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Acts 4:20

For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

KJV

οὐ δυνάμεθα γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἃ εἴδαμεν καὶ ἠκούσαμεν μὴ λαλεῖν.

Greek NT

Non enim possumus quæ vidimus et audivimus non loqui.

Vulgate

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

ASV

For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

10 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

γάρ
gar
conjunction · 1036×
δύναμαι
dunamai
verb · 209×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
λαλέω
laleo
verb · 298×
μή
me
particle · 1033×
οὐ
ou
particle · 1626×
ἀκούω
akouo
verb · 427×
ἡμεῖς
emeis
pronoun · 862×
ὁράω
orao
verb · 682×
ὅς
os
relative_pronoun · 1404×

Themes

Historic Christian voices

5 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§425The transmission of the Christian faith consists primarily in proclaiming Jesus Christ in order to lead others to faith in him. From the beginning, the first disciples burned with the desire to proclaim Christ: "We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."11 It and they invite people of every era to enter into the joy of their communion with Christ: That which was from …
Homilies on Matthew · 2 passages
3. Having now, you see, finished all, having discoursed accurately of all virtue, and pointed out the pretenders to it, of various kinds, both such as for display fast and make prayers, and such as come in the sheep's hide; and them too that spoil it, whom He also called swine and dogs: He proceeds to signify how great is the profit of virtue even here, and how great the mischi…
2. But do thou consider, I pray you, who they are that hear these injunctions, so hard and laborious: the timid and ignorant; the unlettered and uninstructed; such as are in every respect obscure, who have never been trained up in the Gentile laws, who do not readily present themselves in the public places; the fishermen, the publicans, men full of innumerable deficiencies. For…

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 9:16 — For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
  • 1Cor 9:16 — For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
  • 1John 1:1 — That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
  • 1John 1:1 — That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
  • 1John 1:3 — That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
  • 1John 3:9 — Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
  • 2Sam 23:2 — The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
  • Acts 1:8 — But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth
  • Acts 2:32 — This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
  • Acts 3:15 — And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
  • Acts 5:32 — And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
  • Acts 5:42 — And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
  • Acts 10:39 — And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
  • Acts 18:5 — And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
  • Acts 22:15 — For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
  • Acts 22:15 — For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
  • Amos 3:8 — The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
  • Eccl 3:7 — A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
  • Ezek 3:11 — And 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 GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.
  • Jer 1:7 — But the LORD 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.
  • Jer 1:17 — Thou 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.
  • Jer 4:19 — My 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 20:9 — Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay
  • Jer 20:9 — Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay
  • Job 4:2 — If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?
  • Job 32:18 — For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.
  • Job 32:18 — For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.
  • John 9:4 — I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
  • John 15:27 — And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
  • Luke 1:2 — Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
  • Luke 1:2 — Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
  • Mark 4:22 — For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
  • Mic 3:8 — But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
  • Num 22:38 — And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
  • Num 23:20 — Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
  • Ps 39:2 — I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.
  • Ps 119:13 — With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
  • Rev 1:2 — Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.