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 replied, “Whether it is right before God to obey you rather than God, you decide, 20for it is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” After threatening them further, they released them, for they could not find how to punish them on account of the people, because they were all praising God for what had happened. 22For the man, on whom this miraculous sign of healing had been performed, was over forty years old. 23When they were released, Peter and John went to their fellow believers and reported everything the high 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

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 4:17But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.”
• Acts 5:40and they summoned the apostles and had them beaten. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them.
• Acts 5:26Then the commander of the temple guard went with the officers and brought the apostles without the use of force (for they were afraid of being stoned by the people).
• Matthew 21:46They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds regarded him as a prophet.
• Matthew 26:5But they said, “Not during the feast, so that there won’t be a riot among the people.”
• Luke 19:47Jesus was teaching daily in the temple courts. The chief priests and the experts in the law and the prominent leaders among the people were seeking to assassinate him,
• Luke 20:6But if we say, ‘From people,’ all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.”
• Luke 22:2The chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find some way to execute Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.
• Acts 3:6But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk!”
• Matthew 9:33After the demon was cast out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel!”
• Matthew 15:31As a result, the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and they praised the God of Israel.
• Luke 5:26Then astonishment seized them all, and they glorified God. They were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen incredible things today.”
• Luke 13:17When he said this all his adversaries were humiliated, but the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things he was doing.
• John 12:18Because they had heard that Jesus had performed this miraculous sign, the crowd went out 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

• 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