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
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.
- 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.
- 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;
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 the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.
- Luke 20:19The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people — for they knew he had spoken this parable against them.
- Luke 22:2The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death, for they feared the people.
- Matt 21:46When they sought to seize him, they feared the multitudes, because they considered him to be a prophet.
- Matt 9:8But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
- Luke 20:6But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
- Luke 5:26Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”
- Matt 15:31so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking, the injured healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing — and they glorified the God of Israel.
- Luke 19:47–48He was teaching daily in the temple, but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people sought to destroy him.
- Acts 4:17But so that this spreads no further among the people, let’s threaten them, that from now on they don’t speak to anyone in this name.”
- Matt 26:5But they said, “Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people.”
- John 12:18–19For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign.
- Acts 3:6–9But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”
- Luke 13:17As he said these things, all his adversaries were disappointed, and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
- Matt 9:33When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The multitudes marveled, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”
- Acts 5:40They agreed with him. Summoning the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to 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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