While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,
Parallel translations
- WEB As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them,
- KJV And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
- NKJV Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them,
- NASB As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,
- NLT While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees.
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
As the apostles spoke, the priests, the temple captain, and the Sadducees confronted them. Opposition to the gospel arises quickly from the religious authorities.
Overview
The Sadducees, who controlled the temple and denied the resurrection, were especially provoked by the apostles' preaching. The captain of the temple maintained order and had authority to make arrests. This first official opposition begins the pattern of persecution that runs through Acts, as the same authorities who opposed Jesus now resist his witnesses, fulfilling his warning that the world would hate them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Luke 22:4And Judas went to discuss with the chief priests and temple officers how he might betray Jesus to them.
- Acts 6:12So they stirred up the people, elders, and scribes and confronted Stephen. They seized him and brought him before the Sanhedrin,
- Acts 23:6–9Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
- Acts 5:24When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening.
- Acts 5:26At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.
- 2 Chr 23:4–9This is what you are to do: A third of you priests and Levites who come on duty on the Sabbath shall keep watch at the doors,
- Matt 22:23–24That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him.
- Matt 3:7But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
- Matt 26:3–4At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
- Matt 27:41In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying,
- Matt 27:1–2When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.
- John 15:20Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.
- Matt 16:12Then they understood that He was not telling them to beware of the leaven used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
- Matt 22:16They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You seek favor from no one, because You pay no attention to external appearance.
- John 18:3So Judas brought a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. They arrived at the garden carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.
- Acts 4:6along with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and many others from the high priest’s family.
- Matt 27:20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.
- Acts 6:7So the word of God continued to spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem grew rapidly, and a great number of priests became obedient to the faith.
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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 4:1 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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