Acts 4 · Verse 17

Acts 4:17

But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
Acts 4:17, King James Version

Acts 4:17 in other translations

BSBBut to keep this message from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in this name.”
WEBBut 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.”
ASVBut that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
YLTbut that it may spread no further toward the people, let us strictly threaten them no more to speak in this name to any man.'
DARBYBut that it be not further spread among the people, let us threaten them severely no longer to speak to any man in this name.
BBEBut so that it may not go farther among the people, let us put them in fear of punishment if they say anything in future in this name.
WebsterBut that it may spread no further among the people, let us strictly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

What does Acts 4:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 4:13-17

13-17. perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men--that is, uninstructed in the learning of the Jewish schools, and of the common sort; men in private life, untrained to teaching. took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus--recognized them as having been in His company; remembering possibly, that they had seen them with Him [Meyer, Bloomfield, Alford]; but, more probably, perceiving in their whole…

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Barnes' Notes
Verse 17.

(&) "straitly threaten" "Strictly" (b) "they speak henceforth" Acts 5:40

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 But that it spread no farther - Not the news of the miraculous healing of the lame man, but the doctrine and influence which these men preach and exert. More than a thousand people had already professed faith in Christ in consequence of this miracle, (see Act 4:4), and if this teaching should be permitted to go on, probably accompanied with similar miracles, they had reason to believe that all Jerusalem (themselves excepted, who had steeled their hearts against all good) should be converted to the religion of him whom they had lately crucified. Let us straitly threaten them - Απειλῃ απειλησωμεθα, Let us threaten them with threatening, a Hebraism, and a proof that St. Luke has translated the words of the council into Greek, just as they were spoken. That they speak ...to no man in this name - Nothing so ominous to them as the name of Christ crucified, because they themselves had been his crucifiers. On this account they could not bear to hear salvation preached to mankind through him of whom they had been the betrayers and murderers, and who was soon likely to have no enemies but themselves.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 4:15-22

All the care of the rulers is, that the doctrine of Christ spread not among the people, yet they cannot say it is false or dangerous, or of any ill tendency; and they are ashamed to own the true reason; that it testifies against their hypocrisy, wickedness, and tyranny. Those who know how to put a just value upon Christ's promises, know how to put just contempt upon the world's threatenings. The apostles look with…

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Acts 4:17 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἀλλ᾽all᾽ButG235
ἵναinathatG2443
μὴmēnotG3361
ἐπὶepionG1909
πλεῖονpleionfurtherG4119
διανεμηθῇdianemēthēait may spreadG1268
εἰςeisamongG1519
τὸνtontheG3588
λαόν,laonpeople,G2992
ἀπειλῇapeilēathreatsG547
ἀπειλησώμεθαapeilēsōmethalet us warnG546
αὐτοῖςautoisthemG846
μηκέτιmēketino longerG3371
λαλεῖνlaleinto speakG2980
ἐπὶepiinG1909
τῷtō<the>G3588
ὀνόματιonomatinameG3686
τούτῳtoutōthisG3778
μηδενὶmēdenito noG3367
ἀνθρώπων.anthrōpōnman.G444

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 4:17

  • Acts 5:28

    Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.

  • Romans 15:18-22

    For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation: But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand. …

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16

    Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

  • Acts 5:24

    Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

  • 1 Thessalonians 1:8

    For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

  • Romans 10:16-18

    But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

  • Daniel 2:34-35

    Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

  • Jeremiah 38:4

    Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.

  • Amos 7:12-17

    Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: But prophesy not again any more at Beth–el: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court. Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. …

  • Acts 4:29-30

    And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

  • Matthew 27:64

    Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

  • Psalms 2:1-4

    Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
that it.
5:39; Ps 2:1-4; Da 2:34,35; Ro 10:16-18; 15:18-22; 1Th 1:8
let.
21,29,30; 5:24,28,40; 2Ch 25:15,16; Isa 30:8-11; Jer 20:1-3
Jer 29:25-32; 38:4; Am 2:12; 7:12-17; Mic 2:6,7; Mt 27:64
Joh 11:47,48; 1Th 2:15,16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 4:16

    Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

  • Acts 4:17

    But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

  • Acts 4:18

    And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

Read all of Acts 4

Acts 4:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Todavía, porque no se divulgue más por el pueblo, amenacémoslos que no hablen de aquí adelante á hombre alguno en este nombre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
mais afin que cela ne soit pas répandu davantage parmi le peuple, défendons-leur avec menaces, de parler davantage en ce nom à qui que ce soit.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Aber auf daß es nicht weiter unter dem Volke ausgebreitet werde, laßt uns sie ernstlich bedrohen, daß sie nicht mehr in diesem Namen zu irgend einem Menschen reden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Sed ne amplius divulgetur in populum, comminemur eis ne ultra loquantur in nomine hoc ulli hominum.