LISTEN
New American Standard Bible:
And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
New Living Translation:
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.
New King James Version:
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
New International Version:
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Amplified Bible:
And when they had prayed, the place where they were meeting together was shaken [a sign of God’s presence]; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness and courage.
Context:
In Acts four, the believers and members of the early church prayed to God and acknowledged the Lord’s power to save, as he had previously demonstrated through them.
Observations:
After their prayer, the place where they were meeting was shaken in a sign that God had heard their prayer.
Not only did God hear their prayer, they were immediately filled with the Holy Spirit. After they were filled with the Spirit, they began to speak the word of God boldly.
Application:
This is a vivid example of how God answers our prayers and how he has given us the Holy Spirit as a resource of power. The Spirit’s power equips us with the ability to speak the word of God boldly.
