Acts 4:14
in Acts 4And seeing the man who had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say in response.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And seeing the man that was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
KJV
And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
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This verse in Acts 4
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThey could say nothing against it - They could not gainsay the apostolic doctrine, for that was supported by the miraculous fact before them. If the doctrine be false, the man cannot have been miraculously healed: if the man be miraculously healed, then the doctrine must be true that it is by the name of Jesus of Nazareth that he has been healed. But the man is incontestably healed; therefore the doctrine is true.
This site's exposition
the boldness of Peter and John
on Acts 4:13-14
The council learns that Peter and John are unschooled, ordinary men, and takes note that they had been with Jesus. Their own memory of Jesus explains a boldness their schooling could not.
This site's exposition
the man who had been healed
Chrysostom notes the man's own courage, since he stayed beside the apostles even in the court. Barnes adds that the man was so well known that the rulers had no way to escape the conclusion. Clarke frames the logic: a real cure proves the doctrine.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it." Great was the boldness of the man; that even in the judgment-hall he has not left them. For had they said that the fact was not so, there was he to refute them.
But not less than the voice of these, the miracle uttered a voice of its own: and that sign itself stopped their mouths. "And beholding the man," etc. So that they would have been peremptory with them, if the man had not been with them. "We cannot deny it." So that they would have denied it, if the thing had not been so: if the testimony had not been that of the people in general.
The Medieval Church1 voice
It is possible to be both unlettered and not simple, and simple yet not unlettered; but here both coincided (that is, both lack of learning and simplicity). Therefore the Jews were amazed when Peter and John spoke and orated. From where then did they obtain …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
), either to disprove it or to disparage it. It was well that it was not the sabbath day, else they would have had that to say against it. They could not, with all their pomp and power, face down Peter and John.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Now was fulfilled that promise Christ made, that he would give them a mouth and wisdom, such as all their adversaries should not be able to gainsay nor resist. They could not deny the cure of the lame man to be both a good deed and a miracle. He was there standing with Peter and John, ready to attest the cure, if there were occasion, and they had nothing to say against it (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And beholding the man which was healed,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
They could say nothing ... - The presence of the man that was healed was an unanswerable fact in proof of the truth of what the apostles alleged. The miracle was so public, clear, and decisive; the man that was healed was so well known, that there was no evasion or subterfuge by which they could escape the conclusion to which the apostles were conducting them. It evinced no little gratitude in the man that was healed that he was present on this occasion, and showed that he was deeply interested in what befell his benefactors. The miracles of Jesus and his apostles were such that they could not be denied, and hence, the Jews did not attempt to deny that they performed them. Compare Mat 12:24; Joh 11:45-46; Act 19:36.
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τόν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τε | te | And | G5037 → | 213 times |
| ἄνθρωπον | anthropon | the man | G444 → | 549 times |
| βλέποντες | blepontes | beholding | G991 → | 132 times |
| σὺν | sun | with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἑστῶτα | hestota | already standing | G2476 → | 153 times |
| τὸν | ton | who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τεθεραπευμένον, | tetherapeumenon | healed, | G2323 → | 43 times |
| οὐδὲν | ouden | no [thing] | G3762 → | 232 times |
| εἶχον | eichon | they had | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ἀντειπεῖν.¶ | anteipein | to contradict. | G471 → |
τόν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
τεAnd
teG5037 →213 times
ἄνθρωπονthe man
anthroponG444 →549 times
βλέποντεςbeholding
blepontesG991 →132 times
σὺνwith
sunG4862 →128 times
αὐτοῖςthem
autoisG846 →5565 times
ἑστῶταalready standing
hestotaG2476 →153 times
τὸνwho
tonG3588 →19766 times
τεθεραπευμένον,healed,
tetherapeumenonG2323 →43 times
οὐδὲνno [thing]
oudenG3762 →232 times
εἶχονthey had
eichonG2192 →707 times
ἀντειπεῖν.¶to contradict.
anteipeinG471 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 4:10then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from…
it leads to
- Acts 5:29–32
But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
- Acts 3:6
But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”
- Acts 2:36
Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!”
- Acts 2:22–24
Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.
- Acts 10:40–42
God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen—
- Acts 5:29–32
Through
Acts 4:21After further threats they let them go. They could not find a way to punish them, because all the people were glorifying God for what had happened.
it leads to
- Acts 5:26
At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.
- Acts 5:26
Through
Acts 4:16“What shall we do with these men?” they asked. “It is clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has occurred through them, and we cannot deny it.
it leads to
- John 12:18
That is also why the crowd went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.
- Luke 21:15
For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
- John 12:18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 10; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.