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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God

Context of Acts 4:21

19But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 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. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old. 23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people 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

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 stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
• Acts 5:40His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
• Acts 5:26At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
• Matthew 21:46They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
• Matthew 26:5“But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
• Luke 19:47Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.
• Luke 20:6But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
• Luke 22:2and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.
• Acts 3:6Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
• Matthew 9:33And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
• Matthew 15:31The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
• Luke 5:26Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
• Luke 13:17When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
• John 12:18Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, 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