Acts · Catholic Public Domain Version
Acts 4 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 But while they were speaking to the people, the priests and the magistrate of the temple and the Sadducees overwhelmed them,
1 Λαλούντων δὲ αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸν λαὸν ἐπέστησαν αὐτοῖς οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ ὁ στρατηγὸς τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ οἱ Σαδδουκαῖοι,
2 being grieved that they were teaching the people and announcing in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
2 διαπονούμενοι διὰ τὸ διδάσκειν αὐτοὺς τὸν λαὸν καὶ καταγγέλλειν ἐν τῷ Ἰησοῦ τὴν ἀνάστασιν τῶν νεκρῶν·
3 And they laid hands on them, and they placed them under guard until the next day. For it was now evening.
3 καὶ ἐπέβαλον αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας καὶ ἔθεντο εἰς τήρησιν εἰς τὴν αὔριον· ἦν γὰρ ἑσπέρα ἤδη.
4 But many of those who had heard the word believed. And the number of men became five thousand.
4 πολλοὶ δὲ τῶν ἀκουσάντων τὸν λόγον ἐπίστευσαν, καὶ ἐγενήθη ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν ἀνδρῶν ὡσεὶ χιλιάδες πέντε.
5 And it happened on the next day that their leaders and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem,
5 Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον συναχθῆναι αὐτῶν τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους καὶ γραμματεῖς εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ,
6 including Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John and Alexander, and as many as were of the priestly family.
6 καὶ Ἄνναν τὸν ἀρχιερέα καὶ Καϊάφαν καὶ Ἰωάννην καὶ Ἀλέξανδρον καὶ ὅσοι ἦσαν ἐκ γένους ἀρχιερατικοῦ,
7 And stationing them in the middle, they questioned them: “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”
7 καὶ στήσαντες αὐτοὺς ἐν [τῷ] μέσῳ ἐπυνθάνοντο· ἐν ποίᾳ δυνάμει ἢ ἐν ποίῳ ὀνόματι ἐποιήσατε τοῦτο ὑμεῖς;
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Leaders of the people and elders, listen.
8 τότε Πέτρος πλησθεὶς Πνεύματος Ἁγίου εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· ἄρχοντες τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ Ἰσραήλ,
9 If we today are judged by a good deed done to an infirm man, by which he has been made whole,
9 εἰ ἡμεῖς σήμερον ἀνακρινόμεθα ἐπὶ εὐεργεσίᾳ ἀνθρώπου ἀσθενοῦς, ἐν τίνι οὗτος σέσωσται,
10 let it be known to all of you and to all of the people of Israel, that in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God has raised from the dead, by him, this man stands before you, healthy.
10 γνωστὸν ἔστω πᾶσιν ὑμῖν καὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ Ἰσραὴλ ὅτι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε, ὃν ὁ Θεὸς ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, ἐν τούτῳ οὗτος παρέστηκεν ἐνώπιον ὑμῶν ὑγιής.
11 He is the stone, which was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.
11 οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ λίθος ὁ ἐξουθενηθεὶς ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν τῶν οἰκοδομούντων, ὁ γενόμενος εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας.
12 And there is no salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, by which it is necessary for us to be saved.”
12 καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἄλλῳ οὐδενὶ ἡ σωτηρία· οὐδὲ γὰρ ὄνομά ἐστιν ἕτερον ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν τὸ δεδομένον ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐν ᾧ δεῖ σωθῆναι ἡμᾶς.
13 Then, seeing the constancy of Peter and John, having verified that they were men without letters or learning, they wondered. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
13 Θεωροῦντες δὲ τὴν τοῦ Πέτρου παρρησίαν καὶ Ἰωάννου, καὶ καταλαβόμενοι ὅτι ἄνθρωποι ἀγράμματοί εἰσι καὶ ἰδιῶται, ἐθαύμαζον, ἐπεγίνωσκόν τε αὐτοὺς ὅτι σὺν τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἦσαν,
14 Also, seeing the man who had been cured standing with them, they were unable to say anything to contradict them.
14 τὸν δὲ ἄνθρωπον βλέποντες σὺν αὐτοῖς ἑστῶτα τὸν τεθεραπευμένον, οὐδὲν εἶχον ἀντειπεῖν.
15 But they ordered them to withdraw outside, away from the council, and they conferred among themselves,
15 κελεύσαντες δὲ αὐτοὺς ἔξω τοῦ συνεδρίου ἀπελθεῖν, συνέβαλλον πρὸς ἀλλήλους
16 saying: “What shall we do to these men? For certainly a public sign has been done through them, before all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. It is manifest, and we cannot deny it.
16 λέγοντες· τί ποιήσομεν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις; ὅτι μὲν γὰρ γνωστὸν σημεῖον γέγονε δι᾽ αὐτῶν, πᾶσι τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν Ἱερουσαλὴμ φανερόν, καὶ οὐ δυνάμεθα ἀρνήσασθαι·
17 But lest it spread further among the people, let us threaten them not to speak anymore in this name to any man.”
17 ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖον διανεμηθῇ εἰς τὸν λαόν, ἀπειλῇ ἀπειλησώμεθα αὐτοῖς μηκέτι λαλεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ μηδενὶ ἀνθρώπων.
18 And calling them in, they warned them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
18 καὶ καλέσαντες αὐτοὺς παρήγγειλαν αὐτοῖς τὸ καθόλου μὴ φθέγγεσθαι μηδὲ διδάσκειν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ.
19 Yet truly, Peter and John said in response to them: “Judge whether it is just in the sight of God to listen to you, rather than to God.
19 ὁ δὲ Πέτρος καὶ Ἰωάννης ἀποκριθέντες πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἶπον· εἰ δίκαιόν ἐστιν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν ἀκούειν μᾶλλον ἢ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κρίνατε.
20 For we are unable to refrain from speaking the things that we have seen and heard.”
20 οὐ δυνάμεθα γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἃ εἴδομεν καὶ ἠκούσαμεν μὴ λαλεῖν.
21 But they, threatening them, sent them away, having not found a way that they might punish them because of the people. For all were glorifying the things that had been done in these events.
21 οἱ δὲ προσαπειλησάμενοι ἀπέλυσαν αὐτούς, μηδὲν εὑρίσκοντες τὸ πῶς κολάσονται αὐτούς, διὰ τὸν λαόν, ὅτι πάντες ἐδόξαζον τὸν Θεὸν ἐπὶ τῷ γεγονότι·
22 For the man in whom this sign of a cure had been accomplished was more than forty years old.
22 ἐτῶν γὰρ ἦν πλειόνων τεσσαράκοντα ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐφ᾽ ὃν ἐγεγόνει τὸ σημεῖον τοῦτο τῆς ἰάσεως.
23 Then, having been released, they went to their own, and they reported in full what the leaders of the priests and the elders had said to them.
23 Ἀπολυθέντες δὲ ἦλθον πρὸς τοὺς ἰδίους καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν ὅσα πρὸς αὐτοὺς οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι εἶπον.
24 And when they had heard it, with one accord, they lifted up their voice to God, and they said: “Lord, you are the One who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them,
24 οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἦραν φωνὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ εἶπον· Δέσποτα, σὺ ὁ ποιήσας τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς,
25 who, by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said: ‘Why have the Gentiles been seething, and why have the people been pondering nonsense?
25 ὁ διὰ στόματος Δαυῒδ παιδός σου εἰπών· ἵνα τί ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη καὶ λαοὶ ἐμελέτησαν κενά;
26 The kings of the earth have stood up, and the leaders have joined together as one, against the Lord and against his Christ.’
26 παρέστησαν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες συνήχθησαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατὰ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ κατὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ.
27 For truly Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, joined together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed
27 συνήχθησαν γὰρ ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας ἐπὶ τὸν ἅγιον παῖδά σου Ἰησοῦν, ὃν ἔχρισας, Ἡρῴδης τε καὶ Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος σὺν ἔθνεσι καὶ λαοῖς Ἰσραήλ,
28 to do what your hand and your counsel had decreed would be done.
28 ποιῆσαι ὅσα ἡ χείρ σου καὶ ἡ βουλή σου προώρισε γενέσθαι·
29 And now, O Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to your servants that they may speak your word with all confidence,
29 καὶ τὰ νῦν, Κύριε, ἔπιδε ἐπὶ τὰς ἀπειλὰς αὐτῶν, καὶ δὸς τοῖς δούλοις σου μετὰ παρρησίας πάσης λαλεῖν τὸν λόγον σου
30 by extending your hand in cures and signs and miracles, to be done through the name of your holy Son, Jesus.”
30 ἐν τῷ τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐκτείνειν σε εἰς ἴασιν καὶ σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα γίνεσθαι διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ ἁγίου παιδός σου Ἰησοῦ.
31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered was moved. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they were speaking the Word of God with confidence.
31 καὶ δεηθέντων αὐτῶν ἐσαλεύθη ὁ τόπος ἐν ᾧ ἦσαν συνηγμένοι, καὶ ἐπλήσθησαν ἅπαντες Πνεύματος Ἁγίου, καὶ ἐλάλουν τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ μετὰ παρρησίας.
32 Then the multitude of believers were of one heart and one soul. Neither did anyone say that any of the things that he possessed were his own, but all things were common to them.
32 Τοῦ δὲ πλήθους τῶν πιστευσάντων ἦν ἡ καρδία καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ μία, καὶ οὐδὲ εἷς τι τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτῷ ἔλεγεν ἴδιον εἶναι, ἀλλ᾽ ἦν αὐτοῖς ἅπαντα κοινά.
33 And with great power, the Apostles were rendering testimony to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. And great grace was in them all.
33 καὶ μεγάλῃ δυνάμει ἀπεδίδουν τὸ μαρτύριον οἱ ἀπόστολοι τῆς ἀναστάσεως τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, χάρις τε μεγάλη ἦν ἐπὶ πάντας αὐτούς.
34 And neither was anyone among them in need. For as many as were owners of fields or houses, selling these, were bringing the proceeds of the things that they were selling,
34 οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐνδεής τις ὑπῆρχεν ἐν αὐτοῖς· ὅσοι γὰρ κτήτορες χωρίων ἢ οἰκιῶν ὑπῆρχον, πωλοῦντες ἔφερον τὰς τιμὰς τῶν πιπρασκομένων
35 and were placing it before the feet of the Apostles. Then it was divided to each one, just as he had need.
35 καὶ ἐτίθουν παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τῶν ἀποστόλων· διεδίδοτο δὲ ἑκάστῳ καθότι ἄν τις χρείαν εἶχεν.
36 Now Joseph, who the Apostles surnamed Barnabas (which is translated as ‘son of consolation’), who was a Levite of Cyprian descent,
36 Ἰωσῆς δὲ ὁ ἐπικληθεὶς Βαρνάβας ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων, ὅ ἔστι μεθερμηνευόμενον υἱὸς παρακλήσεως, Λευΐτης, Κύπριος τῷ γένει,
37 since he had land, he sold it, and he brought the proceeds and placed these at the feet of the Apostles.
37 ὑπάρχοντος αὐτῷ ἀγροῦ, πωλήσας ἤνεγκε τὸ χρῆμα καὶ ἔθηκε παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τῶν ἀποστόλων.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Alexander
Among those gathered with the rulers, elders and scribes at Jerusalem to question Peter and John.
Cited in the guide: Acts 4:6
Barnabas
A Levite from Cyprus named Joseph and nicknamed Barnabas, 'son of encouragement,' who sold a field for the church, brought Saul to the apostles, and traveled with him as a…
Cited in the guide: Acts 4:36; Acts 9:27; Acts 11:22
Cross references (37)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Luke 22:4; Acts 6:12; Acts 23:6–9; Acts 5:26; Acts 5:24
- 2 Acts 17:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14; Acts 24:14–15; 1 Corinthians 15:12–20; Acts 3:15
- 3 Acts 5:18; Acts 16:19–24; Matthew 10:16–17; Acts 12:1–3; Luke 22:52
- 4 Acts 2:41; 2 Timothy 2:9–10; 2 Corinthians 2:14–17; Philippians 1:12–18; Acts 28:24
- 5 Acts 4:8; Luke 22:66; Isaiah 1:10; Luke 23:13; Acts 6:12
- 6 Luke 3:2; Matthew 26:3; John 18:24; John 18:13–14; John 11:49
- 7 Matthew 21:23; Mark 11:28; Acts 5:40; Exodus 2:14; John 2:18
- 8 Luke 12:11–12; Matthew 10:19–20; Luke 21:14–15; Acts 2:4; Acts 7:55
- 9 1 Peter 3:15–17; Acts 3:7; John 10:32; John 7:23; 1 Peter 4:14
- 10 Acts 3:6; Acts 5:29–32; Acts 2:36; Acts 10:40–42; Matthew 27:63–66
- 11 Psalm 118:22–23; Isaiah 28:16; Mark 12:10–12; Matthew 21:42–45; 1 Peter 2:6–8
- 12 John 14:6; 1 Corinthians 3:11; John 3:36; 1 Timothy 2:5–6; 1 John 5:11–12
- 13 1 Corinthians 1:27; John 7:15; Matthew 11:25; Acts 2:7–12; Matthew 26:73
- 14 Acts 19:36; Acts 3:8–12; Acts 4:16; Acts 4:10; Acts 4:21
- 15 Matthew 5:22; Acts 26:30–32; Acts 5:34–42
- 16 Acts 6:10; John 12:18; Luke 21:15; Luke 6:10–11; Daniel 8:8
- 17 Acts 5:28; Romans 15:18–22; 1 Thessalonians 2:15–16; Acts 5:24; 1 Thessalonians 1:8
- 18 Acts 5:40; Luke 24:46–48; Acts 5:20; Acts 1:8
- 19 Acts 5:29; Exodus 1:17; 1 Corinthians 10:15; 1 Timothy 2:3; 1 Kings 22:14
- 20 Jeremiah 20:9; Acts 22:15; 1 Corinthians 9:16–17; 1 John 1:1–3; Ezekiel 3:11
- 21 Acts 5:26; Luke 22:2; Matthew 9:8; Matthew 21:46; Luke 20:6
- 22 Acts 9:33; John 5:5; Acts 3:2; Matthew 9:20; John 9:1
- 23 2 Corinthians 6:14–17; Psalm 42:4; Psalm 119:63; Acts 12:11–12; Psalm 16:3
- 24 Exodus 20:11; Jeremiah 32:17; Nehemiah 9:6; 2 Kings 19:15; Jeremiah 10:10–12
- 25 Psalm 2:1–6; Acts 1:16; Acts 2:30
- 26 Psalm 2:2; Revelation 17:12–14; Daniel 9:24; Psalm 83:2–8; Acts 10:38
- 27 Matthew 27:2; Acts 4:30; Luke 9:22; Matthew 20:18–19; John 1:11
- 28 Acts 2:23; Isaiah 46:10; Genesis 50:20; Matthew 26:24; Isaiah 53:10
- 29 Acts 4:13; Philippians 1:14; Acts 14:3; Acts 28:31; Acts 4:31
- 30 Acts 3:6; Acts 4:27; Acts 2:22; Acts 9:40–42; Acts 5:12
- 31 Matthew 21:22; Acts 2:4; Acts 2:2; Isaiah 65:24; Acts 16:25–26
- 32 1 Corinthians 1:10; Ephesians 4:2–6; 1 Peter 3:8; John 17:21–23; Philippians 2:1–2
- 33 John 1:16; Acts 1:22; Mark 16:20; Acts 1:8; Acts 4:30
- 34 Acts 2:45; Luke 12:33; Luke 16:9; Deuteronomy 2:7; Psalm 34:9–10
- 35 Acts 5:2; Acts 2:45; 2 Corinthians 8:20–21; Acts 4:37; Acts 3:6
- 36 Galatians 2:9; Galatians 2:13; Galatians 2:1; Acts 15:39; Acts 11:30
- 37 Matthew 19:29; Acts 5:1–2; Acts 4:34–35
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Ere yet they had time to take breath after their first trials, straightway they enter into others. And observe how the events are disposed. First, they were all mocked together; this was no small trial: secondly, they enter into dangers.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
… that the promise which God made to the fathers had been fulfilled by Jesus; not certainly proclaiming another god, but the Son of God, who also was made man, and suffered; thus leading Israel into knowledge, and through Jesus preaching the resurrection of the dead, and showing, that whatever the prophets had proclaimed as to the suffering of Christ, these …
… forgiving those sins which are divided against themselves, and by inhabiting those who are cleansed, that it may be with them, as it is written in the Acts of the Apostles, "The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul." And this gift of forgiveness none resists, but he who has the hardness of an …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
For so, "the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul," and yet were they divided into many bodies; their unanimity however made the many one.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
And thus, as they captured in the spiritual net of their doctrine five thousand believers at once, so they confuted the misguided rulers of the people and chief priests, and that, not through their own wisdom, for they were unlearned and ignorant men, but through the mighty power of the Holy Ghost; for it is written, Then Peter filled …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)