Acts 4:26
The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
Acts 4:26 in other translations
| BSB | The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’ |
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| WEB | The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers plot together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.’ |
| ASV | The kings of the earth set themselves in array, And the rulers were gathered together, Against the Lord, and against his Anointed: |
| YLT | the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ; |
| DARBY | The kings of the earth were there, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ. |
| BBE | The kings of the earth were lifted up, the rulers came together, against the Lord, and against his Christ: |
| Webster | The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were assembled against the Lord, and against his Christ. |
What does Acts 4:26 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 4:23-30
Ac 4:23-37. Peter and John Dismissed from the Sanhedrin, Report the Proceedings to the Assembled Disciples--They Engage in Prayer--The Astonishing Answer and Results. 23-30. being let go, they went to their own company--Observe the two opposite classes, representing the two interests which were about to come into deadly conflict.
Barnes' Notes
Stood up. The word here used παριστημι commonly means, to present one's self, or to stand forth, for the purpose of aiding, counselling, etc. But here it means that they rose, or presented themselves, to evince their opposition. They stood opposed to the Messiah, and offered resistance to him.
The rulers. This is another instance of the Hebrew parallelism. The word does not denote another class of men from kings, but expresses the same idea in another form, or in a more general manner, meaning that all classes of persons in authority would be opposed to the gospel.
Were gathered together. Hebrew, consulted together; were united in a consultation. The Greek implies that they were assembled for the purpose of consultation.
Against the Lord. In the Hebrew, "against Jehovah." This is the peculiar name which is given in the Scriptures to God. They rose against his plan of appointing a Messiah, and against the Messiah whom he had chosen.
Against his Christ. Hebrew, against his Messiah, or his Anointed. Mt 1;1. This is one of the places where the word Messiah is used in the Old Testament. The word occurs in about forty places, and is commonly translated his anointed, and is applied to kings. The direct reference of the word to the Messiah in the Old Testament is not frequent. This passage implies that opposition to the Messiah is opposition to Jehovah. And this is uniformly supposed in the sacred Scriptures. He that is opposed to Christ is opposed to God. He that neglects him neglects God. He that despises him despises God, Mt 10:40, 18:5, Jn 12:44,45, Lk 10:16, "He that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me." The reasons of this are,
(1.) that the Messiah is "the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his" subsistence, Heb 1:3.
(2.) He is equal with the Father, possessing the same attributes, and the same power, Jn 1:1, Php 2:6, etc. To despise him, therefore, is to despise God.
(3.) He is appointed by God to this great work of saving men. To despise him, or to oppose him, is to despise and oppose him who appointed him to this work, to contemn his counsels, and to set him at nought.
(4.) His work is dear to God. It has engaged his thoughts. It has been approved by him. His mission has been confirmed by the miraculous power of the Father, and by every possible manifestation of his approbation and love. To oppose the Messiah is, therefore, to oppose that which is dear to the heart of God, and which has long been the object of his tender solicitude. It follows from this, that they who neglect the Christian religion are exposing themselves to the sore displeasure of God, and endangering their everlasting interests. No man is safe who opposes God; and no man can have evidence that God will approve him, who does not embrace the Messiah whom he has appointed to redeem the world.
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 4:23-31
Christ's followers do best in company, provided it is their own company. It encourages God's servants, both in doing work, and suffering work, that they serve the God who made all things, and therefore has the disposal of all events; and the Scriptures must be fulfilled. Jesus was anointed to be a Saviour, therefore it was determined he should be a sacrifice, to make atonement for sin. But sin is not the less evil…
Acts 4:26 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.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Acts 4:26
- Psalms 2:2
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,
- Revelation 17:12-14
And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
- Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
- Psalms 83:2-8
For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: …
- Acts 10:38
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
- Hebrews 1:9
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
- Joel 3:9-14
Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. …
- Revelation 17:17
For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
- Luke 4:18
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
- Revelation 11:15
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
- Revelation 12:10
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
- Revelation 19:16-21
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. …
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ps 83:2-8; Joe 3:9-14; Re 17:12-14,17; 19:16-21
against his.
Re 11:15; 12:10
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Acts 4:25
Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
- Acts 4:26
The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
- Acts 4:27
For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Acts 4:26 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Asistieron los reyes de la tierra, y los príncipes se juntaron en uno contra el Señor, y contra su Cristo. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Les rois de la terre se sont trouvés là, et les chefs se sont réunis ensemble, contre le ✶Seigneur et contre son Christ ». |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Die Könige der Erde standen da, und die Obersten versammelten sich wider den Herrn und wider seinen Christus." |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Astiterunt reges terræ, et principes convenerunt in unum adversus Dominum, et adversus Christum ejus. |