Acts 4:33 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

NIV: With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all

NASB: And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.

CSB: With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.

NLT: The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.

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

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

Shortly before Jesus ascended into heaven, He commissioned the apostles to be His witnesses, starting in Jerusalem (Acts 1:8). To equip and empower the apostles to do so, Jesus promised the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 14:25–26). By this time, over five thousand men—Jews and proselytes—have responded to their witness and joined a unified body of believers (Acts 4:4).

"Testimony" is from the Greek root word martyrion and is related to the word translated "witness." The apostles testify to the fact that Jesus has risen from the dead. After He rose from the tomb, He appeared to His followers over the course of forty days; at one occasion, over five hundred saw Him (Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:5–7). This claim disturbs the Sanhedrin. The majority are Sadducees and don't believe in the resurrection from the dead. Jesus was their political and religious rival. And more and more people are being convinced that He is alive.

Initially, the Jewish leaders hesitated in destroying Jesus because they feared the people (Matthew 21:46). The Greek word translated "grace" is the same as that translated "favor" in Acts 2:47. The people incline their hearts to believe the apostles and to see them in a favorable light. The Sanhedrin's fears are coming true.

Acts 4:32–37 is similar to Acts 2:42–47. After Peter's first sermon (Acts 2:14–41), new believers from all over the Roman Empire stayed in Jerusalem to learn from the apostles. Those who had means donated what they had so that no one had need. This system continues, but under slightly different circumstances. The church is now known by the Sanhedrin who very much disapproves of the message that Jesus rose from the dead (Acts 4:1–22). Still, the believers stay together, supporting each other both physically and spiritually.

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.