Peter’s third Gospel proclamation followed his arrest (Acts 4:1-7 NET):
While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests and the commander of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, angry because they were teaching the people and announcing in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. So they seized them and put them in jail until the next day (for it was already evening). But many of those who had listened to the message believed, and the number of the men came to about 5,000.1
On the next day, their rulers, elders,2 and experts in the law3 came together in4 Jerusalem. Annas the high priest5 was there, and Caiaphas,6 John,7 Alexander,8 and others who were members of the high priest’s family. After making Peter and John stand in their midst, they began to inquire, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
What a perfect setup for the Gospel. This was exactly what Jesus promised (Matthew 10:18-20 NET):
And you will be brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and to the Gentiles. Whenever they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, for what you should say will be given to you at that time [Table]. For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
And the Spirit of Peter’s Father spoke just as Jesus had promised (Acts 4:8-12 NET):
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, replied, “Rulers of the people and elders,9 if we are being examined today for a good deed done to a sick man (Acts 3:1-10)—by what means this man was healed10—let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man stands before you healthy. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders,11 that has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no12 other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.”
Luke described how the rulers, elders and experts in the law, Annas the high priest…and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were members of the high priest’s family13 responded to Peter’s Gospel proclamation (Acts 4:13, 14 NET):
When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and discovered that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized these men had been with Jesus. And14 because they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against this.
Today people who reject Peter’s Gospel proclamation deny the truth of the Bible. They claim it is just a story. The rulers, elders, and experts in the law, Annas the high priest…and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were members of the high priest’s family didn’t have that option available to them. The healed man was apparently well known to them and standing before them.
Paul credited what happened next to a partial hardening of Israel (Romans 11:25 NET):
For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening (πώρωσις ἀπὸ μέρους) has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in [Table].
I have assumed that πώρωσις ἀπὸ μέρους τῷ Ἰσραὴλ γέγονεν (NET: A partial hardening has happened to Israel) meant that only some in Israel were hardened. Now I’m willing to consider that even that hardening of the some was merely partial (Romans 10:1-4 NET):
Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites is for their salvation [Table]. For I can testify that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not in line with the truth. For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes.
But when they had ordered them to go outside the council, [the rulers, elders and experts in the law, Annas the high priest…and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were members of the high priest’s family] began to confer15 with one another, saying (Acts 4:15-18 NET),
“What should we do16 with these men? For it is plain to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable miraculous sign has come about through them, and we cannot deny17 it. But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn18 them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” And they called them in and ordered them19 not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Unable (οὐ δυνάμεθα) to deny the truth of what happened, they used their authority to enlist Peter and John in a scheme to rewrite history. They would’ve preferred that Peter and John made the lame man walk by their own power or piety as good Jews, rather than have any of it attributed to Jesus, the Messiah.
Jesus had said (Matthew 23:2, 3 NET [Table]):
The experts in the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach.
I admit that on my own I would have stumbled around trying to apply Jesus’ command to the situation in which Peter and John found themselves. But these uneducated (ἀγράμματοι,20 a form of ἀγράμματος) and ordinary (ἰδιῶται, a form of ἰδιώτης) men filled with the Holy Spirit as Jesus had promised did not stumble. They saw quickly and clearly that to obey their rulers in this command was to do what they do, e.g., rewrite history to suit their own narrative.
Peter and John replied (Acts 4:19, 20 NET):
Whether it is right before God to obey you rather than God, you decide, for it is impossible (οὐ δυνάμεθα) for us not to speak about what we have seen21 and heard.
They even sounded like Jesus. Paul described this transformation as follows (Galatians 2:20 NET):
I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I have assumed that καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ (and gave himself for me) referred to Jesus’ death on a cross. In this context it seems overwhelmingly clear that He also gave his resurrection and his life, filled with his love, his joy, his peace, his patience, his kindness, his goodness, his faithfulness, his gentleness and his self-control, a new mind filled with his knowledge and a new heart filled with his understanding to the glory of God.
After threatening [Peter and John] further, [the rulers, elders, and experts in the law, Annas the high priest…and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were members of the high priest’s family] released them, for they could not find how to punish22 them on account of the people, because they were all praising God for what had happened. For the man, on whom this miraculous sign of healing had been performed, was over forty years old.23
But the rulers, elders, and experts in the law, Annas the high priest…and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were members of the high priest’s family set official Israel firmly on course to become one of the nations that rage, one of the peoples that plot foolish things as they assembled together, against the Lord and against his Christ’24 until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.25
Paul concluded (Romans 11:28-32 NET):
In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy [Table]. For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.
A note in the NET (32) claimed that Peter quoted from Psalm 118:22. A table comparing the Greek of Peter’s quotation to that of the Septuagint follows.
|
Acts 4:11 (NET Parallel Greek) |
Psalm 118:22 (Septuagint BLB) |
Psalm 117:22 (Septuagint Elpenor) |
| ὁ λίθος, ὁ ἐξουθενηθεὶς ὑφ᾿ ὑμῶν τῶν οἰκοδόμων, ὁ γενόμενος εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας | λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας | λίθον, ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας |
|
Acts 4:11 (NET) |
Psalm 117:22 (NETS) |
Psalm 117:22 (English Elpenor) |
| the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone. | A stone which the builders rejected, this one became the chief cornerstone. | The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. |
Peter’s quotation appears to be a relatively independent translation of the Hebrew. I focused particularly on מָֽאֲס֣וּ (mā’as), translated ἀπεδοκίμασαν (a form of ἀποδοκιμάζω) in the Septuagint.
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint |
||
|
Psalm 118:22 (Tanakh/KJV) |
Psalm 118:22 (NET) |
Psalm 117:22 (NETS) |
IPsalm 117:22 (Elpenor English) |
| The stone which the builders refused (מָֽאֲס֣וּ) is become the head stone of the corner. | The stone that the builders discarded (mā’as, מאסו) has become the cornerstone. | A stone which the builders rejected (ἀπεδοκίμασαν), this one became the chief cornerstone. | The stone which the builders rejected (ἀπεδοκίμασαν), the same is become the head of the corner. |
The rabbis, it seems, gave the builders the benefit of the doubt, that they had carefully considered their rejection. It’s not that hard to see why the Holy Spirit preferred ἐξουθενηθεὶς (a form of ἐξουθενέω).
|
Holy Spirit: ἐξουθενέω |
Septuagint: ἀποδοκιμάζω |
| to despise, disdain, scorn; to reject (with contempt); to treat with contempt; to be of no account | to reject on scrutiny; to reject after failing testing; to reject as unworthy, reject as unfit; to reject for lack of qualification, disapprove, repudiate, disallow |
The quotation of Psalm 2:1, 2 (NET note 65) in Acts 4:25, 26 however was verbatim from the Septuagint.
|
Acts 4:25b, 26 (NET Parallel Greek) |
Psalm 2:1, 2 (Septuagint BLB) |
Psalm 2:1, 2 (Septuagint Elpenor) |
| ἱνατί ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη καὶ λαοὶ ἐμελέτησαν κενά παρέστησαν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες συνήχθησαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατὰ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ κατὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ | ἵνα τί ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη καὶ λαοὶ ἐμελέτησαν κενά παρέστησαν οἱ βασιλεῗς τῆς γῆς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες συνήχθησαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατὰ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ κατὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ | ΙΝΑΤΙ ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη, καὶ λαοὶ ἐμελέτησαν κενά παρέστησαν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς, καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες συνήχθησαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατὰ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ κατὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ |
|
Acts 4:25b, 26 (NET) |
Psalm 2:1, 2 (NETS) |
Psalm 2:1, 2 (English Elpenor) |
| ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot foolish things? The kings of the earth stood together, and the rulers assembled together, against the Lord and against his Christ.’ | Why did nations grow insolent, and peoples contemplate vain things? The kings of the earth stood side by side, and the rulers gathered together, against the Lord and against his anointed, | Wherefore did the heathen rage, and the nations imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers gathered themselves together, against the Lord, and against his Christ; |
Tables comparing Psalm 118:22; 2:1 and 2:2 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Psalm 118:22 (117:22); 2:1 and 2:2 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Acts 4:4-6; 4:8, 9; 4:11, 12; 4:14; 4:15-18; 4:20; 4:21 and 4:25 in the NET and KJV follow.
| The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. | The stone which the builders rejected Is become the head of the corner. | The stone that the builders discarded has become the cornerstone. |
| λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας | λίθον, ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας |
| A stone which the builders rejected, this one became the chief cornerstone. | The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. |
| Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? | Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? | Why do the nations rebel? Why are the countries devising plots that will fail? |
| ἵνα τί ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη καὶ λαοὶ ἐμελέτησαν κενά | ΙΝΑΤΙ ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη, καὶ λαοὶ ἐμελέτησαν κενά |
| Why did nations grow insolent, and peoples contemplate vain things? | Wherefore did the heathen rage, and the nations imagine vain things? |
| The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, | The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, | The kings of the earth form a united front; the rulers collaborate against the Lord and his anointed king. |
| παρέστησαν οἱ βασιλεῗς τῆς γῆς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες συνήχθησαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατὰ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ κατὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ διάψαλμα | παρέστησαν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς, καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες συνήχθησαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατὰ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ κατὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ (διάψαλμα) |
| The kings of the earth stood side by side, and the rulers gathered together, against the Lord and against his anointed, Interlude on strings | The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers gathered themselves together, against the Lord, and against his Christ; |
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Acts 4:4-6 (KJV) |
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| But many of those who had listened to the message believed, and the number of the men came to about 5,000. | Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. |
| πολλοὶ δὲ τῶν ἀκουσάντων τὸν λόγον ἐπίστευσαν καὶ ἐγενήθη [ὁ] ἀριθμὸς τῶν ἀνδρῶν [ὡς] χιλιάδες πέντε | πολλοι δε των ακουσαντων τον λογον επιστευσαν και εγενηθη ο αριθμος των ανδρων ωσει χιλιαδες πεντε | πολλοι δε των ακουσαντων τον λογον επιστευσαν και εγενηθη ο αριθμος των ανδρων ωσει χιλιαδες πεντε |
| On the next day, their rulers, elders, and experts in the law came together in Jerusalem. | And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, |
| Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον συναχθῆναι αὐτῶν τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους καὶ τοὺς γραμματεῖς ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ | εγενετο δε επι την αυριον συναχθηναι αυτων τους αρχοντας και πρεσβυτερους και γραμματεις | εγενετο δε επι την αυριον συναχθηναι αυτων τους αρχοντας και πρεσβυτερους και γραμματεις εις ιερουσαλημ |
| Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were members of the high priest’s family. | 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. |
| καὶ Ἅννας ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ Καϊάφας καὶ Ἰωάννης καὶ Ἀλέξανδρος καὶ ὅσοι ἦσαν ἐκ γένους ἀρχιερατικοῦ | εις ιερουσαλημ και ανναν τον αρχιερεα και καιαφαν και ιωαννην και αλεξανδρον και οσοι ησαν εκ γενους αρχιερατικου | και ανναν τον αρχιερεα και καιαφαν και ιωαννην και αλεξανδρον και οσοι ησαν εκ γενους αρχιερατικου |
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Acts 4:8, 9 (KJV) |
|
| Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, replied, “Rulers of the people and elders, | Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, |
| Τότε Πέτρος πλησθεὶς πνεύματος ἁγίου εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· ἄρχοντες τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ πρεσβύτεροι | τοτε πετρος πλησθεις πνευματος αγιου ειπεν προς αυτους αρχοντες του λαου και πρεσβυτεροι του ισραηλ | τοτε πετρος πλησθεις πνευματος αγιου ειπεν προς αυτους αρχοντες του λαου και πρεσβυτεροι του ισραηλ |
| if we are being examined today for a good deed done to a sick man—by what means this man was healed— | If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; |
| εἰ ἡμεῖς σήμερον ἀνακρινόμεθα ἐπὶ εὐεργεσίᾳ ἀνθρώπου ἀσθενοῦς – ἐν τίνι οὗτος |σέσωται| | ει ημεις σημερον ανακρινομεθα επι ευεργεσια ανθρωπου ασθενους εν τινι ουτος σεσωσται | ει ημεις σημερον ανακρινομεθα επι ευεργεσια ανθρωπου ασθενους εν τινι ουτος σεσωσται |
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Acts 4:11, 12 (KJV) |
|
| This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone. | This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. |
| οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ λίθος, ὁ ἐξουθενηθεὶς ὑφ᾿ ὑμῶν τῶν οἰκοδόμων, ὁ γενόμενος εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας | ουτος εστιν ο λιθος ο εξουθενηθεις υφ υμων των οικοδομουντων ο γενομενος εις κεφαλην γωνιας | ουτος εστιν ο λιθος ο εξουθενηθεις υφ υμων των οικοδομουντων ο γενομενος εις κεφαλην γωνιας |
| And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.” | Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. |
| καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἄλλῳ οὐδενὶ ἡ σωτηρία, οὐδὲ γὰρ ὄνομα ἐστιν ἕτερον ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν τὸ δεδομένον ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐν ᾧ δεῖ σωθῆναι ἡμᾶς | και ουκ εστιν εν αλλω ουδενι η σωτηρια ουτε γαρ ονομα εστιν ετερον υπο τον ουρανον το δεδομενον εν ανθρωποις εν ω δει σωθηναι ημας | και ουκ εστιν εν αλλω ουδενι η σωτηρια ουτε γαρ ονομα εστιν ετερον υπο τον ουρανον το δεδομενον εν ανθρωποις εν ω δει σωθηναι ημας |
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Acts 4:14 (KJV) |
|
| And because they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against this. | And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. |
| τόν τε ἄνθρωπον βλέποντες σὺν αὐτοῖς ἑστῶτα τὸν τεθεραπευμένον οὐδὲν εἶχον ἀντειπεῖν | τον δε ανθρωπον βλεποντες συν αυτοις εστωτα τον τεθεραπευμενον ουδεν ειχον αντειπειν | τον δε ανθρωπον βλεποντες συν αυτοις εστωτα τον τεθεραπευμενον ουδεν ειχον αντειπειν |
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Acts 4:15-18 (KJV) |
|
| But when they had ordered them to go outside the council, they began to confer with one another, | But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, |
| κελεύσαντες δὲ αὐτοὺς ἔξω τοῦ συνεδρίου ἀπελθεῖν συνέβαλλον πρὸς ἀλλήλους | κελευσαντες δε αυτους εξω του συνεδριου απελθειν συνεβαλον προς αλληλους | κελευσαντες δε αυτους εξω του συνεδριου απελθειν συνεβαλλον προς αλληλους |
| saying, “What should we do with these men? For it is plain to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable miraculous sign has come about through them, and we cannot deny it. | Saying, What shall we do to these men? 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. |
| λέγοντες· τί ποιήσωμεν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις; ὅτι μὲν γὰρ γνωστὸν σημεῖον γέγονεν δι᾿ αὐτῶν πᾶσιν τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν Ἰερουσαλὴμ φανερὸν καὶ οὐ δυνάμεθα ἀρνεῖσθαι | λεγοντες τι ποιησομεν τοις ανθρωποις τουτοις οτι μεν γαρ γνωστον σημειον γεγονεν δι αυτων πασιν τοις κατοικουσιν ιερουσαλημ φανερον και ου δυναμεθα αρνησασθαι | λεγοντες τι ποιησομεν τοις ανθρωποις τουτοις οτι μεν γαρ γνωστον σημειον γεγονεν δι αυτων πασιν τοις κατοικουσιν ιερουσαλημ φανερον και ου δυναμεθα αρνησασθαι |
| But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” | But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. |
| ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖον διανεμηθῇ εἰς τὸν λαὸν ἀπειλησώμεθα αὐτοῖς μηκέτι λαλεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ μηδενὶ ἀνθρώπων | αλλ ινα μη επι πλειον διανεμηθη εις τον λαον απειλη απειλησωμεθα αυτοις μηκετι λαλειν επι τω ονοματι τουτω μηδενι ανθρωπων | αλλ ινα μη επι πλειον διανεμηθη εις τον λαον απειλη απειλησομεθα αυτοις μηκετι λαλειν επι τω ονοματι τουτω μηδενι ανθρωπων |
| And they called them in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. | And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. |
| Καὶ καλέσαντες αὐτοὺς παρήγγειλαν |τὸ| καθόλου μὴ φθέγγεσθαι μηδὲ διδάσκειν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι |τοῦ| Ἰησοῦ | και καλεσαντες αυτους παρηγγειλαν αυτοις το καθολου μη φθεγγεσθαι μηδε διδασκειν επι τω ονοματι του ιησου | και καλεσαντες αυτους παρηγγειλαν αυτοις το καθολου μη φθεγγεσθαι μηδε διδασκειν επι τω ονοματι του ιησου |
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Acts 4:20 (KJV) |
|
| for it is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard. | For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. |
| οὐ δυνάμεθα γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἃ εἴδαμεν καὶ ἠκούσαμεν μὴ λαλεῖν | ου δυναμεθα γαρ ημεις α ειδομεν και ηκουσαμεν μη λαλειν | ου δυναμεθα γαρ ημεις α ειδομεν και ηκουσαμεν μη λαλειν |
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Acts 4:21 (KJV) |
|
| After threatening them further, they released them, for they could not find how to punish them on account of the people, because they were all praising God for what had happened. | So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. |
| οἱ δὲ προσαπειλησάμενοι ἀπέλυσαν αὐτούς, μηδὲν εὑρίσκοντες τὸ πῶς κολάσωνται αὐτούς, διὰ τὸν λαόν, ὅτι πάντες ἐδόξαζον τὸν θεὸν ἐπὶ τῷ γεγονότι | οι δε προσαπειλησαμενοι απελυσαν αυτους μηδεν ευρισκοντες το πως κολασωνται αυτους δια τον λαον οτι παντες εδοξαζον τον θεον επι τω γεγονοτι | οι δε προσαπειλησαμενοι απελυσαν αυτους μηδεν ευρισκοντες το πως κολασονται αυτους δια τον λαον οτι παντες εδοξαζον τον θεον επι τω γεγονοτι |
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Acts 4:25 (KJV) |
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| who said by the Holy Spirit through your servant David our forefather, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot foolish things? | Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? |
| ὁ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου στόματος Δαυὶδ παιδός σου εἰπών· ἱνατί ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη καὶ λαοὶ ἐμελέτησαν κενά | ο δια στοματος δαβιδ του παιδος σου ειπων ινα τι εφρυαξαν εθνη και λαοι εμελετησαν κενα | ο δια στοματος δαυιδ παιδος σου ειπων ινα τι εφρυαξαν εθνη και λαοι εμελετησαν κενα |
1 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ὡς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ωσει.
2 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the article τοὺς preceding elders. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.
3 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the article τοὺς preceding experts in the law (KJV: scribes). The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.
4 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐν here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had εις. The Stephanus Textus Receptus also had εις but at the beginning of verse 6.
5 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had Ἅννας ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς in the nominative case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ανναν τον αρχιερεα in the accusative case.
6 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had Καϊάφας in the nominative case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καιαφαν in the accusative case.
7 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had Ἰωάννης in the nominative case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ιωαννην in the accusative case.
8 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had Ἀλέξανδρος in the nominative case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αλεξανδρον in the accusative case.
9 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had του ισραηλ (KJV: of Israel) following elders. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.
10 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had σέσωται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σεσωσται (KJV: is made whole).
11 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had οἰκοδόμων a singular participle of οἰκονομέω in the nominative case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οικοδομουντων a plural participle of οἰκοδομέω in the genitive case.
12 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had οὐδὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουτε (KJV: none).
13 Acts 4:6 (NET)
14 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had τε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε.
15 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had συνέβαλλον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had συνεβαλον (KJV: they conferred).
16 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ποιήσωμεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ποιησομεν (KJV: shall we do).
17 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀρνεῖσθαι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αρνησασθαι.
18 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απειλη (KJV: straitly) preceding warn (KJV: threaten). The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.
19 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτοις here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.
20 NET note 37: Uneducated does not mean “illiterate,” that is, unable to read or write. Among Jews in NT times there was almost universal literacy, especially as the result of widespread synagogue schools. The term refers to the fact that Peter and John had no formal rabbinic training and thus, in the view of their accusers, were not qualified to expound the law or teach publicly. The objection is like Acts 2:7.
21 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἴδαμεν (a form of ὁράω) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειδομεν (a form of εἴδω).
22 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus had κολάσωνται here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had κολασονται.
23 Acts 4:21, 22 (NET)
24 Acts 4:25b, 26b (NET)