They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done 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?
- BSB They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do 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?”
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 he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
- Mark 11:28and they began saying to him, “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”
- 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.
- John 2:18The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”
- Acts 5:27–28When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them,
- Exod 2:14He said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you plan to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?” Moses was afraid, and said, “Surely this thing is known.”
- 1 Kgs 21:12–14They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
- Acts 4:10be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in him does this man stand here before you whole.
- John 8:9They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle.
- John 8:3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. Having set her in the middle,
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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.