Verse of the Day
Author Spotlight
Loading featured author...
Report Issue
See a formatting issue or error?
Let us know →
Verse Takeaways
1
A Divine Compulsion to Speak
Commentators explain that the apostles' statement was not mere defiance but a declaration of a divine necessity. Their message was like a "fire in their bones" (a comparison used by Spurgeon and the Expositor's Bible Commentary) that they were morally and spiritually unable to contain. They were under a direct command from God to proclaim what they had personally witnessed, making human prohibition irrelevant.
See 3 Verse Takeaways
Book Overview
Acts
Author
Audience
Composition
Teaching Highlights
Outline
+ 5 more
See Overview
Commentaries
8
Albert Barnes
On Acts 4:20
18th Century
Theologian
For, etc. This is given as a reason why they should obey God rather than man. They had such clear evidence that God had sent the Messiah, …
AT Robertson
On Acts 4:20
For we cannot but speak (ου δυναμεθα γαρ ημεισ--μη λαλειν). Both negatives hold here, "For we (note emphatic ημεις) are not able n…
Charles Ellicott
On Acts 4:20
19th Century
Bishop
We cannot but speak . . .—The pronoun is emphatic: “we, for our part” . . . The question at issue was one of bearing witn…
Go Ad-Free
Go ad-free and create your own bookmark library
Charles Spurgeon
On Acts 4:16–20
19th Century
Preacher
Like the vessel full of new wine, which must have a vent or burst, so is the man who is filled with the knowledge of Jesus. He must speak. He must:…
Expositor's Bible Commentary
On Acts 4:20
The Sanhedrin decided to impose a ban on the apostles, both to warn them and to provide a legal basis for further action should such be needed (cf.…
John Calvin
On Acts 4:20
16th Century
Theologian
For we cannot. Many things that are discovered by hearing and seeing may, indeed, ought to be concealed when the question concerns maintai…
John Gill
On Acts 4:20
17th Century
Pastor
For we cannot but speak It was not physically, but morally impossible; or it was not lawful, and therefore they would not…
Matthew Henry
On Acts 4:15–22
17th Century
Minister
The primary concern of the rulers is that the doctrine of Christ does not spread among the people, yet they cannot say it is false or dangerous, or…