Bible Strands
Acts 4:16
“What shall we do with these men?” they asked. “It is clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has occurred through them, and we cannot deny it.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Sanhedrin council speaks to itself after ordering Peter and John to leave the chamber. They convene privately to decide how to handle the public acknowledgment of a miracle performed through the apostles.
The words — The phrase τὶ ποιήσωμεν (ti poiēsōmen) translates literally as “what shall we do.” The conjunction ὅτι (hoti) introduces their concession that the miracle is publicly undeniable.
The thread — This dilemma of public miracles forcing official acknowledgment echoes John 12:18, where crowds gather because they heard of a sign, and Acts 6:10, where opponents cannot withstand wisdom given by the Spirit. Luke 21:15 similarly notes that adversaries cannot resist the speech and wisdom granted by God.
Why it lands — The text states that Jerusalem residents can plainly see a remarkable miracle through the apostles, making denial impossible. A reader must accept that institutional pressure cannot override observable divine action.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
Cross-references
- Luke 21:15 For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
- John 12:18 That is also why the crowd went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.
- Acts 6:10 but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
- Daniel 8:5 As I was contemplating all this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes came out of the west, crossing the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground.
- Daniel 8:8 Thus the goat became very great, but at the height of his power, his large horn was broken off, and four prominent horns came up in its place, pointing toward the four winds of heaven.
- Matthew 27:16 At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.
- Luke 6:10 And after looking around at all of them, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and it was restored.
- John 11:47 Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs.
- Acts 3:7 Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong.