The Meaning of Acts 4:19 Explained

Acts 4:19

KJV: 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.

YLT: and Peter and John answering unto them said, 'Whether it is righteous before God to hearken to you rather than to God, judge ye;

Darby: But Peter and John answering said to them, If it be righteous before God to listen to you rather than to God, judge ye;

ASV: But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Acts 4:19 Mean?

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

What do the individual words in Acts 4:19 mean?

- But Peter and John answering said to them Whether right it is before - God to you to listen rather than you must judge
δὲ Πέτρος καὶ Ἰωάννης ἀποκριθέντες εἶπον πρὸς αὐτούς Εἰ δίκαιόν ἐστιν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν ἀκούειν μᾶλλον κρίνατε

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Πέτρος  Peter 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Πέτρος  
Sense: one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
Ἰωάννης  John 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰωάννης 
Sense: John the Baptist was the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the forerunner of Christ.
ἀποκριθέντες  answering 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀποκρίνομαι  
Sense: to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer.
εἶπον  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Εἰ  Whether 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: εἰ  
Sense: if, whether.
δίκαιόν  right 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: δίκαιος  
Sense: righteous, observing divine laws.
ἐστιν  it  is 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἐνώπιον  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐνώπιον  
Sense: in the presence of, before.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ὑμῶν  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ἀκούειν  to  listen 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
μᾶλλον  rather 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μᾶλλον  
Sense: more, to a greater degree, rather.
  than 
Parse: Conjunction
Root:  
Sense: either, or, than.
κρίνατε  you  must  judge 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: κρίνω  
Sense: to separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose.