Acts 4:21

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

19But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; 22for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed. 23When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

Acts 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

• When they had threatenedπροσαπειλέωprosapeileō · to threaten furtherG4324
• they letἀπολύωapoluō · to release: releaseG630
• them goἀπολύωapoluō · to release: releaseG630
• findingεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• noμηδείςmēdeis mēdemia mēden · nothingG3367
• on which to punishκολάζωkolazō · to punishG2849
• on accountδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• of the peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• they were allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• glorifyingδοξάζωdoxazō · to glorifyG1392
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• for what had happenedγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096

Cross-references for Acts 4:21

• Acts 4:17But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.”
• Acts 5:40They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them.
• Acts 5:26Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned).
• Matthew 21:46When they sought to seize Him, they feared the people, because they considered Him to be a prophet.
• Matthew 26:5But they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people.”
• Luke 19:47And He was teaching daily in the temple; but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people were trying to destroy Him,
• Luke 20:6But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”
• Luke 22:2The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.
• Acts 3:6But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene--walk!”
• Matthew 9:33After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
• Matthew 15:31So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.
• Luke 5:26They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
• Luke 13:17As He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him.
• John 12:18For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.

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

• Caiaphas
• Glorifying God
• Government
• Intolerance, Religious
• Miracles
• Opinion, Public
• Peter
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Counsel
• Hold
• Notable
• Possess
• Sanhedrim
• Threaten
• Threatening
• Acts of the Apostles

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