Acts 4:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.

NIV: After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.

NASB: When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened;

CSB: After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done.

NLT: The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God

KJV: So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

NKJV: So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done.

It is a strange dichotomy that God seems to establish His people in ease, then strengthen them in hardship. From the time God called Abraham until Jacob took his family to Egypt, the Israelites saw relative peace and prosperity. Shortly after their arrival in Egypt, the Egyptians enslaved them. In their slavery, they grew from a minor clan to a nation.

The early days of the church in Jerusalem are peaceful. For much of the time, the Jesus-followers are not disturbed by the Sanhedrin. But even when the ruling council knows of and disapproves of their message, they are still relatively protected by the good will of the public. After this event, the church grows to about 5000 men, not including women and children, and "multitudes" of converts continued to come—even some priests (Acts 4:4; 5:14; 6:7).

But, like with the Israelites, God uses persecution to make the church really grow. After a mob kills Stephen (Acts 7:54–60), the Sanhedrin commissions Saul to find Jesus-followers and bring them to Jerusalem for trial (Acts 8:1–3). That threat sends the Jesus-followers flying. They fill Judea, Samaria, even up into Cyprus and Syria with the message of repentance and the resurrection of Jesus.

God protects Peter and John from punishment now, but not for long (Acts 5:40). It is distinction from the world, not friendliness with it, which makes the church stronger. That is so, even if the distinction leads to persecution (1 Peter 4:4; 4:12–14; John 15:19).

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.