They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
Parallel translations
- WEB When they had stood them in the middle of them, they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”
- KJV And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
- NKJV And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
- NASB When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”
- NLT They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”
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
The council demanded to know by what power or name the apostles had healed the man. They sought to challenge the authority behind the miracle.
Overview
The question about 'power' and 'name' goes to the heart of the matter, for the apostles act in the name of Jesus. Ironically, the council's question gives Peter the perfect opening to proclaim Christ. By asking the source of the apostles' authority, the rulers invite the very testimony to Jesus they hoped to suppress, showing how God turns opposition into opportunity for the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Matt 21:23When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”
- Mark 11:28“By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You the authority to do them?”
- Acts 5:40At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
- John 2:18On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?”
- Acts 5:27–28They brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, where the high priest interrogated them.
- Exod 2:14But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done has surely become known.”
- 1 Kgs 21:12–14They proclaimed a fast and gave Naboth a seat of honor among the people.
- Acts 4:10then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
- John 8:9When they heard this, they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there.
- John 8:3The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them
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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 4:7 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.