Acts 4:17

“But that it spread no further among the people, etc.] Meaning not in Jerusalem; for the fame of this miracle was spread among all the inhabitants of that city; but in other parts of the nation: let us straitly threaten them; or “in threatening threaten them”; that is, severely threaten them with imprisonment, or with the scourging of forty stripes save one, or with death itself. That they speak henceforth to no man in this name; which through indignation and contempt they do not mention, but mean the name of Jesus: and their sense is, that the apostles, from this time forward, should not teach, or preach the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, or any other doctrine of the Gospel, in…”

“But that it spread no further . . . let us straitly--strictly. threaten . . . that they speak henceforth to no man in this name--Impotent device! Little knew they the fire that was burning in the bones of those heroic disciples.”

“What shall we do to these men? - The object which they had in view was evidently to prevent their preaching. The miracle was performed, and it was believed by the people to have been made. This they could not expect to be able successfully to deny. Their only object, therefore, was to prevent the apostles from making the use which they saw they would to convince the people that Jesus was the Messiah. The question was, in what way they should prevent this; whether by putting them to death, by imprisoning them, or by scourging them; or whether by simply exerting theft authority and forbidding them. From the former they were deterred, doubtless, by fear of the multitude; and they therefore…”

“Yet that it spread no farther - For they look upon it as a mere gangrene. So do all the world upon genuine Christianity. Let us severely threaten them - Great men, ye do nothing. They have a greater than you to flee to. Acts 4:18”

“that it: Act 5:39; Psa 2:1-4; Dan 2:34, Dan 2:35; Rom 10:16-18, Rom 15:18-22; Th1 1:8 let: Act 4:21, Act 4:29, Act 4:30, Act 5:24, Act 5:28, Act 5:40; Ch2 25:15, Ch2 25:16; Isa 30:8-11; Jer 20:1-3; Jer 29:25-32, Jer 38:4; Amo 2:12, Amo 7:12-17; Mic 2:6, Mic 2:7; Mat 27:64; Joh 11:47, Joh 11:48; Th1 2:15, Th1 2:16 Acts 4:18”