Acts 4 · Verse 19

Acts 4:19

But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
Acts 4:19, King James Version

Acts 4:19 in other translations

BSBBut Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.
WEBBut Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves,
ASVBut Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye:
YLTand Peter and John answering unto them said, ‘Whether it is righteous before God to hearken to you rather than to God, judge ye;
DARBYBut Peter and John answering said to them, If it be righteous before God to listen to you rather than to God, judge ye;
BBEBut Peter and John in answer said to them, It is for you to say if it is right in the eyes of God to give attention to you more than to God:
WebsterBut Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken to you rather than to God, judge ye.

What does Acts 4:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 4:18-22

18-22. Whether it be right ... to hearken to you more than ... God, judge ye.

Read the full comment on Acts 4:18-22 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 19. Whether it be right, etc. The apostles abated nothing of their boldness when threatened. They openly appealed to their judges whether their command could be right. And in doing this, they expressed their full conviction of the truth of what they had said, and their deliberate purpose not to regard their command, but still to proclaim to the people the truth that Jesus was the Messiah.

In the sight of God. That is, whether God will judge this to be right. The grand question was, how God would regard it. If he disapproved it, it was wrong. It was not merely a question pertaining to their reputation, safety, or life; but it was a question of conscience before God. And we have here a striking instance of the principle on which Christians act. It is to lay their safety, reputation, and life out of view, and to bring everything to this test, WHETHER IT WILL PLEASE GOD. If it will, it is right; if it will not, it is wrong.

To hearken. To hear and to hearken are often used to denote to obey, Jn 5:24, 8:47, etc.

Judge ye. This was an appeal to them directly as judges, and as men. And it may be presumed that it was an appeal which they could not resist. The sanhedrim acknowledged itself to have been appointed by God; and to have no authority which was not derived from his appointment. Of course God could modify, supersede, or repeal their authority; and the abstract principle, that it was better to obey God than man, they could not call in question. The only inquiry was, whether they had evidence that God had issued any command in the case. Of that the apostles were satisfied; and that the rulers could not deny. It may be remarked, that this is one of the first and most bold appeals on record in favour of the right of private judgment and the liberty of conscience. That liberty was supposed in all the Jewish religion. It was admitted that the authority of God in all matters was superior to that of man. And the same spirit manifested itself thus early in the Christian church against all dominion over the conscience, and in favour of the right to follow the dictates of the conscience and the will of God. As a mere historical fact, therefore, it is interesting to contemplate this; and still more interesting in its important bearings on human liberty and human happiness. The doctrine is still more explicitly stated in Acts 5:29--"We ought to obey God rather than men."

(c) "hearken unto you more" Acts 5:29

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 Whether it be right in the sight of God - As if they had said: Worldly prudence and a consideration of our secular interests would undoubtedly induce us to obey you; but acting as before God, and following the dictates of eternal truth and justice, we dare not be silent. Can it be right to obey men contrary to the command and will of God? When he commands us to speak, dare we hold our tongue? We have received our authority from God through Christ, and feel fully persuaded of the truth by the Holy Spirit which now dwells in us; and we should be guilty of treason against God, were we on any consideration to suppress his testimony. Your own consciences testify that we should be sinners against our heavenly King, were we to act according to your orders; and the conclusion is, that we cannot but speak what we have seen and heard.

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…

Read the full comment on Acts 4:15-22 →

Acts 4:19 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.

ὉHo<the>G3588
δὲdeButG1161
ΠέτροςPetrosPeterG4074
καὶkaiandG2532
ἸωάννηςIōannēsJohnG2491
ἀποκριθέντεςapokrithentesansweringG611
εἶπονeiponsaidG2036
πρὸςprostoG4314
αὐτούς·autousthem;G846
εἰeiWhetherG1487
δίκαιόνdikaionrightG1342
ἐστινestinit isG1510
ἐνώπιονenōpionbeforeG1799
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦtheouGodG2316
ὑμῶνhumōnto youG4771
ἀκούεινakoueinto listenG191
μᾶλλονmallonratherG3123
ἢēthanG2228
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦ,theouGod,G2316
κρίνατε.krinateyou should judge.G2919

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

Cross references for Acts 4:19

  • Acts 5:29

    Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

  • Exodus 1:17

    But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:15

    I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

  • 1 Timothy 2:3

    For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

  • 1 Kings 22:14

    And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.

  • John 7:24

    Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

  • Matthew 22:21

    They say unto him, Cesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

  • 2 Chronicles 26:16-20

    But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that were valiant men: And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar. …

  • 1 Kings 14:16

    And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.

  • Amos 7:16

    Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.

  • 1 Kings 12:30

    And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

  • Daniel 6:10

    Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Whether.
2Co 4:2; Eph 6:1; 1Ti 2:3
to hearken.
5:29; Ex 1:17; 1Ki 12:30; 14:16; 21:11; 22:14; 2Ki 16:15
2Ch 26:16-20; Da 3:18; 6:10; Ho 5:11; Am 7:16; Mic 6:16; Mt 22:21
Heb 11:23; Re 13:3-10; 14:9-12
judge.
Ps 58:1; Joh 7:24; 1Co 10:15; Jas 2:4

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

Context

  • Acts 4:18

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

  • Acts 4:19

    But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

  • Acts 4:20

    For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Read all of Acts 4

Acts 4:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Pedro y Juan, respondiendo, les dijeron: Juzgad si es justo delante de Dios obedecer antes á vosotros que á Dios:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais Pierre et Jean, répondant, leur dirent: Jugez s’il est juste devant Dieu de vous écouter plutôt que Dieu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Petrus aber und Johannes antworteten und sprachen zu ihnen: Ob es vor Gott recht ist, auf euch mehr zu hören, als auf Gott, urteilet ihr;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Petrus vero et Joannes respondentes, dixerunt ad eos: Si justum est in conspectu Dei vos potius audire quam Deum, judicate.