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The Jewish Leaders Jail Peter And John For Proclaiming The Resurrection

And while they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple [guard] and the Sadducees suddenly-came-upon them, being greatly-disturbed because of their teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead in[a] Jesus. And they put their hands on them, and put them in jail[b] until the next day. For it was already evening. But many of the ones having heard the word believed. And the number of the men became about five thousand.

Peter Responds: Jesus, Whom You Crucified And God Raised, Healed This Man

And it came about on the next day that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem— and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And having stood them in the middle, they were inquiring, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people, and elders: If we are being examined today for a good-deed to a weak[c] man, by what means[d] this one has been restored, 10 let it be known to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene— Whom you crucified, Whom God raised from the dead— by this One[e] this one stands before you healthy. 11 This One is the stone— the One having been treated-with-contempt[f] by you, the builders; the One having become the head[g] of the corner. 12 And there is no salvation in[h] any other, for neither is there another name under heaven having been given among people by which we must be saved”.

The Jewish Leaders Ponder What To Do In View of This Undeniable Miracle

13 Now observing the boldness of Peter and John, and having understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling. And they were recognizing them, that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man standing there with them, the one having been cured, they were having nothing to speak-against it. 15 But having ordered them to go outside of the council [chamber], they were conferring with one another, 16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For that a known sign has taken place through them is evident to all the ones dwelling-in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it 17 but in order that it may not spread further to the people, let us threaten them to no longer be speaking on the basis of this name to any of mankind”.

They Command Peter And John Not To Speak Or Teach About Jesus. But They Refuse

18 And having called them, they commanded them not to be speaking[i] nor teaching at all on the basis of the name of Jesus. 19 But having responded, Peter and John said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen-to you rather than God, you judge. 20 For we are not able to not be speaking the things which we saw and heard”. 21 And the ones, having threatened further, released them, finding nothing as to how they might punish them, because of the people— because they were all glorifying God for the thing having taken place. 22 For the man was more than forty years old upon whom this sign of healing had taken place.

Peter And John Are Released. The Believers Rejoice And Ask God For More Boldness

23 And having been released, they went to their own people and reported all-that the chief priests and the elders said to them. 24 And the ones having heard it lifted their voice to God with-one-accord and said, “Master, You are the One having made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them; 25 the One having said by the Holy Spirit from the mouth of our father David, Your servant [in Ps 2:1-2], ‘Why did the Gentiles[j] rage[k], and the peoples plot futile things? 26 The kings of the earth took-their-stand, and the rulers were gathered-together at the same[l] place against the Lord, and against His Anointed-One’. 27 For in accordance with [Your] truth, both Herod and Pontius Pilate together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel were gathered-together in this city against Your holy servant Jesus Whom You anointed, 28 to do all-that Your hand and Your purpose predestined to take place. 29 And as to the things now, Lord— look-upon[m] their threats. And grant to Your slaves to speak Your word with all boldness 30 while[n] You are stretching-out Your hand for healing, and signs[o] and wonders are taking place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus”. 31 And they having prayed, the place in which they had been gathered-together was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they were speaking the word of God with boldness.

The Believers Sell Property To Help Any In Need Among Them

32 Now the heart and soul of the multitude of the ones having believed was one. And not even one of them was saying that any of the things belonging to him were his own, but all things were common[p] to them. 33 And with great power, the apostles were rendering[q] their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all— 34 for there was not even someone in-need among them. For all-who were owners of lands or houses, selling them, were bringing the proceeds of the things being sold 35 and laying it at the feet of the apostles. And it was being distributed to each one as anyone was having a need.

Barnabas Sells a Field And Brings The Money To The Apostles

36 Now Joseph— the one having been called Barnabas by the apostles (which being translated is “son of [r] encouragement[s]”), a Levite, a Cyprian by nationality, 37 a field belonging to him— having made-a-sale, brought the money and laid it at the feet of the apostles.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 4:2 That is, by-means-of Jesus; or, in-the-case-of Jesus.
  2. Acts 4:3 Or, custody.
  3. Acts 4:9 Or, feeble.
  4. Acts 4:9 Or, name. ‘Means’ includes the power and the name.
  5. Acts 4:10 Or, name.
  6. Acts 4:11 Or, despised.
  7. Acts 4:11 That is, the cornerstone of the foundation; or, the capstone of the arch. Peter is quoting Ps 118:22.
  8. Acts 4:12 Or, by-means-of.
  9. Acts 4:18 Or, uttering-a-word, producing-a-sound.
  10. Acts 4:25 Or, nations.
  11. Acts 4:25 Or, behave arrogantly, act haughtily.
  12. Acts 4:26 at the same place. This corresponds to ‘in this city’ in v 27.
  13. Acts 4:29 That is, concern Yourself with.
  14. Acts 4:30 That is, during Your stretching-out; or, by Your stretching-out.
  15. Acts 4:30 Or, and that signs and wonders might be.
  16. Acts 4:32 Or, shared.
  17. Acts 4:33 Or, duly-giving.
  18. Acts 4:36 That is, characterized by.
  19. Acts 4:36 Or, exhortation.

Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin

The priests and the captain of the temple guard(A) and the Sadducees(B) came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.(C) They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail(D) until the next day. But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew(E) to about five thousand.

The next day the rulers,(F) the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas,(G) John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,(H) said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!(I) If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame(J) and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,(K) whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead,(L) that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,
    which has become the cornerstone.’[a](M)

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”(N)

13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John(O) and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men,(P) they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.(Q) 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin(R) and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?”(S) they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign,(T) and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.(U) 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him?(V) You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking(W) about what we have seen and heard.”(X)

21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people(Y) were praising God(Z) for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

The Believers Pray

23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.(AA) “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.(AB) 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:(AC)

“‘Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.[b][c](AD)

27 Indeed Herod(AE) and Pontius Pilate(AF) met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus,(AG) whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.(AH) 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.(AI) 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders(AJ) through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”(AK)

31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.(AL) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit(AM) and spoke the word of God(AN) boldly.(AO)

The Believers Share Their Possessions

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.(AP) 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify(AQ) to the resurrection(AR) of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace(AS) was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them,(AT) brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet,(AU) and it was distributed to anyone who had need.(AV)

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas(AW) (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.(AX)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 4:11 Psalm 118:22
  2. Acts 4:26 That is, Messiah or Christ
  3. Acts 4:26 Psalm 2:1,2