Acts 4:31

Acts 4:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
• New International Version (NIV)After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Context of Acts 4:31

29Lord God, you know that the Jewish leaders want to punish Peter and John. We are your servants. Please help us not to be afraid. Help us to speak your message to people without fear. 30Show people that you are strong. Cause sick people to become well. Do other powerful things to show that you are God. It is the authority of your holy servant Jesus that will make these things happen.’ The believers finished praying. The house where they were meeting together shook. God filled them all with his Holy Spirit. That made them very brave and they spoke God's message clearly to people. 32All the believers agreed completely with each other about how they should live. They wanted to help each other. Nobody kept anything only for themselves. They let the other believers use it. 33The apostles continued to teach about the Lord Jesus. They spoke with great power. They told people, ‘After Jesus died, God caused him to live again. We saw that happen.’ God was very kind to all the believers and he helped them in many ways.

Acts 4:31 word by word

καὶ δεηθέντων αὐτῶν ἐσαλεύθη ὁ τόπος ἐν ᾧ ἦσαν συνηγμένοι, καὶ ἐπλήσθησαν ἅπαντες τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος καὶ ἐλάλουν τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ μετὰ παρρησίας.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• whenδέομαιdeomai · to prayG1189
• theyαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• the placeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the placeτόποςtopos · placeG5117
• was shakenσαλεύωsaleuō · to shakeG4531
• ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• whereὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• they wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• assembled togetherσυνάγωsunagō · to assembleG4863
• they wereπλήθω, πίμπλημιplēthō · to fillG4130
• allἅπαςhapas · allG537
• with theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
• they spakeλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• boldnessπαρρησίαparrhēsia · boldnessG3954

Cross-references for Acts 4:31

• Acts 2:2Suddenly, as they were sitting together, they heard a noise. The noise came from the sky and it filled the whole house. It was like the sound of a strong wind.
• Acts 16:25At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying. They were also singing songs to praise God. The other people in the prison were listening to them.
• Acts 2:4All the believers became full with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in languages that they had not learned. They spoke whatever language the Holy Spirit helped them to speak.
• Acts 4:29Lord God, you know that the Jewish leaders want to punish Peter and John. We are your servants. Please help us not to be afraid. Help us to speak your message to people without fear.
• Isaiah 65:24Before they call to me for help, I will answer them. While they are still praying, I will hear them.
• Matthew 18:19Two people may agree together to ask God for something. If they agree like that, then my Father in heaven will give them what they ask for.
• Matthew 21:22So when you pray to ask God for something, believe in him. Then God will give you whatever you ask for.’
• John 14:12I tell you this: Whoever believes in me will do the same things that I have been doing. Yes, he will do even greater things than these, because I will go to my Father.
• John 15:7You must remain in me, and my teaching must remain in you. Then you may ask for anything that you want. God will do it for you.
• John 16:23When that day arrives, you will not ask me for anything. I tell you this: The Father will help you with anything that you ask him for in my name.
• James 1:5But maybe you need to know how to be wise. Then ask God to help you. He is ready to give everyone what they need. And he never says that it is wrong to ask. So God will help you to be wise.

Commentaries on Acts 4:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31The place was shaken - This earthquake was an evidence of the presence of God, and a most direct answer to their prayer, as far as that prayer concerned themselves. The earthquake proclaimed the stretched-out arm of God, and showed them that resistance against his counsels and determinations must come to nought. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost - And, in consequence of this, they spake the word of God with boldness; a pointed answer to a…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31And when they had prayed - The event which followed was regarded by them as an evidence that God heard their prayer. The place was shaken - The word which is translated “was shaken” commonly denotes “violent agitation,” as the raging of the sea, the convulsion of an earthquake, or trees shaken by the wind, Matthew 11:7; Acts 16:26; Hebrews 12:26. The language here is suited to express the idea of an earthquake. Whether the motion was confined to the house…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-31Verses 23-31 Christ's followers do best in company, provided it is their own company. It encourages God's servants, both in doing work, and suffering work, that they serve the God who made all things, and therefore has the disposal of all events; and the Scriptures must be fulfilled. Jesus was anointed to be a Saviour, therefore it was determined he should be a sacrifice, to make atonement for sin. But sin is not the less evil for God's bringing good out…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23-31The believers heard the report that their leaders had been threatened and commanded never again to speak about Jesus (4:18). The Christian movement was clearly under attack from the religious authorities, so they united in prayer. They turned to God, sharing their troubles and asking for courage to speak the message. They also asked God to send signs and wonders to confirm that the message was true. God answered their request in a clear and powerful way.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 31-3731-37. place was shaken--glorious token of the commotion which the Gospel was to make (Ac 17:6; compare Ac 16:26), and the overthrow of all opposing powers in which this was to issue. they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and spake, &c.--The Spirit rested upon the entire community, first, in the very way they had asked, so that they "spake the word with boldness" (Ac 4:29, 31); next, in melting down all selfishness, and absorbing even the feeling of…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 4:31

• Courage
• Holy Spirit
• Minister, Christian
• Prayer
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Holy Ghost
• Word of God
• Counsel
• Hold
• Notable
• Possess
• Threaten
• Threatening

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