Acts 4 18

Acts 4:18 kjv

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

Acts 4:18 nkjv

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

Acts 4:18 niv

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Acts 4:18 esv

So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Acts 4:18 nlt

So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.

Acts 4 verses

Acts 4 18 Meaning

This verse describes the Sanhedrin's emphatic command to Peter and John. Following their inability to refute the undeniable miracle performed in Jesus' name and Peter's bold sermon, the Jewish high council convened to devise a strategy. Recognizing the popular support for the apostles and the public knowledge of the miracle, they chose not to punish them further at that moment. Instead, they strictly ordered them never again to speak, preach, or teach about Jesus Christ, using His authority or making Him known. This was a direct attempt to suppress the nascent Christian movement by targeting its core message: the Name of Jesus.

Acts 4 18 Context

Acts chapter 4 continues immediately from Peter's healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple (Acts 3) and his subsequent powerful sermon explaining the miracle's source: Jesus, whom they had rejected but God had raised from the dead. This public display of divine power and the audacious preaching provoked the Temple leadership—the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and the Sadducees. The Sadducees were particularly agitated as they denied the resurrection, a core tenet of Peter's message. Peter and John were arrested, and the Sanhedrin (the supreme Jewish council) assembled the next day to interrogate them. Despite Peter's Spirit-filled defense, which boldly proclaimed salvation exclusively through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12), the Sanhedrin faced a dilemma. They could not deny the undeniable miracle (the healed man stood among them), yet they felt compelled to suppress this rapidly growing movement they perceived as a threat to their authority and the prevailing religious order. Acts 4:18 details their resolution: a stern, legally binding prohibition to silence the apostles regarding Jesus.

Acts 4 18 Word analysis

• And they called them (καλέω – kaleō / προσκαλέω – proskaleō): The Sanhedrin officially summoned them back after their private consultation (Acts 4:15-17). Proskaleō implies a formal summons, usually for an appearance before an authority, emphasizing the legal and judicial nature of their command.
• and charged them (παραγγέλλω – parangellō): This term denotes a strict command, instruction, or even a military order. It highlights the authoritative and forceful nature of the Sanhedrin's injunction. It implies a firm prohibition with implied penalties for non-compliance, aiming to halt the apostles' activity immediately and absolutely.
• not to speak at all (μὴ λαλεῖν ὅλως – mē lalein holōs):
  • not to speak (lalein): Refers to general speech, proclamation, or communication. It encompasses both informal conversations and more public utterances.
  • at all (holōs): This adverb is crucial, indicating an emphatic and absolute prohibition. It means "completely," "altogether," or "by no means." The council desired total silence on the matter of Jesus.
• nor teach (μηδὲ διδάσκειν – mēde didaskein):
  • nor (mēde): Connects the second prohibition directly and equally to the first.
  • teach (didaskein): Signifies formal instruction, systematic presentation of doctrines, and passing on of information in a structured manner. This implies the Sanhedrin was concerned not only with the apostles' direct preaching but also with any sustained dissemination of Jesus' message, recognizing the power of His teaching to form a community and reshape understanding.
• in the name of Jesus (ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ – epi tō onomati Iēsou):
  • in the name of (epi tō onomati): This phrase is critically important. In biblical understanding, a "name" is far more than just a label. It embodies the person's character, authority, reputation, power, and very essence. To do something "in the name of" means to act by their authority, power, and representation.
  • Jesus (Iēsou): Specifically targets the identity and authority of Jesus Christ. The Sanhedrin's goal was not just to stop talking about a past figure but to nullify any claim of ongoing power or authority derived from Jesus. They understood that the apostles performed miracles and proclaimed salvation not by their own power, but by the power and authority vested in Jesus. Forbidding the "name of Jesus" meant forbidding the manifestation of His divine power and message.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And they called them and charged them": This highlights the formal, judicial setting and the authoritative stance of the Sanhedrin. It establishes the legal framework within which this spiritual conflict unfolds.
• "not to speak at all nor teach": This dual prohibition ("speak" and "teach") is comprehensive, aiming to suppress all forms of Christian witness—from informal evangelism to structured doctrinal instruction. The emphatic "at all" underlines the desperation and totality of their attempt to silence the apostles and extinguish the movement.
• "in the name of Jesus": This phrase defines the specific target of the prohibition. It's not just about the person Jesus, but about His embodied authority, divine power, and redemptive message as exercised and proclaimed through His Name. The Sanhedrin implicitly acknowledged that the apostles were not acting on their own, but on a greater authority that empowered their actions and words.

Acts 4 18 Bonus section

This verse illustrates the human attempt to control spiritual movements and divine truth through earthly power. The Sanhedrin, representatives of human religious tradition and law, believed they could effectively shut down a movement by official decree. However, the spiritual reality was that God was at work, and His plan could not be thwarted by human mandates. The power in "the name of Jesus" was so profound that forbidding it highlighted its significance, acting almost as an unwitting affirmation of its potency. This initial confrontation also demonstrates the nature of spiritual warfare: it is not merely a clash of ideas but of authorities—the finite authority of human institutions versus the infinite authority of God, expressed through His Son and the Holy Spirit. This event solidified the early Church's conviction that their primary allegiance was to Christ and His commission, even when it meant defying powerful earthly rulers, thereby establishing a precedent for principled civil disobedience in matters of faith.

Acts 4 18 Commentary

Acts 4:18 presents a pivotal moment, marking the first direct attempt by religious authorities to officially suppress the message of the risen Christ. The Sanhedrin's command was not merely a suggestion; it was a legally binding injunction, forcefully issued. Their primary concern was not theological truth, but the maintenance of their own religious and social control, disrupted by the apostles' claims and the undeniable miracle. By specifically forbidding speech and teaching "in the name of Jesus," they targeted the very source of the apostles' power, authority, and message. They intuitively grasped that "the Name" encapsulated Jesus' divine identity, His resurrection power, and His exclusive role in salvation—truths that fundamentally challenged their authority and theology. This act reveals the stark conflict between human power structures seeking to preserve themselves and God's unstoppable redemptive plan unfolding through the proclamation of His Son. It sets the stage for the apostles' foundational principle of obeying God over man, a theme that will reverberate throughout the book of Acts.