Acts 4:7
And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
Acts 4:7 in other translations
| BSB | They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” |
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| WEB | When they had stood Peter and John in the middle of them, they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” |
| ASV | And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power, or in what name, have ye done this? |
| YLT | and having set them in the midst, they were inquiring, ‘In what power, or in what name did ye do this?' |
| DARBY | and having placed them in the midst they inquired, In what power or in what name have ye done this? |
| BBE | Then sending for Peter and John, they said, By what power and in whose name have you done this? |
| Webster | And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name have ye done this? |
What does Acts 4:7 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 4:1-12
Ac 4:1-13. Peter and John before the Sanhedrin. 1-12. the captain--of the Levitical guard. of the temple--annoyed at the disturbance created around it. and the Sadducees--who "say that there is no resurrection" (Ac 23:8), irritated at the apostles "preaching through (rather, 'in') Jesus the resurrection from the dead"; for the resurrection of Christ, if a fact, effectually overthrew the Sadducean doctrine.
Barnes' Notes
By what power, etc. A similar question was put to Christ in the temple, Mt 21:23.
By what name. That is, by whose authority. It is very probable that they expected to intimidate the apostles by this question. They claimed the right of regulating the religious affairs of the nation. They had vast power with the people. They assumed that all power to instruct the people should originate with them; and they expected that the apostles would be confounded, as having violated the established usage of the nation. It did not seem to occur to them to enter into an investigation of the question, whether this acknowledged miracle did not prove that they were sent by God; but they assumed that they were impostors, and attempted to silence them by authority. It has been usual with the enemies of religion to attempt to intimidate its friends, and, when argument falls, to attempt to silence Christians by appealing to their fears.
(c) "By what power" Mt 21:23
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 4:5-14
Peter being filled with the Holy Ghost, would have all to understand, that the miracle had been wrought by the name, or power, of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, whom they had crucified; and this confirmed their testimony to his resurrection from the dead, which proved him to be the Messiah. These rulers must either be saved by that Jesus whom they had crucified, or they must perish for ever. The name of Jesus is…
Acts 4:7 in the original Greek
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Cross references for Acts 4:7
- Matthew 21:23
And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
- Mark 11:28
And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?
- Acts 5:40
And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
- Exodus 2:14
And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.
- John 2:18
Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
- Acts 5:27-28
And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 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.
- 1 Kings 21:12-14
They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
- Acts 4:10
Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Acts 4:6
And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
- Acts 4:7
And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
- Acts 4:8
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
Acts 4:7 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y haciéndolos presentar en medio, les preguntaron: ¿Con qué potestad, ó en qué nombre, habéis hecho vosotros esto? |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Et les ayant fait comparaître, ils leur demandaient: Par quelle puissance ou par quel nom avez-vous fait ceci? |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Und nachdem sie sie in die Mitte gestellt hatten, fragten sie: In welcher Kraft oder in welchem Namen habt ihr dies getan? |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Et statuentes eos in medio, interrogabant: In qua virtute, aut in quo nomine fecistis hoc vos? |