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Acts 4

Acts 4:20 KJV (With Strong’s)

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20
For
gar (Greek #1063)
properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
KJV usage: and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.
Pronounce: gar
Origin: a primary particle
we
hemeis (Greek #2249)
we (only used when emphatic)
KJV usage: us, we (ourselves).
Pronounce: hay-mice'
Origin: nominative plural of 1473
i cannot
dunamai (Greek #1410)
to be able or possible
KJV usage: be able, can (do, + -not), could, may, might, be possible, be of power.
Pronounce: doo'-nam-ahee
Origin: of uncertain affinity
ou (Greek #3756)
the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not
KJV usage: + long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but. See also 3364, 3372.
Pronounce: oo
Origin: οὐκ (ook), and (before an aspirate) οὐχ (ookh) a primary word
but
me (Greek #3361)
(adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether
KJV usage: any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations. See also 3362, 3363, 3364, 3372, 3373, 3375, 3378.
Pronounce: may
Origin: a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an absolute denial)
speak
laleo (Greek #2980)
to talk, i.e. utter words
KJV usage: preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter. Compare 3004.
Pronounce: lal-eh'-o
Origin: a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb
the things which
hos (Greek #3739)
the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that
KJV usage: one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc. See also 3757.
Pronounce: hos
Origin: ἥ (hay), and neuter ὅ (ho) probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588)
wek have seen
eido (Greek #1492)
used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know
KJV usage: be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot. Compare 3700.
Pronounce: i'-do
Origin: a primary verb
and
kai (Greek #2532)
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
KJV usage: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
Pronounce: kahee
Origin: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force
heard
akouo (Greek #191)
to hear (in various senses)
KJV usage: give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.
Pronounce: ak-oo'-o
Origin: a primary verb
.
i
Jer. 20:9• 9And I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name: but it was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I became wearied with holding in, and I could not. (Jer. 20:9)
k
Acts 22:15• 15For thou shalt be for him to all men a witness of what thou hast seen and heard. (Acts 22:15)
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1 John 1:1,3• 1What was from [the] beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked on, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life
 3that which we have seen and have heard we report to you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us; yea, and our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1,3)

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Sanhedrin; Sanhedrim

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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we cannot.
Acts 2:4,32• 4And they were all filled with [the] Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them to utter.
 32This Jesus did God raise up whereof all we are witnesses. (Acts 2:4,32)
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Acts 17:16‑17• 16Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked in him as he observed the city to be full of idols.
 17He reasoned therefore in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout, and in the market place every day with those that turned up. (Acts 17:16‑17)
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Acts 18:5• 5And when both Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was engrossed with the word testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. (Acts 18:5)
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Num. 22:38• 38And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I am come to thee; but shall I now be able at all to say anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak. (Num. 22:38)
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Num. 23:20• 20Behold, I have received commandment to bless:{HR}And he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. (Num. 23:20)
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2 Sam. 23:2• 2The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me,{HR}And His word was in my tongue. (2 Sam. 23:2)
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Job 32:18‑20• 18For I am full of words;{HR}The spirit of my inwards constraineth me.
 19Behold, my inwards [are] like wine not opened,{HR}Like fresh wine-skins it is working.
 20I will speak, that I may be refreshed,{HR}I will open my lips, and answer. (Job 32:18‑20)
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Jer. 1:7,17‑19• 7But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
 17Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.
 18For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
 19And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith Jehovah, to deliver thee. (Jer. 1:7,17‑19)
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Jer. 4:19• 19My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. (Jer. 4:19)
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Jer. 6:11• 11And I am full of the fury of Jehovah, I am weary with holding in. Pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken; the aged with him that is full of days. (Jer. 6:11)
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Jer. 20:9• 9And I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name: but it was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I became wearied with holding in, and I could not. (Jer. 20:9)
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Ezek. 3:11,14‑21• 11and go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, —whether they will hear or whether they will forbear.
 14And the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit, and the hand of Jehovah was strong upon me.
 15And I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river Chebar, and I sat where they sat; and I sat there astonied among them seven days.
 16And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
 17Son of man, I have appointed thee a watchman unto the house of Israel, and thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and give them warning from me.
 18When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt certainly die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, that he may live: the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand.
 19But if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
 20And when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and do what is wrong, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die; because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous acts which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thy hand.
 21And if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall certainly live, for he hath taken warning; and thou hast delivered thy soul. (Ezek. 3:11,14‑21)
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Mic. 3:8• 8Truly I am full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgressions, and to Israel his sin. (Mic. 3:8)
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1 Cor. 9:16‑17• 16For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast, for necessity is laid upon me, for woe is to me if I preach not the gospel.
 17For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I have an administration entrusted to me. (1 Cor. 9:16‑17)
the things.
Acts 1:8,22• 8But ye shall receive power at the coming of the Holy Spirit upon you; and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and unto the end of the earth.
 22beginning from the baptism of John until the day in which he was received up from us, must one of these become a witness with us of his resurrection. (Acts 1:8,22)
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Acts 3:15• 15but the Author of life ye killed, whom God raised from [the] dead of which we are witnesses; (Acts 3:15)
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Acts 5:32• 32And we are [his] witnesses of these things and the Holy Spirit whom God gave to those that obey him. (Acts 5:32)
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Acts 10:39‑41• 39And we [are] c witnesses of all things which he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom also d they slew hanging [him] on a tree,
 40him God raised on the third day and gave him to be manifest
 41not to all the people, but to witnesses that were chosen before by God, to us which ate and drank with him, after he rose from [the] dead. (Acts 10:39‑41)
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Acts 22:15• 15For thou shalt be for him to all men a witness of what thou hast seen and heard. (Acts 22:15)
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Luke 1:2• 2as those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses of and attendants on the Word have delivered them to us, (Luke 1:2)
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Heb. 2:3‑4• 3how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which, having begun to be spoken by the Lord, was confirmed unto us by those that heard,
 4God joining witness with both signs and wonders, and various powers, and distributions of the Holy Spirit according to his will. (Heb. 2:3‑4)
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1 John 1:1‑3• 1What was from [the] beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked on, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life
 2(and the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and report to you the eternal life, the which was with the Father and was manifested to us);
 3that which we have seen and have heard we report to you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us; yea, and our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1‑3)
• It is the day pre-eminently for bearing witness to Jesus. This is the true and great business of the believer. (“Acts 4:13-22” by W. Kelly)
• The things they had seen and heard were so bound up with what was due to Jehovah and His Anointed, as well as with the believer's blessedness and the unbeliever's misery, woe be to them if they held their peace! (“Acts 4:13-22” by W. Kelly)

J. N. Darby Translation

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for as for us *we* cannot refraing from speaking of the things which we have seen and heard.

JND Translation Notes

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Lit. "cannot not speak."

W. Kelly Translation

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for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard.