Acts 4:17

17 But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn these men never again to speak to anyone in the name of Jesus."

Acts 4:17 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 4:17

But that it spread no further among the people
Meaning not in Jerusalem; for the fame of this miracle was spread among all the inhabitants of that city; but in other parts of the nation: let us straitly threaten them;
or "in threatening threaten them"; that is, severely threaten them with imprisonment, or with the scourging of forty stripes save one, or with death itself. That they speak henceforth to no man in this name;
which through indignation and contempt they do not mention, but mean the name of Jesus: and their sense is, that the apostles, from this time forward, should not teach, or preach the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, or any other doctrine of the Gospel, in the name of Jesus, to any man, Jew or Gentile; or perform any miracle in his name, or call upon his name, and make use of it, for the healing of any person, or doing any miraculous work. The Ethiopic version is a very odd one, and quite contrary to the sense of the sanhedrim, "that they should not speak any more but in the name of the man Jesus".

Acts 4:17 In-Context

15 So they told them to leave the Council room, and then they started discussing among themselves.

16 "What shall we do with these men?" they asked. "Everyone in Jerusalem knows that this extraordinary miracle has been performed by them, and we cannot deny it.

17 But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn these men never again to speak to anyone in the name of Jesus."

18 So they called them back in and told them that under no condition were they to speak or to teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered them, "You yourselves judge which is right in God's sight - to obey you or to obey God.