Acts 4:17

17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them that from now on they speak to no man in this name.

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 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

16 saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle has been done by them is manifest to all those that dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them that from now on they speak to no man in this name.

18 And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 Then Peter and John answered and said unto them, Judge whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God.