (sozo) is the verb rendered 'made whole' in v.9, and 'salvation' (soteria) is its related noun, so the bodily cure points to a wider rescue. Christ's own words are close: 'no man cometh unto the Father, but by me' (John 14:6).

Verse 13

unlearned and ignorant men — Agrammatos, without schooling in the letters, and idiotes, a private person with no office. The Jews had said the same of Christ: 'How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?' (John 7:15). 'Boldness' is parrhesia, the word of vv.29, 31.

Verse 19

to hearken unto you more than unto God — The apostles put the question to the council's own judgment. They state it as a rule in Acts 5:29: 'We ought to obey God rather than men.' Daniel's companions took the same position (Dan 3:18).

Verse 23

their own company — Idios, their own people: the believers, to whom they report 'all that the chief priests and elders had said'. The response in v.24 is a prayer made together; a similar gathering 'praying' is seen at Mary's house (Acts 12:12).

Verse 24

with one accord — Homothymadon, with one mind. 'Lord' is despotes, master, the owner's title. They begin with God as Creator, in words taken from the commandment: 'the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is' (Ex 20:11).

Verse 25

by the mouth of thy servant David — The words are Ps 2:1: 'Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?' The Holy Ghost spoke 'by the mouth of David' (Acts 1:16). 'Servant' is pais, the word rendered 'child' in vv.27, 30.

Verse 27

thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed — Chrio, to anoint, the verb behind 'Christ'; he was 'anointed… with the Holy Ghost and with power' (Acts 10:38). Herod and Pilate stand for the 'kings' and 'rulers' of v.26; the Gentiles and Israel for 'the heathen' and 'the people' of v.25.

Verse 28

thy hand and thy counsel determined before — Proorizo, to mark out beforehand; boule is God's settled purpose. Peter had said Jesus was 'delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God' (Acts 2:23), yet 'by wicked hands'. Compare Joseph: 'ye thought evil… but God meant it unto good' (Gen 50:20).

Verse 29

behold their threatenings — Apeile, the word the council used in v.17 ('straitly threaten'). The prayer takes up their threat and asks first for 'boldness' (parrhesia, as in vv.13, 31) to go on speaking. The speakers call themselves douloi, bondservants.

Verse 31

the place was shaken — Saleuo, to rock or agitate. The answer follows the prayer of v.29: 'filled with the Holy Ghost', as in Acts 2:4, and 'they spake the word of God with boldness', the very request they made. The earlier sign was 'a sound from heaven' (Acts 2:2).

Verse 32

they had all things common — Koinos, shared; the same practice as Acts 2:44, 'had all things common'. The sharing flows from being 'of one heart and of one soul', and it concerns what each 'possessed' (hyparchonta), described in the next verses as selling and laying the price at the apostles' feet.

Verse 35

laid them down at the apostles' feet — The proceeds were placed in the apostles' hands, and 'distribution' (diadidomi, to give out) was made 'according as he had need'. The gesture is repeated in v.37 and in Acts 5:2, where a false gift is laid at the same place.

Verse 36

The son of consolation — Paraklesis means comfort or exhortation. Joses was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles. He was a Levite from Cyprus, and later 'took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus' (Acts 15:39). His gift in v.37 introduces the contrasting case of Acts 5.