Acts 4:16 (GNV)

Passage

Saying, What shall we doe to these men? for surely a manifest signe is done by them, and it is openly knowen to all them that dwell in Hierusalem: and we cannot denie it.

Nearby Context

Acts 4:14 And beholding also the man which was healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against it.

Acts 4:15 Then they commanded them to goe aside out of the Council, and conferred among themselues,

Acts 4:16 Saying, What shall we doe to these men? for surely a manifest signe is done by them, and it is openly knowen to all them that dwell in Hierusalem: and we cannot denie it.

Acts 4:17 But that it be noysed no farther among the people, let vs threaten and charge them, that they speake hencefoorth to no man in this Name.

Acts 4:18 So they called them, and commanded them, that in no wise they should speake or teach in the Name of Iesus.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "saying", "shall", "surely", "manifest", "signe", "done", "openly", and "knowen". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "saying" and "shall", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "Then they commanded them to goe aside..." into verse 17's "But that it be noysed no farther...", so "saying" and "shall" belong inside that flow. In Acts context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "saying" and "shall" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.