Acts 4:13-17 says, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled and they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”

The Amplified Bible says, “Now when they saw the boldness and unfettered eloquence of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and untrained in the schools [common men with no educational advantages], they marveled; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. And since they saw the man who had been cured standing there beside them, they could not contradict the fact or say anything in opposition. But having ordered [the prisoners] to go aside out of the council [chamber], they conferred (debated) among themselves, Saying, What are we to do with these men? For that an extraordinary miracle has been performed by (through) them is plain to all the residents of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may not spread further among the people and the nation, let us warn and forbid them with a stern threat to speak any more to anyone in this name [or about this Person].”

I love this portion of scripture because it talks about the boldness of untrained or uneducated men that caused the elders of Israel to marvel. They wondered that men who had not been educated in the schools of the rabbis, and accustomed to speak in public, should declare their faith with so much boldness. Then it says, they recognized they had been with Jesus. I don’t know about you, but I want everyone I come in contact with to recognize that I have been with Jesus.

They were afraid to do anything to these men because of the extraordinary miracle that was done through them that they couldn’t deny. Finally, they threatened them to not speak to any man about the name of Jesus. Being told not to speak to any man about the name of Jesus definitely sounds like a scheme of the devil (which is still happening today). Reading on down to verse 20 we see what their response was, “For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

If you have really been with Jesus you will not be able to be quiet about what you have seen and heard. You too will have the boldness of Peter & John!!!