Acts 4:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

NIV: But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.

NASB: And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply.

CSB: And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

NLT: But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say.

KJV: And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

NKJV: And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

While walking into the temple for afternoon prayers, Peter and John came upon a man lame from birth begging for alms. The two had no money, but they did have the power of the Holy Spirit and the commission of Jesus, so they healed him. A crowd of people gathered, wanting to know how this miracle took place. Peter and John explained they were able to heal the man by the power of Jesus (Acts 3:1–10).

Alarmed by two fishermen teaching a crowd on the courtyard of the Temple Mount, the chief priests arrest Peter and John. They have the same question as the crowd—how did they heal this man? When Peter explains they acted under the authority of Jesus of Nazareth, whom the men before them had murdered, the Sanhedrin realizes they had a real problem on their hands (Acts 4:1–12).

The Sanhedrin is flummoxed. Two uneducated fishermen have healed a lame man using the power of a man the Sanhedrin had killed. Then, these "common" men quoted the Sanhedrin's own Scriptures at them (Acts 4:11). This can't continue. But what can they say? Healing in the name of Jesus obviously worked—here is the man standing before them, he's well-known (Acts 3:9–10) and he's over forty, long past the age of spontaneous wellness (Acts 4:22). As much as they'd like to squash this new nuisance before it becomes a threat to their authority, Peter and John haven't broken any laws. There's nothing the Sanhedrin can do, legally. They have to lean on their own power and influence in order to control the men.

Acts 4:13–22 covers the reaction of the Sanhedrin to Peter's convicting assertion: that he and John healed a lame man by the power of Jesus' name. The Sanhedrin is frustrated to learn the followers of Jesus—the man they had killed—are in Jerusalem, healing and preaching and gathering more followers. The Sanhedrin wants them out of the way before they grow too popular. So they start slowly by forbidding Peter and John to teach about Jesus. It's an apparent win-win: either these uneducated commoners will stop telling everyone about Jesus or they will disobey a direct order and be vulnerable to greater punishment.

Acts 4 continues the story started in Acts 3. Peter and John have healed a man born lame and preached that Jesus has risen from the dead. The Sanhedrin orders their arrest for teaching the resurrection. The Jewish officials warn Peter and John to stop speaking in Jesus' name. Peter and John refuse, but, since they have committed no crime, the Sanhedrin releases them. Peter and John return to their friends, and the Jesus-followers pray for boldness in the face of growing persecution. The church continues to grow, sharing all their possessions so that no one is in need.

Acts 4 gives the first hints of the persecution the church will face throughout its history. Peter and John attract attention when Peter heals a well-known lame beggar, and Peter uses the publicity to tell others about Christ. The Sanhedrin cannot allow the apostles to continue teaching Jesus rose from the dead. They arrest, warn, and free Peter and John, but it's just the beginning. Soon, they will arrest and beat all the apostles (Acts 5:17–42). Then a mob will stone Stephen (Acts 7:54–60). And Saul will persecute Jesus-followers in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1–3) and beyond (Acts 9:1–2). The Sanhedrin fails to realize—if you send Jesus-followers fleeing into the world, they will take Jesus' message with them.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.