Acts 4:8

Acts 4:8

 

Then Peter filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

a. NLT: Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders, [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: Then Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them: 'Rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.] 

d. Classic Amplified: Then Peter, [because he was] filled with [and controlled by] the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and members of the council (the Sanhedrin), [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Peshitta Eastern Text: Then Simon Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Leaders of the people and elders of the house of Israel, listen.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT.Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1961 by A.J. Holmon Co.; Copyright  Ⓒ 1939 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1967  by A.J. Holmon Co.;  Copyright  Ⓒ 1940 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; Copyright  Ⓒ 1957 by A.J. Holmon Co. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

1. “Then Peter filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,”

a. Then [Strong: 5119. tote tot'-eh from (the neuter of) 3588 and 3753; the when, i.e. at the time that (of the past or future, also in consecution):--that time, then.]

b. Peter [Strong: 4074. Petros pet'-ros apparently a primary word; a (piece of) rock (larger than 3037); as a name, Petrus, an apostle:--Peter, rock.]

c. filled [Strong: 4130. pletho play'-tho, a prolonged form of a primary pleo pleh'-o (which appears only as an alternate in certain tenses and in the reduplicated form pimplemi) to "fill" (literally or figuratively (imbue, influence, supply)); specially, to fulfil (time):--accomplish, full (...come), furnish.]

d. [with the] Holy [Strong: 40. hagios hag'-ee-os from hagos (an awful thing) (compare 53, 2282); sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):--(most) holy (one, thing), saint.]

e. Ghost [Strong: 4151. pneuma pnyoo'-mah from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:--ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.]

f. said [Strong: 2036. epo ep'-o a primary verb (used only in the definite past tense, the others being borrowed from 2046, 4483, and 5346); to speak or say (by word or writing):--answer, bid, bring word, call, command, grant, say (on), speak, tell.]

g. unto [Strong: 4314. pros pros a strengthened form of 4253; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated):--about, according to , against, among, at, because of, before, between, (where-)by, for, X at thy house, in, for intent, nigh unto, of, which pertain to, that, to (the end that), X together, to (you) -ward, unto, with(-in). In the comparative case, it denotes essentially the same applications, namely, motion towards, accession to, or nearness at.]

h. them [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

i. [Ye] rulers [Strong: 758. archon ar'-khone present participle of 757; a first (in rank or power):--chief (ruler), magistrate, prince, ruler.]

j. [of] the [Strong: 3588. [tou] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tou] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé  hē, hai.]

k. people [Strong: 2992. laos lah-os' apparently a primary word; a people (in general; thus differing from 1218, which denotes one's own populace):--people.]

l. and [Strong: 2532. kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

m. elders [Strong: 4245. presbuteros pres-boo'-ter-os comparative of presbus (elderly); older; as noun, a senior; specially, an Israelite Sanhedrist (also figuratively, member of the celestial council) or Christian "presbyter":-- elder(-est), old.]

n. [Strong: 3588. [tou] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tou] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé  hē, hai.]

o. [of] israel [Strong: 2474. Israel is-rah-ale' of Hebrew origin (3478); Israel (i.e. Jisrael), the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants (literally or figuratively):--Israel.]

1). Here is a clear lesson of why we need the power of the Holy Ghost, by looking at the life of Peter before and after being filled with the Holy Ghost. Immediately after the last supper as they were on their way to Gethsemane Jesus warned Peter that he would deny knowing him.

 

a). Luke 22:31-34 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

22:33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

22:34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

 

2). During the trial of Jesus, Peter, bound by fear, watched the trial of Jesus, from a distance.  Peter was so bound by fear he responded cowardly three times that he even knew Jesus.

 

a). Luke 22:54-62 Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.

22:55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

22:56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

22:57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

22:58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.

22:59 And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.

22:60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

22:61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

22:62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

 

3). What a contrast we see here in Peter. Before he was baptized in the Holy Ghost, he was gripped in fear to even be associated with Christ Jesus, and then after the baptism of the Holy Ghost we see Peter before the same group that convicted Jesus, preaching the exclusiveness of Christ even over traditional Judaism. Note carefully what Jesus said. Jesus commanded his disciples not to begin their ministry until after they were filled with the Holy Ghost.

 

a). Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

b). power [Strong: 1411. dunamis doo'-nam-is from 1410; force (literally or figuratively); specially, miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself):--ability, abundance, meaning, might(-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle(-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.] [Thayer: strength power, ability, inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth, power for performing miracles, moral power and excellence of soul, the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth, power and resources arising from numbers, power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts.] [D. C. Note: We get the English word dynamite from this word.]

 

c). The reason is of course we will not be as effective witnesses of the gospel if we are not filled with the Holy Ghost. There is inherent in being filled with the Holy Ghost a boldness , an outspokenness, that resists fear and timidity in order to speak the truth of the gospel. This is seen in the lives of the Apostles.