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Acts 4:28

New Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Acts 4:28 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council foreordained to come to pass.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council foreordained to come to pass.
Acts 4:28 — American Standard Version

Context — Acts 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
25who by the Holy Spirit, [by] the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say, Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples imagine vain things?
26The kings of the earth set themselves in array, And the rulers were gathered together, Against the Lord, and against his Anointed:
27for 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,
28to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council foreordained to come to pass.
29And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness,
30while thy stretchest forth thy hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of thy holy Servant Jesus.
31And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
← Acts 4:27Acts 4:29 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“For to do whatsoever thy hand, etc.] It was not the end of their gathering together against Christ, or it was not their intention and design, to fulfil the purposes and decrees of God, but to fulfil their own lusts, and satiate their rage and malice against him; but it was so in the event, according to the wise disposal of providence, that by their gathering together, by their consultations and conspiracies, they brought about what God in his everlasting council had decreed. By “the hand” of the Lord here is not meant, the grace and favour of God; or the power and providence of God; or his word of precept, his revealed will; but his secret will, the counsel of his will, the hidden purpose of…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“thy hand and thy counsel determined . . . to be done--that is, "Thy counsel" determined to be done by "Thy hand."”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“For to do ... - See the notes on Acts 2:23; Acts 3:18. The facts which are brought to view in these verses are among the most remarkable on record. They are briefly these: That the Jewish rulers were opposed to the Messiah, and slew him. (2)That the very people to whom he came, and for whose benefit he labored, joined in the opposition, so that it became the act of a united people. (3)That the Romans, who were there as a sort of representation of all pagan nations, were easily prevailed on to join in the persecution, and to become the executioners. (4)That thus opposite factions, and dissimilar and prejudiced people, became united in opposing the Messiah. (5)That the rulers of the Roman…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“The sense is, but they could do no more than thou wast pleased to permit, according to thy determinate counsel, to save mankind by the sufferings of thy Son. And what was needful for this end, thou didst before determine to permit to be done. Acts 4:30”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“4:28 God’s hand had been directing events all along in order to achieve his purpose. A similar awareness of God’s hand guiding the affairs of his people is found in the Old Testament (cp. Ezra 7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 31; Neh 2:8, 18; Eccl 9:1; Ezek 8:1; Rom 8:28; 1 Pet 5:6).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“to do: Act 2:23, Act 3:18, Act 13:27-29; Gen 50:20; Psa 76:10; Mat 26:24, Mat 26:54; Luk 22:22; Luk 24:44-46; Pe1 2:7, Pe1 2:8 and: Job 12:13; Pro 21:30; Isa 5:19, Isa 28:29, Isa 40:13, Isa 46:10, Isa 53:10; Eph 1:11; Heb 6:17 Acts 4:29”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification