The Meaning of Acts 4:16 Explained

Acts 4:16

KJV: Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

YLT: saying, 'What shall we do to these men? because that, indeed, a notable sign hath been done through them, to all those dwelling in Jerusalem is manifest, and we are not able to deny it;

Darby: saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed an evident sign has come to pass through their means is manifest to all that inhabit Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

ASV: saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been wrought through them, is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Saying,  What  shall we do  to these  men?  for  that  indeed  a notable  miracle  hath been done  by  them  [is] manifest  to all them  that dwell  in Jerusalem;  and  we cannot  deny  [it]. 

What does Acts 4:16 Mean?

Study Notes

miracle
(Greek - σημει̑ον , sign).

Context Summary

Acts 4:13-22 - Braving Men To Obey God
Do people realize that there is something about us which cannot be accounted for except that we have been with Jesus? Our company always influences us. A man is known by the company he keeps. Good manners are caught by association with the well-mannered. What, then, will not be the effect upon us, if only we live in fellowship with Jesus! Our faces will shine with a reflection of His purity and beauty; and the ancient prayer will be answered, "Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us," Psalms 90:17. Our converts are our best arguments. The man which was healed (was) standing with them-his face suffused with the light of a new energy and hope. That fact answered all the sophistries of these Jewish leaders. It was as impossible to stay the effect of that miracle as to bid the sun cease shining. Note the exuberance of the life of God! We cannot but speak, Acts 4:20. When once we have got the real thing, we cannot and dare not be still; we must speak. As the swelling seed will break down a brick wall, so when the love of Christ constrains us, though all the world is in arms, we must bear witness to our Lord. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 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

Greek Commentary for Acts 4:16

What shall we do? [Τι ποιησωμεν]
Deliberative aorist active subjunctive (ingressive and urgent aorist). [source]
Notable miracle [γνωστον σημειον]
Or sign. It was useless to deny it with the man there. We cannot deny it (ου δυναμετα αρνεισται — ou dunametha arneisthai). That is, it will do no good. [source]
We cannot deny it [ου δυναμετα αρνεισται]
That is, it will do no good. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 4:16

Acts 2:5 Were dwelling [ησαν κατοικουντες]
Periphrastic imperfect active indicative. Usually κατοικεω — katoikeō means residence in a place (Acts 4:16; Acts 7:24; Acts 9:22, Acts 9:32) as in Acts 2:14 (Luke 13:4). Perhaps some had come to Jerusalem to live while others were here only temporarily, for the same word occurs in Acts 2:9 of those who dwell in Mesopotamia, etc. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 4:16 mean?

saying What shall we do to the men these That truly for a noteworthy sign has come to pass through them to all those inhabiting Jerusalem [is] evident and not we are able to deny [it]
λέγοντες Τί ποιήσωμεν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις ὅτι μὲν γὰρ γνωστὸν σημεῖον γέγονεν δι’ αὐτῶν πᾶσιν τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν Ἰερουσαλὴμ φανερόν καὶ οὐ δυνάμεθα ἀρνεῖσθαι

λέγοντες  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ποιήσωμεν  shall  we  do 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
τοῖς  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀνθρώποις  men 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
τούτοις  these 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ὅτι  That 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
μὲν  truly 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: μέν  
Sense: truly, certainly, surely, indeed.
γνωστὸν  a  noteworthy 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: γνώριμος 
Sense: known, notable.
σημεῖον  sign 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: σημεῖον  
Sense: a sign, mark, token.
γέγονεν  has  come  to  pass 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
δι’  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
πᾶσιν  to  all 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
τοῖς  those 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
κατοικοῦσιν  inhabiting 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: κατοικέω 
Sense: to dwell, settle.
Ἰερουσαλὴμ  Jerusalem 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Ἰερουσαλήμ  
Sense: denotes either the city itself or the inhabitants.
φανερόν  [is]  evident 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: φανερός  
Sense: apparent, manifest, evident, known.
δυνάμεθα  we  are  able 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 1st Person Plural
Root: δύναμαι  
Sense: to be able, have power whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom.
ἀρνεῖσθαι  to  deny  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Root: ἀρνέομαι  
Sense: to deny.