Devine Scripture

Acts 4:27

What does Acts 4:27 mean?

A plain-English look at Acts 4:27 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Acts 4:27 means

The praying church explicitly connected the prophecy of Psalm 2 to recent history, declaring that Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with both Gentiles and the people of Israel, had indeed gathered together against "thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint." They recognized that all these disparate groups, despite their differences, had conspired in Jerusalem to reject and crucify Jesus, fulfilling the ancient words. This demonstrated their spiritual insight into the cross event.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together,

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together,

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For, truly, in this town, against your holy servant, Jesus, who was marked out by you as Christ, Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, came together,

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for gathered together of a truth against Thy holy child Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, were both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with nations and peoples of Israel,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For of a truth there assembled together in this city against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel,

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For in truth against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou hadst anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with [the] nations, and peoples of Israel, have been gathered together in this city

Context

This verse makes a direct and powerful application of Psalm 2 to the historical events of Jesus' crucifixion. It immediately follows the generic quotation of the psalm, specifying the fulfillment in the actions of influential figures. This explicit connection ties the prophecy firmly to Jesus, showing the believers' understanding of God's sovereign plan even in the face of immense suffering and injustice.

v.26The kings of the earth set themselves in array, And the rulers were gathered together, Against the Lord, and against his Anointed:

v.27This passage

v.28to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council foreordained to come to pass.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Mark 10:33

    saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles:

  • Matthew 2:13

    Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

  • Luke 1:35

    And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God.

  • Luke 13:31

    In that very hour there came certain Pharisees, saying to him, Get thee out, and go hence: for Herod would fain kill thee.

  • John 10:36

    say ye of him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

  • Isaiah 53:3

    He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.

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