Acts 4:7

When they had stood Peter and John in the middle of them, they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

When they had stood Peter and John in the middle of them, they enquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”

BSB

They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

KJV

And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

ASV

And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power, or in what name, have ye done this?

BBE

Then sending for Peter and John, they said, By what power and in whose name have you done this?

Original Greek

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καὶ kai And G2532 στήσαντες stēsantes having placed G2476 αὐτοὺς autous them G846 ἐν en in G1722 τῷ tō the G3588 μέσῳ mesō midst G3319 ἐπυνθάνοντο epunthanonto they were inquiring G4441 ἐν en In G1722 ποίᾳ poia what G4169 δυνάμει dunamei power G1411 ἢ ē or G2228 ἐν en in G1722 ποίῳ poiō what G4169 ὀνόματι onomati name G3686 ἐποιήσατε epoiēsate did G4160 τοῦτο touto this G3778 ὑμεῖς;¶ humeis you yourselves G4771

The early church

"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.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts
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?"
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 5–14

Peter being filled with the Holy Ghost, would have all to understand, that the miracle had been wrought by the name, or power, of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, whom they had crucified; and this confirmed their testimony to his resurrection from the dead, which proved him to be the Messiah. These rulers must either be saved by that Jesus whom they had crucified, or they must perish for ever. The name of Jesus is given to men of every age and nation, as that whereby alone believers are saved from the wrath to come. But when covetousness, pride, or any corrupt passion, rules within, men shut their eyes, and close their hearts, in enmity against the light; considering all as ignorant and unlearned, who desire to know nothing in comparison with Christ crucified. And the followers of Christ should act so that all who converse with them, may take knowledge that they have been with Jesus. That makes them holy, heavenly, spiritual, and cheerful, and raises them above this world.

Read Matthew Henry on Acts 4 →

Cross-references

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Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.