New Living Translation
Acts 4:19
19But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?
Acts 4:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
- New International Version (NIV)But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,
- New King James Version (NKJV)But 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.
Context of Acts 4:19
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. But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” 21The 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
Read all of Acts 4Acts 4:19 word by word
Ὁ δὲ Πέτρος καὶ Ἰωάννης ἀποκριθέντες εἶπον πρὸς αὐτούς· εἰ δίκαιόν ἐστιν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν ἀκούειν μᾶλλον ἢ τοῦ θεοῦ, κρίνατε.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- PeterΠέτροςPetros · PeterG4074
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
- answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
- and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Whetherεἰei · ifG1487
- it beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- rightδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
- in the sight ofἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- to hearkenἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- moreμᾶλλονmallon · more: ratherG3123
- thanἤē · orG2228
- judge yeκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
Cross-references for Acts 4:19
- 2 Corinthians 4:2We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
- Ephesians 6:1Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do.
- 1 Timothy 2:3This is good and pleases God our Savior,
- Acts 5:29But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.
- Exodus 1:17But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.
- 1 Kings 12:30But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols, traveling as far north as Dan to worship the one there.
- 1 Kings 14:16He will abandon Israel because Jeroboam sinned and made Israel sin along with him.”
- 1 Kings 21:11So the elders and other town leaders followed the instructions Jezebel had written in the letters.
- 1 Kings 22:14But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.”
- 2 Kings 16:15He told Uriah the priest, “Use the new altar for the morning sacrifices of burnt offering, the evening grain offering, the king’s burnt offering and grain offering, and the burnt offerings of all the people, as well as their grain offerings and liquid offerings. Sprinkle the blood from all the burnt offerings and sacrifices on the new altar. The bronze altar will be for my personal use only.”
- 2 Chronicles 26:16But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar.
- Daniel 3:18But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
- Daniel 6:10But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.
- Hosea 5:11The people of Israel will be crushed and broken by my judgment because they are determined to worship idols.
- Amos 7:16Now then, listen to this message from the Lord: “You say, ‘Don’t prophesy against Israel. Stop preaching against my people.’
- Micah 6:16You keep only the laws of evil King Omri; you follow only the example of wicked King Ahab! Therefore, I will make an example of you, bringing you to complete ruin. You will be treated with contempt, mocked by all who see you.”
Commentaries on Acts 4:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Whether it be right in the sight of God - As if they had said: Worldly prudence and a consideration of our secular interests would undoubtedly induce us to obey you; but acting as before God, and following the dictates of eternal truth and justice, we dare not be silent. Can it be right to obey men contrary to the command and will of God? When he commands us to speak, dare we hold our tongue? We have received our authority from God through Christ, and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Whether it be right - The apostles abated nothing of their boldness when threatened. They openly appealed to their judges whether their command could be right. And in doing this, they expressed their full conviction of the truth of what they had said, and their deliberate purpose not to regard their command, but still to proclaim to the people the truth that Jesus was the Messiah. In the sight of God - That is, whether God will judge this to be right…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. 19-20The apostles shared a principle that can guide God’s people in dealing with hostile authorities (see also 5:40; compare 1 Samuel 15:22; Jeremiah 7:23; Luke 20:20–26; Romans 13:1–7). Jesus had predicted that his disciples would encounter hostility and persecution (Luke 21:12–19).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 4:19
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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