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.
• 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 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.

Context of Acts 4:21

19But 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.” 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 22for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years. 23As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said.

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 keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.”
• Acts 5:40The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.
• Acts 5:26The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them.
• Matthew 21:46They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.
• Matthew 26:5“But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”
• Luke 19:47After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him.
• Luke 20:6But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet.”
• Luke 22:2The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.
• Acts 3:6But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”
• Matthew 9:33So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed.
• Matthew 15:31The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel.
• Luke 5:26Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”
• Luke 13:17This shamed his enemies, but all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did.
• John 12:18That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous 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

• 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