Darby Bible
Acts 4:20
20for as for us we cannot refrain from speaking of the things which we have seen and heard.
Acts 4:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
- New International Version (NIV)As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."
- New King James Version (NKJV)For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
Context of Acts 4:20
18And having called them, they charged [them] not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answering said to them, If it be righteous before God to listen to you rather than to God, judge ye; for as for us we cannot refrain from speaking of the things which we have seen and heard. 21But they, having further threatened them, let them go, finding no way how they might punish them, on account of the people, because all glorified God for what had taken place; 22for the man on whom this sign of healing had taken place was above forty years old.
Read all of Acts 4Acts 4:20 word by word
οὐ δυνάμεθα γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἃ εἴδαμεν καὶ ἠκούσαμεν μὴ λαλεῖν.Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Acts 4:20
- Acts 2:4And they were all filled with [the] Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave to them to speak forth.
- Acts 17:16But in Athens, while Paul was waiting for them, his spirit was painfully excited in him seeing the city given up to idolatry.
- Acts 18:5And when both Silas and Timotheus came down from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in respect of the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
- Numbers 22:38And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I am come to thee; but shall I now be able at all to say anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.
- Numbers 23:20Behold, I have received [mission] to bless; and he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
- 2 Samuel 23:2The Spirit of Jehovah spoke by me, And his word was on my tongue.
- Job 32:18For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.
- Jeremiah 1:7But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child; for thou shalt go to whomsoever I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
- Jeremiah 4:19My bowels! my bowels! I am in travail! [Oh,] the walls of my heart! My heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace: for thou hearest, my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the clamour of war.
- Jeremiah 6:11And I am full of the fury of Jehovah, I am weary with holding in. Pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken; the aged with him [that is] full of days.
- Jeremiah 20:9And I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name: but it was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I became wearied with holding in, and I could not.
- Ezekiel 3:11and go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, — whether they will hear or whether they will forbear.
- Micah 3:8But truly I am filled with power by the Spirit of Jehovah, and with judgment and with might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
- 1 Corinthians 9:16For if I announce the glad tidings, I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings.
- Acts 1:8but ye will receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you, and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
- Acts 3:15but the originator of life ye slew, whom God raised from among [the] dead, whereof we are witnesses.
Commentaries on Acts 4:20
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20For - This is given as a reason why they should obey God rather than man. They had had so clear evidence that God had sent the Messiah, and they had received a direct and solemn command Mark 16:15 to preach the gospel, that they could not be restrained. There was a necessity laid on them to preach. See 1 Corinthians 9:16. Compare Jeremiah 20:9; Acts 18:5; Job 32:18-19; Psalm 39:1-3. It has already been remarked that these two verses contain an important…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 All the care of the rulers is, that the doctrine of Christ spread not among the people, yet they cannot say it is false or dangerous, or of any ill tendency; and they are ashamed to own the true reason; that it testifies against their hypocrisy, wickedness, and tyranny. Those who know how to put a just value upon Christ's promises, know how to put just contempt upon the world's threatenings. The apostles look with concern on perishing souls…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-20The apostles shared a principle that can guide God’s people in dealing with hostile authorities (see also 5:40; compare 1 Samuel 15:22; Jeremiah 7:23; Luke 20:20–26; Romans 13:1–7). Jesus had predicted that his disciples would encounter hostility and persecution (Luke 21:12–19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2218-22. Whether it be right ... to hearken to you more than ... God, judge ye.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 4:20
In the dictionaries
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
Darby Bible — 1889 — Public Domain
Commentaries