Acts 4:18
So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This wasn't just a simple "don't talk about Jesus" order; the authorities commanded them not to "utter" anything or "teach" anything in Jesus' name. This was a total silencing, intended to erase even the sound of Jesus' name from public discourse.
Fresh from healing a man born lame and preaching boldly about Jesus, Peter and John are arrested by the religious authorities. After seeing the undeniable miracle and questioning the apostles, the council realizes they can't deny the power behind Jesus' followers, so they decide to silence them with threats, commanding them to stop all speech and teaching in Jesus' name.
Why would religious leaders so fiercely forbid speaking or teaching about Jesus?
The authorities didn't just want to silence Peter and John; they wanted to erase the very identity and message of Jesus.
A Complete Ban
The Greek words used here emphasize the totality of the command. They were not to 'utter' (φθέγγεσθαι) even a single word, nor to 'instruct' (διδάσκειν) with any teaching. This wasn't a suggestion or a warning; it was an absolute prohibition.
More Than Just a Name
To 'speak or teach in the name of Jesus' meant proclaiming the gospel message: salvation through His atoning sacrifice and resurrection. This doctrine was, as one commentator noted, 'unpopular' because it directly challenged the authorities' power and the prevailing religious status quo. They couldn't bear the truth of God that pointed to Jesus as the only way.
What drives leaders to suppress a message they can't logically refute?
The council's actions reveal a deep internal conflict. They witnessed a undeniable miracle, yet their response was not repentance, but an intensified effort to silence the messengers.
Acknowledged Truth, Suppressed Power
Calvin points out their dilemma: a man was openly healed, and they knew it was a significant sign. They also recognized Peter and John's boldness stemmed from being 'with Jesus.' Despite this, their fear of losing control and influence over the populace outweighed any desire for truth.
The Choice for Tyranny
Instead of seeking God, they consulted 'among themselves,' choosing 'tyrannous means to oppress the truth.' Their fear led them to a place of deliberate, even willful, opposition. This highlights how human authority, when disconnected from God's fear, can devolve into tyranny, seeking to control not just actions, but even the very words spoken about Jesus.
Understand the original words
didaskō · Greek Verb
The act of instructing others in the doctrine, commandments, and truth of God. In a biblical context, it is the systematic communication of the faith to equip others in knowledge and practice.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
The central events of Christian faith, Jesus' death and subsequent resurrection, occurred in Jerusalem and marked the beginning of the early Church.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
The Healing of the Lame Man
Peter and John healed a man lame from birth at the temple gate, a public miracle that drew a large crowd and brought the apostles before the religious authorities.
c. AD 30-33
Apostles' Arrest and Trial
Following the healing, Peter and John were arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high council, for questioning.
c. AD 30-33
Sanhedrin's Decree
Despite acknowledging the undeniable miracle, the Sanhedrin, fearing the spread of this new teaching, commanded Peter and John to cease all speech and teaching about Jesus.
c. AD 30-33
Apostles' Defiance
Peter and John responded to the Sanhedrin's decree by stating, 'We must obey God rather than men,' boldly continuing their ministry.
Just as Samuel urged the people to 'consider all the great things the Lord has done for you,' here the authorities try to silence the very ones proclaiming God's great deeds through Jesus.
Daniel 3:16-18Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego famously declared they would not serve other gods or bow down, even facing fiery death, mirroring Peter and John's courageous refusal to obey an order against God's will.
Matthew 28:19-20The authorities commanded silence, but this directly contradicts Jesus' Great Commission to His disciples to 'go and make disciples of all nations,' highlighting the clash between human authority and divine command.
1 Peter 3:15Peter himself, writing later, encouraged believers to 'always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have,' which is exactly what he and John were doing and why they were silenced.
Revelation 12:11This passage speaks of overcoming 'by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony,' showing that speaking the name of Jesus and His work is a powerful act of spiritual victory, something the authorities sought to extinguish.
vincentActs 4:18: "And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus."
To speak (φθέγγεσθαι)See on 2 Peter 2:16.
bengelActs 4:18: "And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus."
Acts 4:18 . Φθέγγεσθαι , to speak ) in familiar discourse.— διδάσκειν , to teach ) in their public speeches (sermons).
This wasn't just a simple "don't talk about Jesus" order; the authorities commanded them not to "utter" anything or "teach" anything in Jesus' name. This was a total silencing, intended to erase even the sound of Jesus' name from public discourse.
Fresh from healing a man born lame and preaching boldly about Jesus, Peter and John are arrested by the religious authorities. After seeing the undeniable miracle and questioning the apostles, the council realizes they can't deny the power behind Jesus' followers, so they decide to silence them with threats, commanding them to stop all speech and teaching in Jesus' name.
Fresh from healing a man born lame and preaching boldly about Jesus, Peter and John are arrested by the religious authorities. After seeing the undeniable miracle and questioning the apostles, the council realizes they can't deny the power behind Jesus' followers, so they decide to silence them with threats, commanding them to stop all speech and teaching in Jesus' name.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Acts 4:18 is available in the Sola app.
c. AD 30-33
Continued Growth of the Church
Despite opposition, the early Christian community continued to grow in numbers, reflecting the power of the message and the boldness of its proponents.
"So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus." — This wasn't just a simple "don't talk about Jesus" order; the authorities commanded them not to "utter" anything or "teach" anything in Jesus' name. This was a total silencing, intended to erase even…
