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.
Parallel translations
- WEB When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that which was done.
- BSB After further threats they let them go. They could not find a way to punish them, because all the people were glorifying God for what had happened.
- 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.
- NASB When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened;
- NLT 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
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
After further threats, the council released them, finding no way to punish them because the people praised God for the healing. Public approval restrained the leaders.
Overview
The council's fear of the people, who glorified God over the miracle, limited their ability to act. God used the crowd's response to protect his servants and advance his purposes. This shows the Lord's sovereign care over his witnesses, restraining their enemies. The leaders' impotence in the face of God's evident work foreshadows the ultimate failure of all opposition to the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Acts 5:26Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
- Luke 20:19And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
- Luke 22:2And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.
- Matt 21:46But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
- Matt 9:8But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
- Luke 20:6But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
- Luke 5:26And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.
- Matt 15:31Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.
- Luke 19:47–48And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,
- Acts 4:17But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
- Matt 26:5But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.
- John 12:18–19For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
- Acts 3:6–9Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
- Luke 13:17And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
- Matt 9:33And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.
- Acts 5:40And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
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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 4:21 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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