Acts 4:7
in Acts 4They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power, or in what name, have ye done this?
KJV
And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
⋯
This verse in Acts 4
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
In the midst - In the presence of the Great Council. By what power ... - A similar question was put to Christ in the temple, Mat 21:23. By what name - That is, by whose authority. It is very probable that they expected to intimidate the apostles by this question. They claimed the right of regulating the religious affairs of the nation. They had vast power with the people.
This site's exposition
the rulers, elders, and scribes
on Acts 4:5-7
The council that assembled was largely the one that had tried Jesus weeks before, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas among them. It asks by what power or what name the apostles did this, and Peter's answer takes up both.
This site's exposition
By what power or what name
Chrysostom observes that the rulers already knew the answer and hoped the crowded court would frighten the apostles into recanting. Clarke suggests they suspected magic, since a name could be invoked as a spell. Barnes compares the question put to Jesus in Matthew 21:23.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Indeed the ploy was to bind them before the multitude, but examine them secretly: for they feared those who were bound in the sight of the crowd, and examined them supposedly before a court as lawbreakers; privately, however, that the audience might choose the better …
And indeed they knew; for distressed, when declaring in Jesus the resurrection, it had seized them. But they question them, awaiting them, thinking that, the court and the crowd being afraid, they would deny, and that everything would thereby be brought about. See how maliciously …
"And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?" And yet they knew it well; for it was because they were "grieved that they preached through Jesus the resurrection" that they arrested them. Then for what purpose do they question them? They expected the numbers present would make them recant, and thought by this means to have put all right again.
His maid-servant it was that questioned Peter, and he could not bear it: in his house it was that Peter denied, when Another was in bonds there: but now, when he has come into the midst of them all, see how he speaks! "By what name have ye done this?" Why dost thou not speak it, what it is, but keepest that out of sight? "By what name have ye done this?"
The Medieval Church1 voice
Besides other injustices toward the apostles, they (the rulers, elders, scribes, and chief priests of the Jews) did not even observe the requirements of the law. Pay attention at least to the multitude of chief priests, whereas according to the law there should be one, …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
They are brought to the bar; they set them in the midst, for the sanhedrim sat in a circle, and those who had any thing to do in the court stood or sat in the midst of them ( Luke ii. Thus the scripture was fulfilled, The assembly of the wicked has enclosed me, Ps. xxii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And when they had set them in the midst,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the captain--of the Levitical guard. of the temple--annoyed at the disturbance created around it. and the Sadducees--who "say that there is no resurrection" (Ac 23:8), irritated at the apostles "preaching through (rather, 'in') Jesus the resurrection from the dead"; for the resurrection of Christ, if a fact, effectually overthrew the Sadducean doctrine.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? - It seems that this council were convinced that the lame man was miraculously healed; but it is very likely that they believed the whole to be the effect of magic; and, as all intercourse with familiar spirits, and all spells, charms, etc., were unlawful, they probably hoped that, on the examination, this business would come out, and that then these disturbers of their peace would be put to death. Hence they inquired by what power, εν ποιᾳ δυναμει, by what supernatural energy; or in what name, by what mode of incantation; and who is the spirit you invoke, in order to do these things? False prophets, reputed witches, wizards, etc., were to be brought before the sanhedrin, to be by them judged, acquitted, or condemned, according to the evidence. Some think the words should be thus understood: Who gave you authority to teach publicly! This belongs to the sanhedrin. What, therefore, is your authority, and who is he who gave it to you?
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| στήσαντες | stesantes | having placed | G2476 → | 153 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μέσῳ | meso | midst | G3319 → | 56 times |
| ἐπυνθάνοντο· | epunthanonto | they were inquiring; | G4441 → | 12 times |
| ἐν | en | In | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ποίᾳ | poia | what | G4169 → | 33 times |
| δυνάμει | dunamei | power | G1411 → | 119 times |
| ἢ | e | or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ποίῳ | poio | what | G4169 → | 33 times |
| ὀνόματι | onomati | name | G3686 → | 227 times |
| ἐποιήσατε | epoiesate | did | G4160 → | 569 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ὑμεῖς;¶ | humeis | you yourselves? | G4771 → | 2973 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
στήσαντεςhaving placed
stesantesG2476 →153 times
αὐτοὺςthem
autousG846 →5565 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
μέσῳmidst
mesoG3319 →56 times
ἐπυνθάνοντο·they were inquiring;
epunthanontoG4441 →12 times
ἐνIn
enG1722 →2738 times
ποίᾳwhat
poiaG4169 →33 times
δυνάμειpower
dunameiG1411 →119 times
ἢor
eG2228 →342 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ποίῳwhat
poioG4169 →33 times
ὀνόματιname
onomatiG3686 →227 times
ἐποιήσατεdid
epoiesateG4160 →569 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
ὑμεῖς;¶you yourselves?
humeisG4771 →2973 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
Exodus 2:14But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done…
it leads to
- Matthew 21:23
When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 12:14
But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?”
- Psalms 2:2–6
The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One:
- Luke 19:14
But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’
- Genesis 37:19–20
“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.
- Matthew 21:23
Through
Matthew 21:23When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And…
it leads to
- Exodus 2:14
But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 11:27–33
After their return to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking in the temple courts, and the chief priests, scribes, and elders came up to Him.
- Exodus 2:14
Through
Acts 5:40At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
it leads to
- Matthew 10:17
But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
- Matthew 10:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
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; 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; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.