Acts 4:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

NIV: What are we going to do with these men?' they asked. 'Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.

NASB: saying, 'What are we to do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

CSB: saying, "What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign has been done through them, clear to everyone living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

NLT: What should we do with these men?' they asked each other. 'We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it.

KJV: Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

NKJV: saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

Peter and John have healed a man lame from birth. More troubling to the Sanhedrin, however, is that they are teaching the power to do so came from Jesus of Nazareth and that Jesus rose from the dead. Most of the members of the Sanhedrin do not believe resurrection from the dead is possible. But the miracle of the lame man's healing clearly happened. Even so, they can't accept how it happened.

This is probably one of the most ironic verses in the Bible. The Sanhedrin admits this is a "notable sign," but instead of heeding it, they try to squelch it. They overtly recognize the implications of the event, and make a conscious effort to reject it for their own reasons. "Sign" is from the Greek root word sēmeion. It is a supernatural act performed by someone who God chooses to reveal His truth. Signs and healing identified the prophets in the Old Testament—prophets who communicated what God wanted from His people, the same prophets the people ignored and even killed (1 Kings 19:10; 2 Chronicles 36:16; Jeremiah 2:30).

The Sanhedrin did the same with Jesus. They even tried to kill Lazarus because he was proof that Jesus could raise the dead (John 12:9–11). They couldn't deny that Jesus raised Lazarus, and they can't deny that Peter and John miraculously healed a lame man. They can't even deny that Jesus rose from the dead (Matthew 28:11–15). All they can do is make threats.

The Sanhedrin will release Peter and John and then arrest all the apostles and consider killing them. Gamaliel, one of the foremost Jewish scholars, will tell them to wait: if the movement is from God, they can do nothing to stop it; if it isn't from God, it won't last (Acts 5:38–39). The apostles will continue to heal and continue to preach in Jesus' name. The Sanhedrin will continue to try to silence their message, thought they can't refute a single aspect of it.

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.