God’s Word Translation
Acts 4:21
21The authorities threatened them even more and then let them go. Since all the people were praising God for what had happened, the authorities couldn’t find any way to punish Peter and John.
Acts 4:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
- New International Version (NIV)After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done.
Context of Acts 4:21
19Peter and John answered them, “Decide for yourselves whether God wants people to listen to you rather than to him. 20We cannot stop talking about what we’ve seen and heard.” The authorities threatened them even more and then let them go. Since all the people were praising God for what had happened, the authorities couldn’t find any way to punish Peter and John. 22(The man who was healed by this miracle was over 40 years old.) 23When Peter and John were released, they went to their own people and told them everything the chief priests and leaders had said.
Read all of Acts 4Acts 4:21 word by word
οἱ δὲ προσαπειλησάμενοι ἀπέλυσαν αὐτοὺς μηδὲν εὑρίσκοντες τὸ πῶς κολάσωνται αὐτούς, διὰ τὸν λαόν, ὅτι πάντες ἐδόξαζον τὸν θεὸν ἐπὶ τῷ γεγονότι.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Soδέde · thenG1161
- had further threatenedπροσαπειλέωprosapeileō · to threaten furtherG4324
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- let them goἀπολύωapoluō · to release: releaseG630
- findingεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
- nothingμηδείςmēdeis mēdemia mēden · nothingG3367
- howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
- they might punishκολάζωkolazō · to punishG2849
- because ofὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- the peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
- forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- glorifiedδοξάζωdoxazō · to glorifyG1392
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- forἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- which was doneγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
Cross-references for Acts 4:21
- Acts 4:17So let’s threaten them. Let’s tell them that they must never speak to anyone about the one named Jesus. Then the news about the miracle that they have performed will not spread any further among the people.”
- Acts 5:40The council took his advice. They called the apostles, beat them, ordered them not to speak about the one named Jesus, and let them go.
- Acts 5:26Then the officer of the temple guards went with some of his men to bring back the apostles without using force. After all, the officer and his guards were afraid that the people would stone them to death for using force.
- Matthew 21:46They wanted to arrest him but were afraid of the crowds, who thought he was a prophet.
- Matthew 26:5But they said, “We shouldn’t arrest him during the festival, or else there may be a riot among the people.”
- Luke 19:47Jesus taught in the temple courtyard every day. The chief priests, the experts in Moses’ Teachings, and the leaders of the people looked for a way to kill him.
- Luke 20:6But if we say, ‘from humans,’ everyone will stone us to death. They’re convinced that John was a prophet.”
- Luke 22:2The chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings were looking for some way to kill Jesus. However, they were afraid of the people.
- Acts 3:6However, Peter said to him, “I don’t have any money, but I’ll give you what I do have. Through the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, walk!”
- Matthew 9:33But as soon as the demon was forced out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “We have never seen anything like this in Israel!”
- Matthew 15:31The crowd was amazed to see mute people talking, the disabled cured, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. So they praised the God of Israel.
- Luke 5:26Everyone was amazed and praised God. They were filled with awe and said, “We’ve seen things today we can hardly believe!”
- Luke 13:17As he said this, everyone who opposed him felt ashamed. But the entire crowd was happy about the miraculous things he was doing.
- John 12:18Because the crowd heard that Jesus had performed this miracle, they came to meet him.
Commentaries on Acts 4:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21When they had farther threatened them - , When they had added to their former threatenings, repeating the former menaces, and adding new penalties. Finding nothing how they might punish them - Or, as the Codex Bezae reads, ̔ , , not finding a cause why they might punish them. This reading is supported by the Syriac and Arabic. Bp. Pearce says, "This is better sense and better Greek." Because of the people - The people saw the miracle, confessed the finger…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Finding nothing - That is, not being able to devise any way of punishing them without exciting a tumult among the people, and endangering their own authority. The Sanhedrin was frequently influenced by this fear; and it shows that their own authority was much dependent on the caprice of the multitude. Compare Matthew 21:26. All men - That is, the great mass or body of the people. Glorified God - Praised God for the miracle. This implies: (1)That they…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. 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. 18-2218-22. Whether it be right ... to hearken to you more than ... God, judge ye.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 4:21
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
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