Acts 4 33

Acts 4:33 kjv

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

Acts 4:33 nkjv

And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

Acts 4:33 niv

With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all

Acts 4:33 esv

And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

Acts 4:33 nlt

The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great blessing was upon them all.

Acts 4 verses

Acts 4 33 Meaning

Acts 4:33 describes the apostles' empowered proclamation of Jesus' resurrection, marked by evident divine power accompanying their testimony. This period also saw a widespread manifestation of God's favor and empowering grace resting upon the entire community of believers, fostering their unity and generosity.

Acts 4 33 Context

Acts chapter 4 chronicles the escalating conflict between the early church and the Jewish religious authorities. Immediately prior to verse 33, Peter and John, having healed a lame man, bravely preached the resurrection of Jesus to the Sanhedrin, boldly declaring their resolve to obey God rather than men (Acts 4:1-22). Upon their release, they returned to their community, who collectively engaged in fervent prayer for boldness to continue proclaiming God's word (Acts 4:23-30). This prayer was answered with a shaking of the place and a renewed filling of the Holy Spirit, empowering them to speak the word with boldness (Acts 4:31). Verse 32 then highlights the remarkable unity and selflessness of the broader believing community, emphasizing their communal ownership and generous sharing of possessions. Acts 4:33 thus stands as the culmination of this outpouring, illustrating the direct impact of the Spirit's empowerment (power with the apostles) and the pervasive divine favor (grace upon all) that characterized this vibrant early church, enabling both their powerful witness and their unique communal life as described further in verses 34-37.

Acts 4 33 Word analysis

• And: Greek "Kai" (καί). Simple conjunction, but here it denotes a continuation and consequence of the Holy Spirit's empowerment mentioned in verse 31 and the communal unity described in verse 32, linking these preceding events to the powerful testimony.
• with: Greek "en" (ἐν). Usually means "in," but here with "great power" (δυνάμει μεγάλη), it functions instrumentally or as a descriptor of the manner in which the apostles bore witness. Their witness was not just accompanied by power, but delivered in or with power.
• great: Greek "megalē" (μεγάλῃ). Signifies extraordinary, impressive, abundant. It modifies both "power" and "grace," emphasizing the exceptional nature of both.
• power: Greek "dynamei" (δυνάμει). Refers to inherent strength, capability, spiritual enablement, often supernatural or miraculous ability. This power manifested not just as boldness in preaching but also as validating signs and wonders, confirming the divine origin of their message. It implies both intrinsic spiritual might and outward demonstrative force.
• the apostles: Greek "hoi apostoloi" (οἱ ἀπόστολοι). Specifically refers to those commissioned by Christ, His chosen witnesses to His resurrection, endowed with unique authority and foundational role in the early church.
• were giving their testimony: Greek "apedidoun to martyrion" (ἀπεδίδουν τὸ μαρτύριον). "Apedidoun" is an imperfect verb, suggesting continuous or repeated action—they continually or regularly bore witness. "Martyrion" means witness, testimony. This is not just a verbal proclamation but a demonstration through their lives, and through the Spirit's power validating the message, to which they were ready to be martyrs. It signifies fulfilling a duty or obligation to bear witness.
• to the resurrection: Greek "tēs anastaseōs" (τῆς ἀναστάσεως). The resurrection of Jesus was the central, non-negotiable fact and core message of the apostolic preaching. It validated Jesus' claims, proved His victory over sin and death, and grounded the hope of salvation and future resurrection for believers.
• of the Lord Jesus: Greek "tou Kyriou Iēsou" (τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ). Emphasizes Jesus' supreme authority, divinity, and saving identity. Proclaiming "Lord Jesus" acknowledged His divine Lordship, a direct challenge to the Roman emperor cult that proclaimed Caesar as "lord" and implied a radical reorientation of allegiance.
• and: Greek "kai" (καί). Connects the apostles' specific activity to a broader experience within the community.
• great: (Repeated) "megalē." Again highlights the abundance and exceptional nature of the divine favor experienced.
• grace: Greek "charis" (χάρις). Denotes divine favor, undeserved blessing, supernatural influence that manifests in various ways. Here, it likely refers to God's benevolent presence and empowering enablement upon the entire community. This grace fostered their unity, generosity, joy, and ultimately their spiritual effectiveness and impact within society (seen in their "favor with all the people" in Acts 2:47). It's a comprehensive spiritual endowment.
• was upon them all: Greek "ēn epi pantas autous" (ἦν ἐπὶ πάντας αὐτούς). "Upon them all" (pantas autous) most naturally refers back to the "multitude of those who believed" mentioned in Acts 4:32. Thus, the great grace was not exclusively upon the apostles, but diffused throughout the entire body of believers, fostering the unity, generosity, and strong communal life described immediately before and after this verse. This collective grace created a powerful, attractive community that served as a living testament to the resurrection message the apostles proclaimed.

Acts 4 33 Bonus section

The intrinsic connection between power for witness and corporate grace (favor and unity) is crucial. It suggests that effective evangelism isn't merely about bold words, but also about the Holy Spirit's power empowering both the speaker and creating an attractive, God-honoring community. The "great grace" on "them all" suggests that God's favor led to a pervasive communal spiritual health and divine provision, evident in their unity and generosity, which further served as a powerful testimony to the truth of their message. This challenges the notion of individual spiritual success being disconnected from the health and behavior of the broader community of faith. The opposition faced by the apostles (Acts 4:1-22) also provides a powerful backdrop, highlighting that the "great power" and "great grace" were not given in easy circumstances but specifically for enduring and overcoming adversity in their mission.

Acts 4 33 Commentary

Acts 4:33 encapsulates the vibrant, divinely-enabled reality of the early Christian community. It highlights a critical two-fold manifestation: the active, bold proclamation of the apostles and the pervasive, unifying presence of God's favor among all believers. The "great power" (δύναμις) enabled the apostles not just to speak confidently despite opposition but also manifested through divine attestation, confirming their unique role as witnesses to Christ's resurrection—the bedrock of Christian faith. This power validated their testimony. Simultaneously, "great grace" (χάρις) permeated the entire community of believers, enabling their extraordinary unity, selfless generosity, and drawing power that impressed those outside. This grace fostered an environment where spiritual blessings abounded, allowing for the miraculous provision and shared life (Acts 4:34-35). Thus, the internal spiritual vitality of the community, characterized by divine grace, provided a powerful, living context that amplified the external testimony of the apostles' empowered preaching. The authenticity of the message was confirmed by the supernatural demonstration of power and by the tangible love and selflessness of the believers. This verse sets a powerful example of how the proclamation of truth and the embodiment of love by the believing community are interconnected and essential for Gospel advance.