And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This prayer isn't just about asking God to stop the threats; it's a profound realization that the opposition isn't truly against the apostles, but against God himself. They're asking God to look at the threats as an affront to Him, trusting He'll empower them to continue speaking His truth with unshakeable courage.
And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Fresh from facing down the religious authorities who had just arrested and threatened them, Peter and John, along with the whole community of believers, turn to God in prayer. They acknowledge the immense power and authority of God over all creation, referencing ancient prophecies that foretold such opposition to His plan and His Anointed One. This prayer is a direct response to the leaders' threats and their earlier miraculous healing of a lame man, showing the disciples are not backing down but are leaning into God for continued courage and divine backing to share His message.
When opposition arises, do you shrink back or lean in? The early church didn't just face threats; they used them as a launchpad for prayer.
From Fear to Faith
When Peter and John were threatened by the Sanhedrin after healing the lame man, their first instinct wasn't to strategize for escape. Instead, they gathered with the other believers, and their response was pure prayer. Notice how they frame their plea:
This wasn't about self-preservation, but about the preservation of the message. The threats became a catalyst, reminding them of their dependence on God for the courage to proclaim His truth.
Were Peter and John just naturally brave? This verse reveals that the courage to speak God's truth isn't innate; it's a divine gift.
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The Gift of Fearless Speech
The apostles had already shown remarkable boldness before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:13). Yet, here they are, praying for more boldness. This tells us something crucial:
This prayer is a model for us: when threats loom, we don't rely on our own grit, but on God's empowering grace to speak His truth faithfully.
Understand the original words
parrēsias · Greek Noun
Fearless confidence and freedom of speech; a hallmark of the early church empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel.
This prayer arose in the immediate aftermath of the apostles facing direct threats from the highest Jewish religious authority, the Sanhedrin. Their plea is not for deliverance *from* the threat, but for divine enablement *through* it, highlighting a profound trust in God's power to sustain their mission even in the face of persecution.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
The foundational events of Christianity occur in Jerusalem, leading to the formation of the earliest Christian communities.
c. AD 33
Pentecost and the First Gospel Sermon
The Holy Spirit descends upon the apostles, enabling them to preach the Gospel in various languages, leading to thousands of conversions.
c. AD 33
Healing of the Lame Man
Peter and John heal a man lame from birth at the temple gate, drawing a large crowd and further inciting the opposition of religious leaders.
c. AD 33
Arrest and Trial of Peter and John
The apostles Peter and John are arrested by the temple authorities and brought before the Sanhedrin for preaching in Jesus' name.
c. AD 33— this verse
Sanhedrin's Threat and Release
The Sanhedrin, recognizing the growing movement, threatens the apostles to stop preaching. They are released after being warned.
c. AD 33
The Believers Pray for Boldness
Upon hearing of the Sanhedrin's threats, the apostles and other believers gather and pray for courage to continue speaking God's word.
c. AD 33
The Place Shakes, Filled with the Spirit
In response to their prayer, the place where they are gathered shakes, and they are filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking God's word boldly.
This passage echoes the apostles' prayer by describing the rulers of the earth conspiring against the Lord and his Anointed, setting the stage for why they would need boldness to speak God's word.
Isaiah 41:10This prophetic promise directly addresses the need for courage in the face of threats, assuring believers that God is with them and will strengthen them to speak His truth, even when facing opposition.
Luke 12:11-12Jesus' own words provide the theological basis for this prayer, as He promised that the Holy Spirit would give His followers the words to speak when brought before authorities, directly supporting the apostles' request for boldness.
Ephesians 6:19Paul's plea for prayer in his own ministry directly parallels this request, highlighting the ongoing need for believers to ask God for boldness in proclaiming the gospel, even for those actively engaged in ministry.
Acts 4:31This verse immediately follows the prayer and shows God's direct answer, as the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness, demonstrating the power of prayer and divine empowerment.
barnesActs 4:29: "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,"
Behold their threatenings - So look upon them as to grant us deliverance. They did not purpose to abandon their undertaking; they resolved to persevere; and they expected that this purpose would involve them in danger. With this purpose they implored the protection of God; they asked that he would not suffer them to be deterred from speaking boldly; and they sought…
clarkeActs 4:29: "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,"
And now, Lord, behold their threatenings - It is not against us, but against thee, that they conspire: it is not to prevent the success of our preaching, but to bring to nought thy counsel: the whole of their enmity is against thee. Now, Lord, look upon it; consider this. And grant unto thy servants - While we are endeavoring to fulfill thy counsels, and can do not…
This prayer isn't just about asking God to stop the threats; it's a profound realization that the opposition isn't truly against the apostles, but against God himself. They're asking God to look at the threats as an affront to Him, trusting He'll empower them to continue speaking His truth with unshakeable courage.
Fresh from facing down the religious authorities who had just arrested and threatened them, Peter and John, along with the whole community of believers, turn to God in prayer. They acknowledge the immense power and authority of God over all creation, referencing ancient prophecies that foretold such opposition to His plan and His Anointed One. This prayer is a direct response to the leaders' threats and their earlier miraculous healing of a lame man, showing the disciples are not backing down but are leaning into God for continued courage and divine backing to share His message.
Fresh from facing down the religious authorities who had just arrested and threatened them, Peter and John, along with the whole community of believers, turn to God in prayer. They acknowledge the immense power and authority of God over all creation, referencing ancient prophecies that foretold such opposition to His plan and His Anointed One. This prayer is a direct response to the leaders' threats and their earlier miraculous healing of a lame man, showing the disciples are not backing down but are leaning into God for continued courage and divine backing to share His message.
"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness," — This prayer isn't just about asking God to stop the threats; it's a profound realization that the opposition isn't truly against the apostles, but against God himself. They're asking God to look at t…
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Last reviewed October 2026