New Living Translation
Acts 4:20
20We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
Acts 4:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
- New International Version (NIV)As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."
- New King James Version (NKJV)For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
Context of Acts 4:20
18So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We 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 22for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.
Read all of Acts 4Acts 4:20 word by word
οὐ δυνάμεθα γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἃ εἴδαμεν καὶ ἠκούσαμεν μὴ λαλεῖν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Acts 4:20
- Acts 2:4And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
- Acts 17:16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.
- Acts 18:5And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.
- Numbers 22:38Balaam replied, “Look, now I have come, but I have no power to say whatever I want. I will speak only the message that God puts in my mouth.”
- Numbers 23:20Listen, I received a command to bless; God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it!
- 2 Samuel 23:2“The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me; his words are upon my tongue.
- Job 32:18For I am full of pent-up words, and the spirit within me urges me on.
- Jeremiah 1:7The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.
- Jeremiah 4:19My heart, my heart—I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their battle cries.
- Jeremiah 6:11So now I am filled with the Lord’s fury. Yes, I am tired of holding it in! “I will pour out my fury on children playing in the streets and on gatherings of young men, on husbands and wives and on those who are old and gray.
- Jeremiah 20:9But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!
- Ezekiel 3:11Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.”
- Micah 3:8But as for me, I am filled with power— with the Spirit of the Lord. I am filled with justice and strength to boldly declare Israel’s sin and rebellion.
- 1 Corinthians 9:16Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!
- Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
- Acts 3:15You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
Commentaries on Acts 4:20
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20For - This is given as a reason why they should obey God rather than man. They had had so clear evidence that God had sent the Messiah, and they had received a direct and solemn command Mark 16:15 to preach the gospel, that they could not be restrained. There was a necessity laid on them to preach. See 1 Corinthians 9:16. Compare Jeremiah 20:9; Acts 18:5; Job 32:18-19; Psalm 39:1-3. It has already been remarked that these two verses contain an important…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 4:20
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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Commentaries