Acts 4:1 Meaning and Explanation
“And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →While Peter and John are still speaking to the crowd, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees come upon them.
What Does Acts 4:1 Mean?
The healing of the man lame from birth (Acts 3) has drawn a crowd to Solomon's porch, and Peter is still preaching when the authorities arrive: the priests on duty, the captain responsible for order in the temple courts, and the Sadducees, the party that controlled the high priesthood. The sermon is interrupted mid-sentence by the machinery of official religion.
Opposition arrives while the word is still in the air, and it comes first not from Rome but from the custodians of the temple itself. Jesus had told his followers to expect exactly this (John 15:20). The book of Acts will show, again and again, that interruption is not defeat; the message already spoken is already at work (v. 4).
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 4:1
What does Acts 4:1 mean?
While Peter and John are still speaking to the crowd, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees come upon them.