Acts 4 · Verse 33

Acts 4:33

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

Acts 4:33, King James Version

Acts 4:33 in other translations

BSB	With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all.
WEB	With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all.
ASV	And with great power gave the apostles their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
YLT	And with great power were the apostles giving the testimony to the rising again of the Lord Jesus, great grace also was on them all,
DARBY	and with great power did the apostles give witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
BBE	And with great power the Apostles gave witness of the coming back of the Lord Jesus from the dead; and grace was on them all.
Webster	And with great power the apostles gave testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

What does Acts 4:33 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 4:31-37

31-37. place was shaken--glorious token of the commotion which the Gospel was to make (Ac 17:6; compare Ac 16:26), and the overthrow of all opposing powers in which this was to issue. they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and spake, &c.--The Spirit rested upon the entire community, first, in the very way they had asked, so that they "spake the word with boldness" (Ac 4:29, 31); next, in melting down all…

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Barnes' Notes

Verse 33. And with great power. See Ac 1:8. The word power here denotes efficacy; and means that they had ability given them to bear witness of the resurrection of the Saviour. It refers, therefore, rather to their preaching, than to their miracles.

Gave the apostles witness, etc. The apostles bore testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. This was the main point to be established. If it was proved that the Lord Jesus came to life again after having been put to death, it established all that he taught, and was a demonstration that he was sent from God. They exerted, therefore, all their powers to prove this; and their success was such as might have been expected. Multitudes were converted to the Christian faith.

And great grace, etc. The word grace means favour. Jn 1:16. And the expression here may mean either that the favour of God was remarkably shown to them, or that they had great favour in the sight of the people. It does not refer, as the expression now does commonly, to the internal blessings of religion on a man's own soul; to their personal advancement in the Christian graces of humility, etc.; but to the favour or success that attended their preaching. The meaning probably is, that the favour of the people towards them was great; or that great success attended their ministry among them. Thus the same word grace (Greek) is used in Acts 2:47. If this is its meaning, then here is an instance of the power of the testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus to impress the minds of men. But this is not all, nor probably is it the main idea. It is that their union, their benevolence, their liberality in supplying the wants of the needy, was a means of opening the hearts of the people, and of winning them to the Saviour. If we wish to incline others to our opinions, or to bring them to be Christians, nothing is better adapted to it than to show them kindness, and even to minister to their temporal wants. Benevolence towards them softens the heart, and inclines them to listen to us. It disarms their prejudices, and disposes them to the exercise of the mild and amiable feelings of religion. Hence our Saviour was engaged in healing the diseases, and supplying the wants of the people. He drew around him the poor, the needy, and the diseased, and supplied their necessities, and thus prepared them to receive his message of truth. Thus God is love, and is constantly doing good, that his goodness may lead men to repentance, Rom 2:4. And hence no persons have better opportunities to spread the true sentiments of religion, or are clothed with higher responsibilities, than those who have it in their power to do good; or than those who are habitually engaged in bestowing favours. Thus physicians have access to the hearts of men which other persons have not. Thus parents have an easy access to the minds of children, for they are constantly doing them good. And thus Sunday-school teachers, whose whole work is a work of benevolence, have direct and most efficient access to the hearts of the children committed to their care.

(g) "power" Acts 1:8 (h) "witness of the resurrection" Lk 1:48,49, Acts 1:22 (i) "great grace" Jn 1:16

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 33 With great power gave the apostles witness - This power they received from the Holy Spirit, who enabled them, μεγαλῃ δυναμει, with striking miracles, to give proof of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; for this is the point that was particularly to be proved: that he was slain and buried, all knew; that he rose again from the dead, many knew; but it was necessary to give such proofs as should convince and confound all. This preaching and these miracles demonstrated this Divine truth: Jesus died for your sins - he rose again for your justification; behold what God works in confirmation of these glorious truths; believe therefore in the Lord Jesus, and ye shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Great grace was upon them all - They all received much of the favor or grace of God; and they had much favor with all who feared God. In both these ways this clause may be understood; for χαρις means favor, whether that be evidenced by benevolence or beneficence, or by both. The favor of God is the benevolence of God; but his benevolence is never exerted without the exertions of his beneficence. Hence the grace or favor of God always implies a blessing or gift from the hand of his mercy and power. The favor or benevolence of men may exist without beneficence, because it may not be in their power to communicate any gift or benefit, though they are disposed to do it; or, 2dly. the persons who enjoy their favor may not stand in need of any of their kind acts; but it is not so with God: his good will is ever accompanied by his good work; and every soul that is an object of his benevolence stands in the utmost need of the acts of his beneficence. Hence, as he loved the world, he gave his Son a ransom for all. All needed his help; and, because they all needed it, therefore all had it. And truly we may say of the whole human race, for whom the Son of God tasted death, that great grace was upon all; for All have been purchased by his sacrificial death. This by the way.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 4:32-37

The disciples loved one another. This was the blessed fruit of Christ's dying precept to his disciples, and his dying prayer for them. Thus it was then, and it will be so again, when the Spirit shall be poured upon us from on high. The doctrine preached was the resurrection of Christ; a matter of fact, which being duly explained, was a summary of all the duties, privileges, and comforts of Christians. There were…

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Acts 4:33 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.

καὶkaiAndG2532

δυνάμειdunamei[with] powerG1411

μεγάλῃmegalēgreatG3173

ἀπεδίδουνapedidounwere givingG591

τὸto<the>G3588

μαρτύριονmarturiontestimonyG3142

οἱhoitheG3588

ἀπόστολοιapostoloiapostlesG652

τῆςtēsof theG3588

ἀναστάσεωςanastaseōsresurrectionG386

τοῦtouof theG3588

κυρίουkuriouLordG2962

Ἰησοῦ,IēsouJesusG2424

χάριςcharisgraceG5485

τεtethenG5037

μεγάληmegalēabundantG3173

ἦνēnwasG1510

ἐπὶepiuponG1909

πάνταςpantasallG3956

αὐτούς.autousthem.G846

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

Cross references for Acts 4:33

John 1:16
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
Acts 1:22
Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
Mark 16:20
And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 4:30
By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
Luke 2:52
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
1 Thessalonians 1:5
For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
Romans 15:18-19
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.
Hebrews 2:4
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
Acts 5:12-16
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. …
Acts 3:15-16
And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Acts 2:47
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

with.
30; 1:8,22; 2:32,33; 3:15,16; 5:12-16; Mr 16:20; Lu 24:48,49
Ro 15:18,19; 1Th 1:5; Heb 2:4
grace.
2:47; Lu 2:52; Joh 1:16

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

Context

Acts 4:32
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
Acts 4:33
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Acts 4:34
Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

Read all of Acts 4

Acts 4:33 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y los apóstoles daban testimonio de la resurrección del Señor Jesús con gran esfuerzo; y gran gracia era en todos ellos.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et les apôtres rendaient avec une grande puissance le témoignage de la résurrection du seigneur Jésus; et une grande grâce était sur eux tous.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und mit großer Kraft legten die Apostel das Zeugnis von der Auferstehung des Herrn Jesus ab; und große Gnade war auf ihnen allen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et virtute magna reddebant Apostoli testimonium resurrectionis Jesu Christi Domini nostri: et gratia magna erat in omnibus illis.