^4:18And they called them in and ordered⁴⁵ them not to speak or teach at all in the name⁴⁶ of Jesus. ^4:19But Peter and John replied,⁴⁷ “Whether it is right before God to obey⁴⁸ you rather than God, you decide, ^4:20for it is impossible⁴⁹ for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”

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Footnotes

45 Or “commanded.”
46 In the name of Jesus. Once again, the “name” reflects the person. The person of Jesus and his authority is the “troubling” topic that, as far as the Jewish leadership is concerned, needs controlling.
47 Grk “answered and said to them.”
48 Grk “hear,” but the idea of “hear and obey” or simply “obey” is frequently contained in the Greek verb ἀκούω (akouō; see L&N 36.14).
49 Grk “for we are not able not to speak about what we have seen and heard,” but the double negative, which cancels out in English, is emphatic in Greek. The force is captured somewhat by the English translation “it is impossible for us not to speak …” although this is slightly awkward.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

NLTNew Living Translation

So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And they called them back and commanded them not to speak or to teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than God, you decide! For we are not able to refrain from speaking about the things that we have seen and heard.”

KJV 1900King James Version

And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

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