This Week's Bible Reading
April 9, 2026
Acts 4:13-16
King James Version
“13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
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 hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.”
King James Version
“13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
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 hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.”
Context:
This passage is a turning point in the early Church, capturing a moment where the "establishment" is forced to come to terms with a power they cannot explain away.
At this point in Acts, Peter and John have been arrested for healing a lame man and preaching about Jesus’ resurrection.
From the perspective of the crowd and the Sanhedrin, Peter and John performed the act of healing the man; however:
• In Acts 3:6-7, Peter says, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk," and he physically takes the man by the hand and lifts him up.
• In Acts 3:12-16, Peter explicitly denies that he did this through his own power or holiness. He tells the onlookers that it was faith in Jesus' name that made the man strong.
• The passage teaches that Jesus healed the man through Peter and John. By using the name of Jesus, the disciples were acting as His representatives, showing that although Jesus had ascended to heaven, His power was still active on earth through his followers. So, while Peter's hands lifted the man, both Peter and the author of Acts attribute the actual miracle to the power of Jesus.
What is the meaning of KJV Acts 4:13-16:
This is the analysis of what these verses signify.
Verse 13: "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
• The Sanhedrin (the Jewish high court) was stunned because these "ordinary" fishermen spoke with the authority and rhetorical skill of scholars.
• The most famous takeaway from this verse is the court's realization. They didn't credit the disciples' intelligence or background; they credited their association with Jesus. It suggests that spending time in Christ's presence fundamentally alters a person's character and capability.
Verse 14: "And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it."
• Logic and debate have their limits. The religious leaders wanted to invalidate the disciples, but there was a literal, physical miracle standing right in front of them—a man who had been lame for over 40 years. You can argue against theology, but it’s hard to argue against a transformed life.
Verses 15–16: "But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 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."
• This is the cynical part of the passage. The leaders don't ask, "Is this from God?" Instead, they ask, "How do we manage the public relations fallout?"
• The Sanhedrin admit the miracle is real and widely known. Their concern isn't the truth, but the threat this movement poses to their own social and religious control. So, they pivot from seeking the truth to strategizing a way to suppress the movement to maintain their own institutional control.
In Summary:
The disciples weren't just brave; they were speaking with a divine confidence that bypassed their lack of formal education.
The passage highlights a recurring human struggle: seeing the truth but refusing to follow its implications, because it would require changing one's life or losing power.
This passage is a turning point in the early Church, capturing a moment where the "establishment" is forced to come to terms with a power they cannot explain away.
At this point in Acts, Peter and John have been arrested for healing a lame man and preaching about Jesus’ resurrection.
From the perspective of the crowd and the Sanhedrin, Peter and John performed the act of healing the man; however:
• In Acts 3:6-7, Peter says, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk," and he physically takes the man by the hand and lifts him up.
• In Acts 3:12-16, Peter explicitly denies that he did this through his own power or holiness. He tells the onlookers that it was faith in Jesus' name that made the man strong.
• The passage teaches that Jesus healed the man through Peter and John. By using the name of Jesus, the disciples were acting as His representatives, showing that although Jesus had ascended to heaven, His power was still active on earth through his followers. So, while Peter's hands lifted the man, both Peter and the author of Acts attribute the actual miracle to the power of Jesus.
What is the meaning of KJV Acts 4:13-16:
This is the analysis of what these verses signify.
Verse 13: "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
• The Sanhedrin (the Jewish high court) was stunned because these "ordinary" fishermen spoke with the authority and rhetorical skill of scholars.
• The most famous takeaway from this verse is the court's realization. They didn't credit the disciples' intelligence or background; they credited their association with Jesus. It suggests that spending time in Christ's presence fundamentally alters a person's character and capability.
Verse 14: "And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it."
• Logic and debate have their limits. The religious leaders wanted to invalidate the disciples, but there was a literal, physical miracle standing right in front of them—a man who had been lame for over 40 years. You can argue against theology, but it’s hard to argue against a transformed life.
Verses 15–16: "But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 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."
• This is the cynical part of the passage. The leaders don't ask, "Is this from God?" Instead, they ask, "How do we manage the public relations fallout?"
• The Sanhedrin admit the miracle is real and widely known. Their concern isn't the truth, but the threat this movement poses to their own social and religious control. So, they pivot from seeking the truth to strategizing a way to suppress the movement to maintain their own institutional control.
In Summary:
The disciples weren't just brave; they were speaking with a divine confidence that bypassed their lack of formal education.
The passage highlights a recurring human struggle: seeing the truth but refusing to follow its implications, because it would require changing one's life or losing power.