New Living Translation
Acts 4:16
16“What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it.
Acts 4:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
- New International Version (NIV)“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)saying, "What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
Context of Acts 4:16
14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say. 15So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves. “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.” 18So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
Read all of Acts 4Acts 4:16 word by word
λέγοντες· τί ποιήσωμεν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις; ὅτι μὲν γὰρ γνωστὸν σημεῖον γέγονεν δι᾽ αὐτῶν πᾶσιν τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν Ἰερουσαλὴμ φανερόν, καὶ οὐ δυνάμεθα ἀρνεῖσθαι·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- shall we doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- toὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- toἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- indeedμένmen · on the other handG3303
- a notableγνωστός, γνώριμοςgnōstos · acquainted withG1110
- miracleσημεῖονsēmeion · signG4592
- hath been doneγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- manifestφανερόςphaneros · clearG5318
- to allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- themκατοικέωkatoikeō · to dwellG2730
- in JerusalemἹερουσαλήμHierousalēm · JerusalemG2419
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- we cannotοὐou · noG3756
- we cannotδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- denyἀρνέομαιarneomai · to denyG720
Cross-references for Acts 4:16
- John 11:47Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs.
- John 12:18That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign.
- Acts 3:9All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God.
- Daniel 8:5While I was watching, suddenly a male goat appeared from the west, crossing the land so swiftly that he didn’t even touch the ground. This goat, which had one very large horn between its eyes,
- Matthew 27:16This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas.
- Acts 6:10None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.
- Luke 6:10He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!
- Luke 21:15for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!
Commentaries on Acts 4:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16A notable miracle hath been done - A miracle has been wrought, and this miracle is known, and acknowledged to be such; all Jerusalem knew that he was lame - lame from his birth, and that he had long begged at the Beautiful gate of the temple; and now all Jerusalem knew that he was healed; and there was no means by which such a self-evident fact could be disproved.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-18Verses 15-18 What shall we do to these men? - The object which they had in view was evidently to prevent their preaching. The miracle was performed, and it was believed by the people to have been made. This they could not expect to be able successfully to deny. Their only object, therefore, was to prevent the apostles from making the use which they saw they would to convince the people that Jesus was the Messiah. The question was, in what way they should…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. 16-18They acknowledged the miracle but still tried to prevent the message. Jesus had experienced similar resistance (Matthew 19:8; Mark 10:5; see also Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1713-17. perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men--that is, uninstructed in the learning of the Jewish schools, and of the common sort; men in private life, untrained to teaching. took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus--recognized them as having been in His company; remembering possibly, that they had seen them with Him [Meyer, Bloomfield, Alford]; but, more probably, perceiving in their whole bearing what identified them with…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 4:16
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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