Acts 4:17
in Acts 4But to keep this message from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in this name.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
KJV
But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
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This verse in Acts 4
Commentary
10 notes on this verseBut that it spread no further among the people,.... Meaning not in Jerusalem; for the fame of this miracle was spread among all the inhabitants of that city; but in other parts of the nation: let us straitly threaten them; or "in threatening threaten them"; that is, severely threaten them with imprisonment, or with the scourging of forty stripes save one, or with death itself.
This site's exposition
then conferred together
on Acts 4:15-17
In private the council admits that a remarkable miracle has occurred and that it cannot be denied, so a hostile source concedes the fact. Its plan is to warn them not to speak in this name, to contain a message it cannot refute.
This site's exposition
keep this message from spreading
Clarke explains that the rulers feared the doctrine itself, for more than a thousand had believed after the miracle. Gill notes that the threat was severe and could mean prison, a scourging of thirty-nine stripes, or death. Matthew Henry observes that they could prove no wrongdoing.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, What are we to do to these men?" See the difficulty they are in, and how the fear of men again does everything. As in the case of Christ, they were not able (as the saying is) to undo what is done, nor to cast it into the shade, but for all their hindering, the Faith did but gain ground the more; so was it now. "What shall we do?" O the folly! to suppose that those who had tasted of the conflict, would now take fright at it: to expect, impotent as their efforts had proved in the beginning, to effect something new, after such a specimen of oratory as had been exhibited! The more they wished to hinder, the more the business grew upon their hands. But what say they? "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. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straightly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name."
Yet they do not lead the apostles before Pilate as they did Christ, but they themselves judge: first indeed affected by shame and modesty, then fearing for fear that they too be accused by these concerning him.
"But that it spread no further among the people." And yet it was palpable to all men! But such is the nature of wickedness: everywhere it is shamed. "Let us straitly threaten them." What sayest thou? Threaten? And expect ye to stop the preaching? And yet all beginnings are hard and trying. Ye slew the Master, and did not stop it: and now, if ye threaten, do ye expect to turn us back? The imprisonment did not prevail with us to speak submissively, and shall ye prevail?
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
They could not prove that they had said or done any thing amiss, and yet they must no more say nor do what they have done. All their care is that the doctrine of Christ spread no further among the people; as if that healing institution were a plague begun, the contagion of which must be stopped.
There is not a greater service done to the devil's kingdom than the silencing of faithful ministers; and putting those under a bushel that are the lights of the world. [2.] They threaten them if they do, strictly threaten them: it is at their peril.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
But that it spread no farther - Not the news of the miraculous healing of the lame man, but the doctrine and influence which these men preach and exert. More than a thousand people had already professed faith in Christ in consequence of this miracle, (see Act 4:4), and if this teaching should be permitted to go on, probably accompanied with similar miracles, they had reason to believe that all Jerusalem (themselves excepted, who had steeled their hearts against all good) should be converted to the religion of him whom they had lately crucified.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But that it spread no further . . . let us straitly--strictly. threaten . . . that they speak henceforth to no man in this name--Impotent device! Little knew they the fire that was burning in the bones of those heroic disciples.
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | But | G235 → | 635 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | on | G1909 → | 883 times |
| πλεῖον | pleion | further | G4119 → | 45 times |
| διανεμηθῇ | dianemethea | it may spread | G1268 → | |
| εἰς | eis | among | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαόν, | laon | people, | G2992 → | 141 times |
| ἀπειλησώμεθα | apeilesometha | let us warn | G546 → | |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| μηκέτι | meketi | no longer | G3371 → | 21 times |
| λαλεῖν | lalein | to speak | G2980 → | 294 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | in | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὀνόματι | onomati | name | G3686 → | 227 times |
| τούτῳ | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| μηδενὶ | medeni | to no | G3367 → | 90 times |
| ἀνθρώπων. | anthropon | man. | G444 → | 549 times |
ἀλλ᾽But
all᾽G235 →635 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ἐπὶon
epiG1909 →883 times
πλεῖονfurther
pleionG4119 →45 times
διανεμηθῇit may spread
dianemetheaG1268 →
εἰςamong
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
λαόν,people,
laonG2992 →141 times
ἀπειλησώμεθαlet us warn
apeilesomethaG546 →
αὐτοῖςthem
autoisG846 →5565 times
μηκέτιno longer
meketiG3371 →21 times
λαλεῖνto speak
laleinG2980 →294 times
ἐπὶin
epiG1909 →883 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
ὀνόματιname
onomatiG3686 →227 times
τούτῳthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
μηδενὶto no
medeniG3367 →90 times
ἀνθρώπων.man.
anthroponG444 →549 times
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
1 Thessalonians 1:8For not only did the message of the Lord ring out from you to Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone out to every place, so that we have no need…
it leads to
- Romans 1:8
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world.
- Romans 10:14–18
How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without…
- Romans 1:8
Through
Acts 5:28“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”
it leads to
- Matthew 27:25
All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”
- Acts 4:18–21
Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
- Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—
- Acts 4:10–11
then 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…
- Jeremiah 26:15
But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves, upon this city, and upon its residents; for truly the LORD has sent me to speak…
- Matthew 27:25
Through
Acts 5:24When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening.
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
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 10; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts.