FocusSalvation in Jesus' name
Connection to the wholeThe healing and preaching lead to arrest, and Peter identifies Jesus as the source of the man's restoration and the only name given for salvation.
interpretation Acts 4:2
KJVBeing grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
Read it in context
The apostles questioned
Start reading at Acts 4:1 (Acts 4:1 to Acts 4:12).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
The healing and preaching lead to arrest, and Peter identifies Jesus as the source of the man's restoration and the only name given for salvation.
- 4:1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
- 4:2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
- 4:3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
- 4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
- 4:5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,
- 4:6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
- 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
- 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
- 4:9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
- 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
- 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
- 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Who
- Who wrote the book? Luke, the physician and companion of Paul, is the traditional author of Acts and the Gospel of Luke. Biblical references: Acts 1:1; Luke 1:3; Colossians 4:14. Historical source: Anchor Bible Dictionary, Luke–Acts. traditionally held
- Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Acts 4:1–4:37): Priests, the temple captain, Sadducees, and the council question Peter and John; afterward the believers pray together and share their possessions. stated in the text
- Who was the book written to? Theophilus, the same named recipient as Luke's Gospel, with the account also serving the wider Christian readership. Biblical references: Acts 1:1; Luke 1:3. stated in the text
What
- What is the topic of this reading unit? The apostles questioned. Read Acts 4:1 through Acts 4:12 as a connected unit. interpretation
- How does it contribute to the book? The healing and preaching lead to arrest, and Peter identifies Jesus as the source of the man's restoration and the only name given for salvation. interpretation
When
- When are the events or message set? Acts begins after Jesus' resurrection and follows the witness through Pentecost, expansion among peoples, and Paul's arrival in Rome. It does not give a final publication date. book background
Where
- What is the book’s geographic setting? The movement extends from Jerusalem through Judea and Samaria toward wider regions and Rome, as announced in Acts 1:8. book background
- Where does the context start? This passage sits in The apostles questioned (Acts 4:1 to Acts 4:12). Start reading at Acts 4:1. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
- How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? The risen Jesus commissions the witnesses, and their preaching centers on Him. The accounts include repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and reception of the Holy Ghost; keep the details and order stated for each event. See Acts 1:8, Acts 2:38, Acts 10:44, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:5, Acts 19:6. interpretation
- How should this book guide our response? Compare conversion accounts carefully, preserving what each one actually narrates. Do not invent an omitted detail or flatten every episode into an identical sequence. interpretation
Cited: Acts 4:1, Acts 4:12, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:38, Acts 10:44, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:5, Acts 19:6
Who wrote it, and how we know
Luke
Named in Scripture
What Scripture saysThe book opens by referring to the author's former treatise to Theophilus, tying it to Luke, and shifts into first-person plural in the travel accounts.
Acts 1:1Acts 16:10
Early traditionEarly testimony names Luke.
What is debatedThe name is not in the text.
Related passages
- grieved Acts 5:17 Acts 13:45 Acts 19:23 Neh 2:10 John 11:47-48
- preached Acts 10:40-43 Acts 17:18,31-32 Acts 24:14-15,21 Acts 26:8,23 Rom 8:11 1 Cor 15:12-20 1 Cor 15:23 2 Cor 4:13-14
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Time covered by Acts
About 30 years
- AD 30 or 33Approximate beginning · Acts 1
The risen Jesus instructs His apostles
Acts begins after Jesus’ resurrection and describes His ascension. - About AD 62Approximate ending · Acts 28
Paul teaches while confined in Rome
The account closes with Paul receiving visitors and teaching during two full years in his rented lodging.
The narrative moves from Jerusalem to Rome over roughly three decades. Chapters do not represent equal amounts of time.
View historical notes and sources
Using a beginning in AD 30 or 33 and an ending around AD 62 gives approximately 29–32 years. These are reconstructed dates for the events, not a date for the writing of Acts. The book does not explicitly total its elapsed years.
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Acts 4
Acts addresses Theophilus as a continuation of the earlier account and follows the witnesses empowered by the Holy Ghost. Acts 1:8 supplies an important geographical frame: Jerusalem, Judaea and Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth.
Threatened but released
Acts 4:13–22FocusObedience to God
Connection to the wholeThe authorities recognize the public evidence yet command silence; the apostles insist on speaking what they have seen and heard.
interpretation The church prays
Acts 4:23–31FocusBoldness amid opposition
Connection to the wholeThe believers interpret the threats through Scripture and ask for boldness, receiving renewed filling and continuing their witness.
interpretation Shared possessions and testimony
Acts 4:32–37FocusUnity and provision
Connection to the wholeThe community's common care accompanies the apostles' witness and introduces the contrasting account of Ananias and Sapphira in chapter 5.
interpretation Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Acts
Acts addresses Theophilus as a continuation of the earlier account and follows the witnesses empowered by the Holy Ghost. Acts 1:8 supplies an important geographical frame: Jerusalem, Judaea and Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth.
The promised power and the Jerusalem church
Acts 1:1–2:47FocusWitness begins
Connection to the wholeJesus' promise, the coming of the Holy Ghost, Peter's preaching, and the hearers' response establish the beginning of the church's witness.
interpretation FocusBoldness, order, and rejection
Connection to the wholePublic testimony and growth are accompanied by internal needs and increasing opposition, culminating in Stephen's death.
interpretation The witness moves outward
Acts 8:1–12:25FocusSamaria, Saul, and Gentile hearers
Connection to the wholePersecution scatters believers; new fields open, Saul is called, and the reception of Gentiles becomes a matter publicly explained to the church.
interpretation Mission and the Gentile question
Acts 13:1–15:35FocusChurches established and the council
Connection to the wholeThe first missionary journey and the Jerusalem deliberation address the place of Gentile believers without making circumcision the entrance requirement.
interpretation Further journeys and growing churches
Acts 15:36–21:16FocusStrengthening and expanding witness
Connection to the wholePaul and his companions travel through new regions and revisit churches, moving toward the journey to Jerusalem despite coming danger.
interpretation Arrest, hearings, and Rome
Acts 21:17–28:31FocusTestimony through imprisonment
Connection to the wholePaul's custody becomes a setting for witness before authorities and brings him to Rome, where the account closes with continued proclamation.
interpretation Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.