Discovery BoxActs 4:27 
Context4:27 “For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against 1 your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 2
Acts 4:31
Context4:31 When 3 they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, 4 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak 5 the word of God 6 courageously. 7
1 sn The application of Ps 2:1-2 is that Jews and Gentiles are opposing Jesus. The surprise of the application is that Jews are now found among the enemies of God’s plan.
2 sn A wordplay on “Christ,” v. 26, which means “one who has been anointed.”
3 tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
4 sn The place where they were assembled…was shaken. This signifies that God is in their midst. See Acts 16:26; Exod 19:18; Ps 114:7; Isa 6:4.
5 tn The imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect (“began to speak”). Logical sequencing suggests that their speaking began after they were filled with the Spirit. The prayer was answered immediately.
6 tn Or “speak God’s message.”
7 tn Or “with boldness.”
