New King James Version
Acts 4:21
21So 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.
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 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 answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” 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. 22For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed. 23And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
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 4:17But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
- Acts 5:40And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
- Acts 5:26Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.
- Matthew 21:46But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.
- Matthew 26:5But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
- Luke 19:47And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him,
- Luke 20:6But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
- Luke 22:2And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.
- Acts 3:6Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
- Matthew 9:33And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!”
- Matthew 15:31So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.
- Luke 5:26And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”
- Luke 13:17And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
- John 12:18For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done 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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries