Acts 4:19
in Acts 4But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye:
KJV
But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
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This verse in Acts 4
Commentary
11 notes on this verseAnd again: "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." And they went rejoicing from the presence of the council, because they were counted worthy to suffer insults for the name of Jesus. Behold, Peter rejoices in beatings, who before was afraid at mere words. And he who previously feared when questioned by the voice of a servant girl, after the coming of the Holy Spirit, though beaten, tramples down the powers of rulers.
This site's exposition
commanded them not to speak
on Acts 4:18-20
Peter and John ask the council to judge whether it is right in God's sight to listen to it rather than God. Their ground is eyewitness, for they cannot stop speaking about what they have seen and heard.
This site's exposition
Judge for yourselves whether it is right
Peter hands the question back to his judges and asks what God would call right. Chrysostom reads God here as Christ, who had given the apostles their command to preach. Gregory the Dialogist recalls Peter's earlier fear of a servant girl.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
"But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people." The miracles shut their mouths: they would not so much as let them finish their speech, but cut them short in the middle, most insolently.
"And Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." When the terror was abated (for that command was tantamount to their being dismissed), then also the Apostles speak more mildly: so far were they from mere bravery: "Whether it be right," says he: and "We cannot but speak." "Whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather than God." Here by "God" they mean Christ, for He it was that commanded them. And once more they confirm the fact of His Resurrection. "For we cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard:" so that we are witnesses who have a right to be believed.
Already these as martyrs have borne testimony: set in the battle against all, they said, "We cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard." If the things we speak be false, reprehend them; if true, why hinderest thou? Such is philosophy! Those, in perplexity, these in gladness: those covered with exceeding shame, these doing all with boldness: those in fear, these in confidence. For who, I would ask, were the frightened? those who said, "That it spread no further among people," or these who said, "we cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard?" And these had a delight, a freedom of speech, a joy surpassing all; those a despondency, a shame, a fear; for they feared the people. But these were not afraid of those; on the contrary, while these spake what they would, those did not what they would. Which were in chains and dangers? was it not these last?
"But Peter and John answering, said," etc. Peter and John replied to the priests and the whole council that they ought to obey the Lord's commandments rather than men's threats. On account of the people, whom they had rendered favorable by their deed, they were …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
But Peter and John answered and said unto them,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
They look with concern upon perishing souls, and know that they cannot escape eternal ruin but by Jesus Christ, and therefore will be faithful to them in giving them warning, and showing them the right way. They are things which we have seen and heard, and therefore will be faithful to them in giving them warning, and showing them the right way.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Whether it be right ... - The apostles abated nothing of their boldness when threatened. They openly appealed to their judges whether their command could be right. And in doing this, they expressed their full conviction of the truth of what they had said, and their deliberate purpose not to regard their command, but still to proclaim to the people the truth that Jesus was the Messiah. In the sight of God - That is, whether God will judge this to be right. The grand question was how God would regard it. If he disapproved it, it was wrong.
Whether it be right in the sight of God - As if they had said: Worldly prudence and a consideration of our secular interests would undoubtedly induce us to obey you; but acting as before God, and following the dictates of eternal truth and justice, we dare not be silent. Can it be right to obey men contrary to the command and will of God? When he commands us to speak, dare we hold our tongue? We have received our authority from God through Christ, and feel fully persuaded of the truth by the Holy Spirit which now dwells in us; and we should be guilty of treason against God, were we on any consideration to suppress his testimony. Your own consciences testify that we should be sinners against our heavenly King, were we to act according to your orders; and the conclusion is, that we cannot but speak what we have seen and heard.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | But | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| Πέτρος | petros | Peter | G4074 → | 155 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Ἰωάννης | ioannes | John | G2491 → | 134 times |
| ἀποκριθέντες | apokrithentes | answering | G611 → | 231 times |
| εἶπον | eipon | said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| αὐτούς· | autous | them; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰ | ei | Whether | G1487 → | 508 times |
| δίκαιόν | dikaion | right | G1342 → | 79 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | it is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἐνώπιον | enopion | before | G1799 → | 94 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἀκούειν | akouein | to listen | G191 → | 425 times |
| μᾶλλον | mallon | rather | G3123 → | 81 times |
| ἢ | e | than | G2228 → | 342 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ, | theou | God, | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| κρίνατε. | krinate | you should judge. | G2919 → | 114 times |
Ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲBut
deG1161 →2765 times
ΠέτροςPeter
petrosG4074 →155 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἸωάννηςJohn
ioannesG2491 →134 times
ἀποκριθέντεςanswering
apokrithentesG611 →231 times
εἶπονsaid
eiponG2036 →925 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
αὐτούς·them;
autousG846 →5565 times
εἰWhether
eiG1487 →508 times
δίκαιόνright
dikaionG1342 →79 times
ἐστινit is
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἐνώπιονbefore
enopionG1799 →94 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦGod
theouG2316 →1312 times
ὑμῶνto you
humonG4771 →2973 times
ἀκούεινto listen
akoueinG191 →425 times
μᾶλλονrather
mallonG3123 →81 times
ἢthan
eG2228 →342 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦ,God,
theouG2316 →1312 times
κρίνατε.you should judge.
krinateG2919 →114 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
Acts 5:29But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 15:24
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have transgressed the LORD’s commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
- Mark 7:7–9
They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’
- Genesis 3:17
And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because…
- 1 Samuel 15:24
Through
Exodus 1:17The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.
it leads to
- Acts 5:29
But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
- Exodus 1:21
And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.
- Luke 12:5
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear the One who, after you have been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him!
- Ecclesiastes 12:13
When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
- Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
- Acts 5:29
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies13
On this verse
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); Cassiodorus, Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 30; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 10; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.