Acts 4:19 Meaning and Explanation
“But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Peter and John answer that the council itself must judge whether it is right before God to listen to men rather than to God.
What Does Acts 4:19 Mean?
The apostles answer the supreme court with a question and hand the judges a case of their own: when human command and divine command collide, which is right in the sight of God? There is no rage in it, and no retreat — they appeal past the bench to the conscience of the bench.
This is the charter of faithful conscience: respectful, unarmed, immovable. Earthly authority is real, but it is not ultimate, and the apostles assume even their judges know it — God's claim is written where every conscience can read. Whether it costs a hearing or a life (Acts 5:29), the answer of the church does not change.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 4:19
What does Acts 4:19 mean?
Peter and John answer that the council itself must judge whether it is right before God to listen to men rather than to God.