Acts 4:4 Cross References - AUV

⁴ But many of the people who heard the message [of God] believed [in Jesus] and the number of men [alone] came to be about five thousand.

²⁴ Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat drops into the soil and dies, it remains a single grain, but if it dies, [then] it will produce many grains.

⁴¹ Then those who responded [by faith] to the words [spoken by Peter and the apostles] were immersed, and about three thousand persons were added to them [i.e., the apostles] on that day.

²⁴ And some people believed what Paul said and some refused to believe.

¹⁴ But I offer thanks to God, who always leads us [preachers] to victory in [the service of] Christ, and through us makes known the “fragrant odor” of His knowledge everywhere. ¹⁵ For we [i.e., through our preaching] are like a fragrant incense which goes up to God, [and spreads the knowledge] of Christ among both saved and lost people. ¹⁶ To lost people [we become] a smell of death [i.e., we bring condemnation to people who reject our message]; to saved people [we become] a fragrance of life [i.e., we bring salvation to people who accept our message]. And who is adequate to [accomplish] such tasks? ¹⁷ For we [apostles] are not like so many people, who “peddle” God’s message merely for profit [or, “who corrupt God’s message”], but in Christ’s [service] we proclaim the message from God with sincerity, [realizing we are] in the presence of God.

¹² Now I want you to know, brothers, that the things that happened to me have resulted in the advancement [of the influence] of the Gospel rather [than hindering it], ¹³ so that my imprisonment for Christ became known throughout the entire headquarters of the governor [i.e., among all his personnel], and to everyone else. ¹⁴ And most of the brothers in the Lord’s [service], through my imprisonment, gained confidence to speak out God’s message with greater courage and without fear. ¹⁵ Some people, indeed, are proclaiming Christ out of envy and strife [i.e., out of rivalry], while others do it from goodwill. ¹⁶ Those who do it out of love [for me] know that I am prepared to defend the Gospel [i.e., before government authorities]. ¹⁷ But the others preach Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely, hoping to stir up trouble for me while I am in prison. ¹⁸ So, what [should I think about the situation]? Just this: I am happy and will continue to be happy that, in every way, Christ is being preached, [regardless of] whether it is in pretense or with sincerity.

⁹ for which I am suffering difficulty [here] in prison, as [though I were] a criminal. But God’s message is not “in prison.” ¹⁰ So, I endure everything for the elect’s sake [i.e., God’s people], so that they can obtain the salvation which comes through Christ Jesus, with [its] never ending splendor.