Acts 4:2

2 being distressed on account of their teaching the people and preaching by Jesus the resurrection from among [the] dead;

Acts 4:2 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 4:2

Being grieved that they taught the people
Any doctrine, and especially that which follows, and which particularly gave uneasiness to the Sadducees, they were exceedingly distressed by it; it pained them to the very heart, and they were filled with wrath and indignation:

and preached through, or in Jesus, the resurrection of the dead;
they not only preached the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead in general, but gave an instance and proof of it in the resurrection of Christ, affirming that he was risen from the dead; and they also preached up the resurrection of the dead in his name, and asserted, that he would be the author of it, and it would be erected by his power: so that their doctrine was equally disagreeable to the Pharisees and Sadducees; to the Sadducees, who denied that there was, or would be any resurrection of the dead; and to the Pharisees, who though they believed it, yet were highly offended that it should be said, that Jesus was risen from the dead; and that the general resurrection of the dead should be attributed to him.

Acts 4:2 In-Context

1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,
2 being distressed on account of their teaching the people and preaching by Jesus the resurrection from among [the] dead;
3 and they laid hands on them, and put them in ward till the morrow; for it was already evening.
4 But many of those who had heard the word believed; and the number of the men had become [about] five thousand.
5 And it came to pass on the morrow that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together at Jerusalem,

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Lit. 'in Jesus.' En: see Matt. 3.11.
  • [b]. This is a little more emphatic than usual: 'the resurrection which is from among [the] dead.'
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.