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And as they are speaking unto the people, there came to them the priests, and the magistrate of the temple, and the Sadducees --

being grieved because of their teaching the people, and preaching in Jesus the rising again out of the dead --

and they laid hands upon them, and did put them in custody unto the morrow, for it was evening already;

and many of those hearing the word did believe, and the number of the men became, as it were, five thousand.

And it came to pass upon the morrow, there were gathered together of them the rulers, and elders, and scribes, to Jerusalem,

and Annas the chief priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the chief priest,

and having set them in the midst, they were inquiring, `In what power, or in what name did ye do this?'

Then Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them: `Rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

if we to-day are examined concerning the good deed to the ailing man, by whom he hath been saved,

10 be it known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye did crucify, whom God did raise out of the dead, in him hath this one stood by before you whole.

11 `This is the stone that was set at nought by you -- the builders, that became head of a corner;

12 and there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under the heaven that hath been given among men, in which it behoveth us to be saved.'

13 And beholding the openness of Peter and John, and having perceived that they are men unlettered and plebeian, they were wondering -- they were taking knowledge also of them that with Jesus they had been --

14 and seeing the man standing with them who hath been healed, they had nothing to say against [it],

15 and having commanded them to go away out of the sanhedrim, they took counsel with one another,

16 saying, `What shall we do to these men? because that, indeed, a notable sign hath been done through them, to all those dwelling in Jerusalem [is] manifest, and we are not able to deny [it];

17 but that it may spread no further toward the people, let us strictly threaten them no more to speak in this name to any man.'

18 And having called them, they charged them not to speak at all, nor to teach, in the name of Jesus,

19 and Peter and John answering unto them said, `Whether it is righteous before God to hearken to you rather than to God, judge ye;

20 for we cannot but speak what we did see and hear.'

21 And they having further threatened [them], let them go, finding nothing how they may punish them, because of the people, because all were glorifying God for that which hath been done,

22 for above forty years of age was the man upon whom had been done this sign of the healing.

23 And being let go, they went unto their own friends, and declared whatever the chief priests and the elders said unto them,

24 and they having heard, with one accord did lift up the voice unto God, and said, `Lord, thou [art] God, who didst make the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all that [are] in them,

25 who, through the mouth of David thy servant, did say, Why did nations rage, and peoples meditate vain things?

26 the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ;

27 for gathered together of a truth against Thy holy child Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, were both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with nations and peoples of Israel,

28 to do whatever Thy hand and Thy counsel did determine before to come to pass.

29 `And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings, and grant to Thy servants with all freedom to speak Thy word,

30 in the stretching forth of Thy hand, for healing, and signs, and wonders, to come to pass through the name of Thy holy child Jesus.'

31 And they having prayed, the place was shaken in which they were gathered together, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and were speaking the word of God with freedom,

32 and of the multitude of those who did believe the heart and the soul was one, and not one was saying that anything of the things he had was his own, but all things were to them in common.

33 And with great power were the apostles giving the testimony to the rising again of the Lord Jesus, great grace also was on them all,

34 for there was not any one among them who did lack, for as many as were possessors of fields, or houses, selling [them], were bringing the prices of the thing sold,

35 and were laying them at the feet of the apostles, and distribution was being made to each according as any one had need.

36 And Joses, who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas -- which is, having been interpreted, Son of Comfort -- a Levite, of Cyprus by birth,

37 a field being his, having sold [it], brought the money and laid [it] at the feet of the apostles.

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