Acts 4:7

Acts 4:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
• New International Version (NIV)They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”

Context of Acts 4:7

5The next day the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, 6along with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and many others from the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being examined today about a kind service to a man who was lame, to determine how he was healed,

Acts 4:7 word by word

καὶ στήσαντες αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ ἐπυνθάνοντο· ἐν ποίᾳ δυνάμει ἢ ἐν ποίῳ ὀνόματι ἐποιήσατε τοῦτο ὑμεῖς;¶Read the interlinear

• ·καίkai · andG2532
• They hadἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• ·αὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• brought inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• brought inὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• brought inμέσοςmesos · midstG3319
• began to question themπυνθάνομαιpunthanomai · to inquireG4441
• whatποῖοςpoios · what?G4169
• powerδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
• orἤē · orG2228
• nameὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
• did youσύsu · youG4771
• doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778

Cross-references for Acts 4:7

• Acts 5:27They brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, where the high priest interrogated them.
• 1 Kings 21:12They proclaimed a fast and gave Naboth a seat of honor among the people.
• John 8:3The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them
• Exodus 2:14But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done has surely become known.”
• Matthew 21:23When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”
• Mark 11:28“By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You the authority to do them?”
• John 2:18On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?”
• Acts 4:10then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
• Acts 5:28“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”

Commentaries on Acts 4:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? - It seems that this council were convinced that the lame man was miraculously healed; but it is very likely that they believed the whole to be the effect of magic; and, as all intercourse with familiar spirits, and all spells, charms, etc., were unlawful, they probably hoped that, on the examination, this business would come out, and that then these disturbers of their peace would be put to death. Hence…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7In the midst - In the presence of the Great Council. By what power … - A similar question was put to Christ in the temple, Matthew 21:23. By what name - That is, by whose authority. It is very probable that they expected to intimidate the apostles by this question. They claimed the right of regulating the religious affairs of the nation. They had vast power with the people. They assumed that all power to instruct the people should originate with them; and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-14Verses 5-14 Peter being filled with the Holy Ghost, would have all to understand, that the miracle had been wrought by the name, or power, of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, whom they had crucified; and this confirmed their testimony to his resurrection from the dead, which proved him to be the Messiah. These rulers must either be saved by that Jesus whom they had crucified, or they must perish for ever. The name of Jesus is given to men of every age and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-22Throughout the Bible, God's people often experienced persecution. God's servants often encountered hostility and opposition (Deuteronomy 30:7; 1 Kings 18:13; Nehemiah 4:1–3; Jeremiah 37–38; Matthew 23:34–37; Luke 11:49–51; 1 Thessalonians 2:14–15). Jesus was also persecuted (Luke 4:29; John 5:16). He warned his disciples to expect similar treatment (Matthew 10:23; 24:9; Mark 13:9; Luke 21:12; John 16:2). However, he promised that the Holy Spirit would…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-131-12. the captain--of the Levitical guard. of the temple--annoyed at the disturbance created around it. and the Sadducees--who "say that there is no resurrection" (Ac 23:8), irritated at the apostles "preaching through (rather, 'in') Jesus the resurrection from the dead"; for the resurrection of Christ, if a fact, effectually overthrew the Sadducean doctrine.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 4:7

• Caiaphas
• Government
• John
• Persecution
• Peter
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• Counsel
• Hold
• Notable
• Possess
• Sanhedrim
• Threaten
• Threatening
• Acts of the Apostles
• Courts, Judicial
• Miracle

Commentaries on Acts 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings