Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people!
Parallel translations
- WEB Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
- KJV Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
- NKJV Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
- NASB Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people,
- NLT Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people,
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
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, addressed the rulers and elders of Israel. The Spirit empowered him to testify boldly before the council.
Overview
Peter's filling with the Holy Spirit fulfills Jesus' promise that the Spirit would teach his followers what to say before rulers (Luke 12:11-12). This is the same Peter who once denied Jesus, now made bold by the Spirit. His Spirit-empowered witness shows that faithful testimony under pressure is God's gift, not human courage alone, equipping the church to confess Christ before hostile authorities.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Luke 12:11–12When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say.
- Matt 10:19–20But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say.
- Acts 2:4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
- Luke 21:14–15So make up your mind not to worry beforehand how to defend yourselves.
- Acts 7:55But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
- Acts 4:31After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
- Luke 23:13Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,
- Acts 4:5The next day the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 4:8 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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