Acts 4:8

THE MESSAGE

With that, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, let loose: "Rulers and leaders of the people, if we have been brought to trial today for helping a sick man, put under investigation regarding this healing, I'll be completely frank with you—we have nothing to hide. By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the One you killed on a cross, the One God raised from the dead, by means of his name this man stands before you healthy and whole. Jesus is ‘the stone you masons threw out, which is now the cornerstone.' Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders:

King James Version (1611)
Then Peter filled with the holy Ghost, said vnto them, Ye rulers of the people, and Elders of Israel,

King James Version
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

English Standard Version
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,

New American Standard Bible
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people,

New Century Version
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and you elders,

Amplified Bible
Then Peter, filled with [the power of] the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people [members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Court],

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people,

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people,

Berean Standard Bible
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people!

Contemporary English Version
Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and told the nation's leaders and the elders:

Complete Jewish Bible
Then Kefa, filled with the Ruach HaKodesh, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people!

Darby Translation
Then Peter, filled with [the] Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders [of Israel],

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, "Rulers of the people and you older leaders,

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Peter ful of the holy Ghost, said vnto them, Ye rulers of the people, and Elders of Israel,

George Lamsa Translation
Then Simon Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Leaders of the people and elders of the house of Israel, listen.

Good News Translation
Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, answered them, "Leaders of the people and elders:

Lexham English Bible
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,

Literal Translation
Then being filled of the Holy Spirit, Peter said to them, Rulers of the people and elders of Israel,

American Standard Version
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders,

Bible in Basic English
Then Peter, being full of the Holy Spirit, said to them, O you rulers of the people and men of authority,

Hebrew Names Version
Then Kefa, filled with the Ruach HaKodesh, said to them, "You rulers of the people, and Zakenim of Yisra'el,

International Standard Version
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people!Luke 12:11-12;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Then Shemun Kipha was filled with the Spirit of Holiness, and said to them, Rulers of the people, and elders of the house of Israel,

Murdock Translation
Then Simon Cephas was filled with the Holy Spirit, and said to them: Ye rulers of the people, and Elders of the house of Israel, hear ye.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then Peter, full of the holy ghost, sayde vnto them: Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

English Revised Version
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders,

World English Bible
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then Peter filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

Weymouth's New Testament
Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he replied, "Rulers and Elders of the people,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thanne Petre was fillid with the Hooli Goost, and seide to hem, Ye pryncis of the puple, and ye eldre men, here ye.

Update Bible Version
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, You rulers of the people, and elders,

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

New English Translation
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, replied, "Rulers of the people and elders,

New King James Version
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:

New Living Translation
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of our people,

New Life Bible
Then Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said, "You who are leaders of the people,

New Revised Standard
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then Peter, filled with Holy Spirit, said unto them - Ye rulers of the people, and elders!

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them: Ye princes of the people and ancients, hear.

Revised Standard Version
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then Peter full of ye holy goost sayd vnto them: ye rulars of the people and elders of Israel

Young's Literal Translation
Then Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them: `Rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Peter full of the holy goost, sayde vnto them: Ye rulers of the people, and ye Elders of Israel,

Mace New Testament (1729)
then Peter filled with the holy spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people, and senators of Israel,

Simplified Cowboy Version
Pete, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, said, "Y'all head honchos listen up!

Contextual Overview

⁵The next day a meeting was called in Jerusalem. The rulers, religious leaders, religion scholars, Annas the Chief Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander—everybody who was anybody was there. They stood Peter and John in the middle of the room and grilled them: "Who put you in charge here? What business do you have doing this?" ⁸With that, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, let loose: "Rulers and leaders of the people, if we have been brought to trial today for helping a sick man, put under investigation regarding this healing, I'll be completely frank with you—we have nothing to hide. By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the One you killed on a cross, the One God raised from the dead, by means of his name this man stands before you healthy and whole. Jesus is ‘the stone you masons threw out, which is now the cornerstone.' Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one." ¹³They couldn't take their eyes off them—Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education. They recognized them as companions of Jesus, but with the man right before them, seeing him standing there so upright—so healed!—what could they say against that?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

filled: Acts 4:31, Acts 2:4, Acts 7:55, Matthew 10:19, Matthew 10:20, Luke 12:11, Luke 12:12, Luke 21:14, Luke 21:15

Reciprocal: Psalms 107:32 - in the congregation Jeremiah 15:20 - I will Ezekiel 14:1 - certain Daniel 3:15 - we are Daniel 5:22 - thou Micah 3:8 - I am Mark 13:11 - take Mark 15:43 - and went Luke 1:41 - was Luke 24:20 - General John 10:38 - believe the John 20:22 - Receive Acts 4:5 - rulers Acts 13:9 - filled 1 Peter 1:12 - with 1 Peter 3:6 - and 1 Peter 3:15 - and be

Cross-References

Genesis 4:3
Time passed. Cain brought an offering to God from the produce of his farm. Abel also brought an offering, but from the firstborn animals of his herd, choice cuts of meat. God liked Abel and his offering, but Cain and his offering didn't get his approval. Cain lost his temper and went into a sulk.

Genesis 4:6
God spoke to Cain: "Why this tantrum? Why the sulking? If you do well, won't you be accepted? And if you don't do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it's out to get you, you've got to master it."

Genesis 4:9
God said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "How should I know? Am I his babysitter?"

Genesis 4:10
God said, "What have you done! The voice of your brother's blood is calling to me from the ground. From now on you'll get nothing but curses from this ground; you'll be driven from this ground that has opened its arms to receive the blood of your murdered brother. You'll farm this ground, but it will no longer give you its best. You'll be a homeless wanderer on Earth."

Genesis 4:15
God told him, "No. Anyone who kills Cain will pay for it seven times over." God put a mark on Cain to protect him so that no one who met him would kill him.

Matthew 23:35
"You can't squirm out of this: Every drop of righteous blood ever spilled on this earth, beginning with the blood of that good man Abel right down to the blood of Zechariah, Barachiah's son, whom you murdered at his prayers, is on your head. All this, I'm telling you, is coming down on you, on your generation.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost,.... At that very instant, having received a fresh measure of the gifts and graces of the Spirit, besides what he had poured forth upon him at the day of Pentecost; so that he had great courage and presence of mind, and freedom of speech, as Christ had promised his disciples they should have, when they were brought before governors and magistrates, Matthew 10:18. The case was much altered with Peter, he who but a little while ago was frightened by a servant maid, now stands before the Jewish sanhedrim, with undaunted courage and resolution:

and said unto them, ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel; he addresses them in a very handsome manner, and gives them their proper titles as magistrates; which ought to be done by men and Christians; honour should be given, to whom honour is due: the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, and some copies, add "hear", which seems very necessary; he called for audience, or desired to be heard a few words, in the defence of himself and fellow apostle, and in answer to their questions.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Filled with the Holy Ghost - See the notes on Acts 2:4.

Ye rulers ... - Peter addressed the Sanhedrin with perfect respect. He did not call in question their authority to propose this question. He seemed to regard this as a favorable opportunity to declare the truth and state the evidence of the Christian religion. In this he acted on the principle of the injunction which he himself afterward gave 1 Peter 3:15, “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” Innocence is willing to be questioned; and a believer in the truth will rejoice in any opportunity to state the evidence of what is believed. It is remarkable, also, that this was before the Great Council of the nation - the body that was clothed with the highest authority. Peter could not have forgotten that before this very council, and these very men, his Master had been arraigned and condemned; nor could he have forgotten that in the very room where this same council was convened to try his Lord, he had himself shrunk from an honest avowal of attachment to him, and shamefully and profanely denied him.

That he was now able to stand boldly before this same tribunal evinced a remarkable change in his feelings, and was a most clear and impressive proof of the genuineness of his repentance when he went out and wept bitterly. Compare Luke 22:54-62. And we may remark here, that one of the most clear evidences of the sincerity of repentance is when it leads to a result like this. So deeply was the heart of Peter affected by his sin Luke 22:62, and so genuine was his sorrow, that he doubtless remembered his crime on this occasion, and the memory of it inspired him with boldness. It may be further remarked, that one evidence of the genuineness of repentance is a desire to repair the evil which is done by crime. Peter had done dishonor to his Master and his cause in the presence of the great council of the nation. Nothing, on such an occasion, would be more likely to do injury to the cause than for one of the disciples of the Saviour to deny him - one of his followers to be guilty of profaneness and falsehood. But here was an opportunity, in some degree, at least, to repair the evil. Before the same council, in the same city, and in the presence. of the same people, it is not an unnatural supposition that Peter rejoiced that he might have opportunity to bear his testimony to the divine mission of the Saviour whom he had before denied. By using the customary language of respect applied to the Great Council, Peter also has shown us that it is proper to evince respect for office and for those in power. Religion requires us to render this homage, and to treat men in office with deference, Matthew 22:21; Rom 13:7; 1 Peter 2:13-17.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 4:8. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost — Which guided him into all truth, and raised him far above the fear of man; placing him in a widely different state of mind to that in which he was found when, in the hall of Caiaphas, he denied his Master, through fear of a servant girl. But now was fulfilled the promise of Christ, Matthew 10:18-20; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake; but take no thought how or what ye shall speak; for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you.