-
Acts 4:23-37
TO SPEAK YOUR WORD WITH GREAT BOLDNESS - Feb 09, 2019 -
Acts 4:1-22
SALVATION IS FOUND IN NO ONE ELSE - Feb 08, 2019 -
Acts 4:1-12
SALVATION IS FOUND IN NO ONE ELSE - Jan 01, 2000 -
Acts 4:13-22
SHALL WE OBEY MEN RATHER THAN GOD? - Jan 01, 2000 -
Acts 4:32-37
BARNABAS, SON OF ENCOURAGEMENT - Jan 01, 2000
THE BELIEVERS' PRAYER
Passage:
Acts 4:23-31
Key verse: 29
NIV
The Believers Pray
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.(A) “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.(B) 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:(C)
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.[a]’[b](D)
27 Indeed Herod(E) and Pontius Pilate(F) met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus,(G) whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.(H) 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.(I) 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders(J) through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”(K)
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.(L) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit(M) and spoke the word of God(N) boldly.(O)
Cross references
- Acts 4:24 : S Ac 1:14
- Acts 4:24 : Ne 9:6; Job 41:11; Isa 37:16
- Acts 4:25 : Ac 1:16
- Acts 4:26 : Ps 2:1, 2; Da 9:25; Lk 4:18; Ac 10:38; Heb 1:9
- Acts 4:27 : S Mt 14:1
- Acts 4:27 : S Mt 27:2; Lk 23:12
- Acts 4:27 : ver 30; Ac 3:13, 14
- Acts 4:28 : Ac 2:23
- Acts 4:29 : ver 13, 31; Ps 138:3; Ac 9:27; 13:46; 14:3; 28:31; Eph 6:19; Php 1:14
- Acts 4:30 : S Jn 4:48
- Acts 4:30 : ver 27
- Acts 4:31 : Ac 2:2
- Acts 4:31 : S Lk 1:15
- Acts 4:31 : S Heb 4:12
- Acts 4:31 : S ver 29
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Believers Pray for Boldness
23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices (A)together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, (B)who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,[a] said by the Holy Spirit,
(C)“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and (D)the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his (E)Anointed’[b]—
27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your (F)holy servant Jesus, (G)whom you anointed, both (H)Herod and (I)Pontius Pilate, along (J)with the Gentiles and (K)the peoples of Israel, 28 (L)to do whatever your hand and (M)your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, (N)look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all (O)boldness, 30 while (P)you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed (Q)through the name of your (R)holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, (S)the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and (T)they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and (U)continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Read full chapterCross references
- Acts 4:24 : See ch. 1:14
- Acts 4:24 : Ex. 20:11; 2 Chr. 2:12; Neh. 9:6; Ps. 102:25; 124:8; 134:3; 146:6
- Acts 4:25 : Cited from Ps. 2:1, 2
- Acts 4:26 : ver. 5
- Acts 4:26 : ch. 10:38; Luke 4:18; Heb. 1:9; [Dan. 9:24; Rev. 11:15]
- Acts 4:27 : ver. 30
- Acts 4:27 : ver. 26
- Acts 4:27 : Luke 23:7-11
- Acts 4:27 : Matt. 27:2
- Acts 4:27 : See Matt. 20:19
- Acts 4:27 : Matt. 26:3
- Acts 4:28 : [Isa. 46:10]
- Acts 4:28 : See ch. 2:23
- Acts 4:29 : [2 Kgs. 19:16]
- Acts 4:29 : ver. 13, 31; ch. 9:27, 29; 13:46; 14:3; 18:26; 19:8; 28:31; Eph. 6:19
- Acts 4:30 : [Ps. 138:7; Prov. 31:20; Isa. 1:25; Zeph. 1:4]
- Acts 4:30 : ch. 3:6; [Matt. 7:22; Mark 9:39; 16:17]
- Acts 4:30 : ver. 27
- Acts 4:31 : [ch. 2:2; 16:26; Ps. 77:18]
- Acts 4:31 : See ch. 2:4
- Acts 4:31 : [Phil. 1:14]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. God is sovereign (23-28)
When Peter and John were threatened and released from prison, they went back to the believers and had a prayer meeting. They began their prayer by acknowledging the sovereignty of the Creator God. They quoted Psalm 118:22, and marveled at how Herod and Pontius Pilate and the Gentiles and Jewish rulers had conspired together against the Messiah, and thus had fulfilled the prophecies of the Psalm. They accepted persecution as a part of God's sovereignty, and they rejoiced in God who rules over all.
2. Enable us to speak with boldness (29-31)
They had just two prayer requests: (i) Lord, consider their threats and enable us to speak your word with boldness; (ii) Lord, stretch out your hand to heal through the name of Jesus. They did not try to save themselves; they only asked to extend God's mercy and love into the lives of sinsick and suffering people.
Prayer: Lord, grant me boldness to speak your word.
One Word: God is sovereign
