Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 4:21
Verse 21. When they had farther threatened them] prosapeilhsamenoi, When they had added to their former threatenings, repeating the former menaces, and adding new penalties. Finding nothing how they might punish them] Or, as the Codex Bezae reads, mheuriskontev aitian, pwv kolaswntai, not finding, a cause why they might punish them. This reading is supported by the Syriac and Arabic. Bp. Pearce says, "This is better sense and better Greek." Because of the people] The people saw the miracle, confessed the finger of God, believed on the Lord Jesus, and thus became converts to the Christian faith; and the converts were now so numerous that the sanhedrin was afraid to proceed to any extremities, lest an insurrection should be the consequence.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 21. So when they had further threatened them , etc.] Either repeated the same, as before; or added some more severe ones, to terrify them, if possible; not being able to answer their arguments, or invalidate their reasoning: they let them go ; they did not acquit them as innocent persons, but dismissed them from custody: finding nothing how they might punish them ; not being able, though they sought most diligently for it, to fix anything upon them, which might be a cause, or occasion, or pretence of inflicting any punishment upon them: because of the people : they would not have stuck at the injustice of it, or have been under any concern about offending God; but they were afraid of the people, of losing their credit among them, and lest they should rise up against them, and on the side of the apostles: for all men glorified God for that which was done ; they saw the hand of God in it, and ascribed it to his mercy, goodness, and power, and gave him the glory of it; and therefore to punish the instruments of so great and good a work, would have been esteemed barbarous and wicked, and would have been highly resented by them; since, on the contrary, they judged them worthy of great honour and respect.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 15-22 - All the care of the rulers is, that the doctrine of Christ spread not among the people, yet they cannot say it is false or dangerous, or of any ill tendency; and they are ashamed to own the true reason; that is testifies against their hypocrisy, wickedness, and tyranny. Those wh know how to put a just value upon Christ's promises, know how to pu just contempt upon the world's threatenings. The apostles look with concern on perishing souls, and know they cannot escape eternal rui but by Jesus Christ, therefore they are faithful in warning, an showing the right way. None will enjoy peace of mind, nor ac uprightly, till they have learned to guide their conduct by the fixe standard of truth, and not by the shifting opinions and fancies of men Especially beware of a vain attempt to serve two masters, God and the world; the end will be, you can serve neither fully.
Greek Textus Receptus
οι 3588 T-NPM δε 1161 CONJ προσαπειλησαμενοι 4324 5671 V-AMP-NPM απελυσαν 630 5656 V-AAI-3P αυτους 846 P-APM μηδεν 3367 A-ASN ευρισκοντες 2147 5723 V-PAP-NPM το 3588 T-ASN πως 4459 ADV-I κολασωνται 2849 5672 V-AMS-3P αυτους 846 P-APM δια 1223 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM λαον 2992 N-ASM οτι 3754 CONJ παντες 3956 A-NPM εδοξαζον 1392 5707 V-IAI-3P τον 3588 T-ASM θεον 2316 N-ASM επι 1909 PREP τω 3588 T-DSN γεγονοτι 1096 5756 V-2RAP-DSN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
21. Punish (kolaswntai). Originally, to curtail or dock; to prune as trees: thence to check, keep in bounds, punish.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:21 {When they had further threatened them} (prosapeilesamenoi). The "further" is in "pros" (in addition), {Finding nothing how they might punish them} (meden heuriskontes to pws kolaswntai autous). Note the article "to" before pws (how), "the how." Aorist middle deliberative subjunctive kolaswntai in indirect question after pws from kolazw, to lop (kolos, lopped), to curb, to prune, to correct, to punish. Old verb, in the N.T. only here and #2Pe 2:9. {Glorified God} (edoxazon ton qeon). Imperfect active, kept on glorifying God while the Sanhedrin were threatening Peter and John. It was to laugh at the helplessness of the Sanhedrin.
