Acts 4:23-31

The Believers Pray for Boldness

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices ¹together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, ²who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,

25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,^[a] said by the Holy Spirit, ³"'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?

26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and ⁴the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his ⁵Anointed'^[b]--

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your ⁶holy servant Jesus, ⁷whom you anointed, both ⁸Herod and ⁹Pontius Pilate, along ¹⁰with the Gentiles and ¹¹the peoples of Israel,

28 ¹²to do whatever your hand and ¹³your plan had predestined to take place.

29 And now, Lord, ¹⁴look upon their threats and grant to your servants^[c] to continue to speak your word with all ¹⁵boldness,

30 while ¹⁶you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed ¹⁷through the name of your ¹⁸holy servant Jesus."

31 And when they had prayed, ¹⁹the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and ²⁰they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and ²¹continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Cross References

• 1. See Acts 1:14
• 2. Exodus 20:11; 2 Chronicles 2:12; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalms 102:25; Psalms 124:8; Psalms 134:3; Psalms 146:6
• 3. Cited from Psalms 2:1, 2
• 4. ver. 5
• 5. Acts 10:38; Luke 4:18; Hebrews 1:9; [Daniel 9:24; Revelation 11:15]
• 6. ver. 30
• 7. ver. 26
• 8. Luke 23:7-11
• 9. Matthew 27:2
• 10. See Matthew 20:19
• 11. Matthew 26:3
• 12. [Isaiah 46:10]
• 13. See Acts 2:23
• 14. [2 Kings 19:16]
• 15. ver. 13, 31; Acts 9:27, 29; Acts 13:46; Acts 14:3; Acts 18:26; Acts 19:8; Acts 28:31; Ephesians 6:19
• 16. [Psalms 138:7; Proverbs 31:20; Isaiah 1:25; Zephaniah 1:4]
• 17. Acts 3:6; [Matthew 7:22; Mark 9:39; Mark 16:17]
• 18. ver. 27
• 19. [Acts 2:2; Acts 16:26; Psalms 77:18]
• 20. See Acts 2:4
• 21. [Philippians 1:14]

Footnotes

• [a]. Or child; also verses 27, 30
• [b]. Or Christ
• [c]. Greek bondservants