Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
- KJV Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
- BSB So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who affirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.
- NASB Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be performed by their hands.
- NLT But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Despite opposition, they stayed and preached boldly, and the Lord confirmed His word with signs and wonders. God Himself bears witness to the message of His grace.
Overview
Their boldness was 'in the Lord,' grounded in His power rather than their own courage. The signs and wonders were not ends in themselves but divine testimony to 'the word of his grace,' the gospel that salvation is by God's unmerited favor in Christ. Such confirming miracles marked the apostolic foundation of the church as the gospel advanced into new territory.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Heb 2:4God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will?
- Eph 6:18–20with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:
- Acts 20:32Now, brothers, I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
- Acts 20:24But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.
- Acts 4:29–30Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,
- Mark 16:20They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.
- Rom 1:16For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.
- Acts 19:10–12This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
- 1 Th 2:2but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.
- 1 Cor 16:8–9But I will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost,
- Acts 18:9–11The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid, but speak and don’t be silent;
- Acts 5:32We are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
- Acts 2:22“Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know,
- John 4:48Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will in no way believe.”
- Acts 13:46Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that God’s word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
- Acts 5:12–14By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 14:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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