Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. New Living Translation And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. English Standard Version And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, Berean Standard Bible And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, Berean Literal Bible And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to Your servants to speak Your word with all boldness, King James Bible And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, New King James Version Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, New American Standard Bible And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant it to Your bond-servants to speak Your word with all confidence, NASB 1995 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, NASB 1977 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Thy bond-servants may speak Thy word with all confidence, Legacy Standard Bible And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your slaves may speak Your word with all confidence, Amplified Bible And now, Lord, observe their threats [take them into account] and grant that Your bond-servants may declare Your message [of salvation] with great confidence, Berean Annotated Bible And now, Lord {Kyrie}, consider their threats, and enable Your servants {doulois} to speak Your word with complete boldness, Christian Standard Bible And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness, Holman Christian Standard Bible And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that Your slaves may speak Your message with complete boldness, American Standard Version And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, Contemporary English Version Lord, listen to their threats! We are your servants. So make us brave enough to speak your message. English Revised Version And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, GOD'S WORD® Translation "Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow us to speak your word boldly. Good News Translation And now, Lord, take notice of the threats they have made, and allow us, your servants, to speak your message with all boldness. International Standard Version Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow your servants to speak your word boldly NET Bible And now, Lord, pay attention to their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your message with great courage, New Heart English Bible Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, Webster's Bible Translation And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant to thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, Weymouth New Testament And now, Lord, listen to their threats, and enable Thy servants to proclaim Thy Message with fearless courage, Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAnd now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, World English Bible Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd now, LORD, look on their threatenings, and grant to Your servants to speak Your word with all freedom, Berean Literal Bible And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to Your servants to speak Your word with all boldness, Young's Literal Translation 'And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings, and grant to Thy servants with all freedom to speak Thy word, Smith's Literal Translation And now, Lord, look upon their threats: and give to thy servants, with all freedom of speech to speak thy word, Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd now, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants, that with all confidence they may speak thy word, Catholic Public Domain Version And now, O Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to your servants that they may speak your word with all confidence, New American Bible And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness, New Revised Standard Version And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd even now, O LORD, look and see their threatenings; and grant to your servants that they may freely preach your word, Aramaic Bible in Plain English “Also now LORD JEHOVAH, behold and see their threats, and grant to your Servants that they would be preaching your word openly.” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentAnd now, Lord, look upon their threatenings, and grant to thy servants that they may speak thy word with all boldness, Godbey New Testament And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to thy servants with all boldness to speak thy word, Haweis New Testament And as to the present transactions, Lord, look upon their threatnings: and grant thy servants power with all boldness to speak thy word, Mace New Testament and now, Lord, behold their threatnings: and enable thy servants to deliver thy word with freedom, Weymouth New Testament And now, Lord, listen to their threats, and enable Thy servants to proclaim Thy Message with fearless courage, Worrell New Testament And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings; and grant to Thy servants to speak Thy word with all boldness, Worsley New Testament And now, Lord, behold their threatenings; and give unto thy servants to speak thy word with all freedom, while Thou art stretching forth thy hand to heal, Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Believers' Prayer…28They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen. 29And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, 30as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”… Cross References And now, Lord, 2 Samuel 7:28 And now, O Lord GOD, You are God! Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. Nehemiah 1:11 O Lord, may Your ear be attentive to my prayer and to the prayers of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” (At that time I was the cupbearer to the king.) Daniel 9:18-19 Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our righteous acts, but because of Your great compassion. / O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your name.” consider their threats, 2 Kings 19:15-19 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD: “O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. / Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God. / Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste these nations and their lands. … Psalm 140:1-2 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men. Protect me from men of violence, / who devise evil in their hearts and stir up war all day long. Isaiah 8:12-13 “Do not call conspiracy everything these people regard as conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not live in dread. / The LORD of Hosts is the One you shall regard as holy. Only He should be feared; only He should be dreaded. and enable Your servants Exodus 4:12 Now go! I will help you as you speak, and I will teach you what to say.” Ezekiel 3:27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you are to tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’ Whoever listens, let him listen; and whoever refuses, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house. Jeremiah 1:9 Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. to speak Your word 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. Colossians 4:3-4 as you pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. / Pray that I may declare it clearly, as I should. with complete boldness, Acts 28:31 Boldly and freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 6:19-20 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, / for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should. 2 Corinthians 3:12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. Psalm 2:1-2 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? / The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One: Treasury of Scripture And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant to your servants, that with all boldness they may speak your word, behold. Acts 4:17,18,21 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name… Isaiah 37:17-20 Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God… Isaiah 63:15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained? that. Acts 4:13,31 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… Acts 9:27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Jump to Previous Boldness Bond-Servants Confidence Consider Courage Cruel Enable Fear Fearless Freedom Grant Great Message Note Power Preachers Proclaim Servants Speak Threatenings Threats Word WordsJump to Next Boldness Bond-Servants Confidence Consider Courage Cruel Enable Fear Fearless Freedom Grant Great Message Note Power Preachers Proclaim Servants Speak Threatenings Threats Word WordsActs 4 1. The rulers of the Jews, offended with Peter's sermon,3. imprison him and John. 5. After, upon examination 8. Peter boldly avouching the lame man to be healed by the name of Jesus, 11. and that only by the same Jesus we must be eternally saved, 13. they threaten him and John to preach no more in that name, 23. whereupon the church flees to prayer. 31. And God, by moving the place where they were assembled, testifies that he heard their prayer; 34. confirming the church with the gift of the Holy Spirit, and with mutual love and charity. And now, Lord, This phrase indicates a direct appeal to God, showing the early Christians' reliance on divine intervention. It reflects a pattern of prayer seen throughout Scripture, where believers turn to God in times of need (e.g., Psalm 5:1-3). The use of "Lord" emphasizes God's sovereignty and authority over all situations. consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, Persons / Places / Events 1. Peter and JohnApostles of Jesus Christ who were preaching the gospel and healing in His name. They were arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin for their bold proclamation of Jesus. 2. The Sanhedrin The Jewish ruling council that opposed the apostles' teaching about Jesus. They threatened Peter and John to stop preaching in Jesus' name. 3. The Early Church The community of believers who gathered to pray for boldness in the face of persecution. They were united in their mission to spread the gospel. 4. Jerusalem The city where these events took place, serving as the center of early Christian activity and the location of the temple. 5. Prayer for Boldness The collective prayer of the early church asking God to grant them courage to continue proclaiming the gospel despite threats. Teaching Points The Power of Unified PrayerThe early church's response to threats was to pray together, demonstrating the power and importance of corporate prayer in seeking God's intervention. Boldness in the Face of Opposition Believers are called to speak God's word with boldness, relying on the Holy Spirit for courage, especially when facing opposition or persecution. God's Sovereignty in Persecution The church's prayer acknowledges God's control over their circumstances, reminding us to trust in His sovereignty when we encounter challenges. The Role of the Holy Spirit The request for boldness highlights the necessity of the Holy Spirit's empowerment in fulfilling the Great Commission. Faithful Witnessing Despite threats, the early church remained committed to their mission, encouraging us to remain steadfast in sharing the gospel regardless of the cost. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Acts 4:29?2. How can we pray for boldness like in Acts 4:29 in our lives? 3. What does "speak Your word with complete boldness" mean for modern Christians? 4. How does Acts 4:29 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? 5. In what ways can we rely on God for courage in challenging situations? 6. How can Acts 4:29 inspire us to share the Gospel in hostile environments? 7. How does Acts 4:29 encourage believers to respond to persecution and threats? 8. What is the significance of boldness in Acts 4:29 for early Christians? 9. How does Acts 4:29 reflect the power of prayer in the early church? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Acts 4? 11. What does the Bible teach about courage? 12. How should believers respond to Christian persecution? 13. How does the Holy Spirit provide comfort? 14. Why does mathematical modeling of prayer show no measurable effect? What Does Acts 4:29 Mean And now, Lord- The believers have just celebrated God’s sovereignty (Acts 4:24–28) and immediately turn their attention to Him “now,” showing that prayer is their first response, not their last resort. - By addressing Him as “Lord,” they acknowledge His absolute authority over rulers, laws, and circumstances, echoing Psalm 115:3: “Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.” - Coming to God in the present moment reflects Hebrews 4:16: “Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” consider their threats - The threats are real—arrest, imprisonment, even death (Acts 4:17–18). Instead of panicking, the church places the intimidation squarely before the Lord. - This echoes Hezekiah’s reaction in 2 Kings 19:14, when he “spread it out before the Lord,” trusting God to deal with hostile forces. - Psalm 2:1–2 had just been quoted (Acts 4:25–26), reminding them that earthly opposition is nothing new to God. and enable Your servants - They see themselves not as celebrities but as “servants,” willingly under God’s command (Romans 6:22). - Help is requested, not presumed. Dependence on divine enabling runs through Scripture, as in 2 Corinthians 3:5: “Not that we are competent in ourselves… but our competence comes from God.” - The plural “servants” underscores a community mindset; no lone rangers, but a body working together (1 Corinthians 12:12). to speak Your word - The goal is proclamation, not personal safety. God’s “word” is the fixed content; their task is simply to voice it. - Jeremiah 1:7 mirrors this calling: “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth,’… you must go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I command you.” - They ask to speak “Your” word, guarding against drifting into opinion, tradition, or political rhetoric (1 Thessalonians 2:13). with complete boldness - Boldness (parrēsia) shows up repeatedly in Acts, immediately fulfilled in Acts 4:31 when “they spoke the word of God boldly.” - Their request lines up with Ephesians 6:19: “Pray also for me, that… I may proclaim it boldly, as I should.” - Boldness is not brashness; it is Spirit-given courage grounded in truth (2 Timothy 1:7). summary Acts 4:29 models a God-centered prayer that: • turns first to the Sovereign Lord in the moment of crisis, • lays threats before Him without fear, • recognizes believers as humble servants needing His power, • keeps the focus on declaring God’s own word, and • seeks Spirit-filled boldness rather than an easy escape. When the church prays this way, God answers, the gospel advances, and His glory shines through courage that only He can supply. (29) And now, Lord, behold their threatenings.--The context shows that the prayer of the Church is addressed to the Father. The Apostles, who had shown "boldness of speech" (Acts 4:13), pray, as conscious of their natural weakness, for a yet further bestowal of that gift, as being now more than ever needed, both for themselves and the whole community.Verse 29. - Look upon for behold, A.V.; to speak thy word with all boldness for that with all boldness they may speak thy word, A.V. Lord. This time Κύριε (Kyrie), the word in the LXX. for Jehovah, and the special designation of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:36, etc.), but here applied to God the Father. Look upon; a more forcible rendering than the A.V. Look upon, for the purpose of frustrating and punishing. The only other place in the New Testament where the word (ἑπείδειν) occurs is in Luke 1:25, where the Lord "looked upon" Elisabeth to confer a blessing upon her. In 2 Chronicles 24:22, "The Lord look upon it and require it," the LXX have the simple verb ἴδοι instead of ἐπίδοι. It is beautiful to notice how, in the heat of the unjust persecutions, the Church hands over her quarrel to her Lord, and is only careful that she be not stopped in her work by the threatenings of her enemies. To speak thy word with all boldness (for the word "boldness," see ver. 13, note).Parallel Commentaries ... Greek Andκαὶ (kai) Conjunction Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. now, νῦν (nyn) Adverb Strong's 3568: A primary particle of present time; 'now'; also as noun or adjective present or immediate. Lord, Κύριε (Kyrie) Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master. consider ἔπιδε (epide) Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Strong's 1896: To looked upon, regarded. And other moods and persons of the same tense; from epi and eido; to regard. their αὐτῶν (autōn) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. threats, ἀπειλὰς (apeilas) Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural Strong's 547: A threatening, threat. From apeileo; a menace. and καὶ (kai) Conjunction Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. enable δὸς (dos) Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give. Your σου (sou) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. servants δούλοις (doulois) Noun - Dative Masculine Plural Strong's 1401: (a) (as adj.) enslaved, (b) (as noun) a (male) slave. From deo; a slave. to speak λαλεῖν (lalein) Verb - Present Infinitive Active Strong's 2980: A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. Utter words. Your σου (sou) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. word λόγον (logon) Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression. with μετὰ (meta) Preposition Strong's 3326: (a) gen: with, in company with, (b) acc: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives. complete πάσης (pasēs) Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole. boldness, παρρησίας (parrēsias) Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular Strong's 3954: From pas and a derivative of rheo; all out-spokenness, i.e. Frankness, bluntness, publicity; by implication, assurance. Links Acts 4:29 NIVActs 4:29 NLT Acts 4:29 ESV Acts 4:29 NASB Acts 4:29 KJV Acts 4:29 BibleApps.com Acts 4:29 Biblia Paralela Acts 4:29 Chinese Bible Acts 4:29 French Bible Acts 4:29 Catholic Bible NT Apostles: Acts 4:29 Now Lord look at their threats (Acts of the Apostles Ac) |
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