Prayer for Boldness

23 After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.(A) 25 You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David your servant:[a]

Why do the Gentiles rage
and the peoples plot futile things?
26 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers assemble together
against the Lord and against his Messiah.[b](B)

27 “For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,(C) 28 to do whatever your hand and your will had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness,(D) 30 while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders(E) are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 4:25 Other mss read through the mouth of David your servant
  2. 4:25–26 Ps 2:1–2

The Believers Pray for Continued Bold Witness

23 And when they[a] were released, they went to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they[b] heard it,[c] they lifted their voices with one mind to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them, 25 the one who said by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant,

‘Why do the nations[d] rage,
    and the peoples conspire in vain?
26 The kings of the earth stood opposed,
    and the rulers assembled together at the same place,
against the Lord and against his Christ.’[e]

27 For in truth both Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, assembled together in this city against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, 28 to do all that your hand and plan[f] had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, concern yourself with their threats and grant your slaves to speak your message with all boldness, 30 as you extend your hand to heal and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when[g] they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak[h] the word[i] of God with boldness.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 4:23 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“were released”) which is understood as temporal
  2. Acts 4:24 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
  3. Acts 4:24 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  4. Acts 4:25 Or “Gentiles”; the same Greek word can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles” depending on the context
  5. Acts 4:26 Or “Messiah”; this is a quotation from Ps 2:1–2
  6. Acts 4:28 Some manuscripts have “and your plan”
  7. Acts 4:31 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“had prayed”)
  8. Acts 4:31 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to speak”)
  9. Acts 4:31 Or “message”