Top of Page
Page Style
Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees confronted them. 2 They were very angry because Peter and John were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 So they seized them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of men came to about five thousand.
5 The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high priest’s family. 7 Then they made Peter and John stand before them, and asked the question, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders: 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a crippled man, and how he has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel: it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 This Jesus is
‘The stone that you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone’.
12 “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
13 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realised that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and they recognized that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against them. 15 So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, and they conferred among together. 16 “What should we do with these men?” they asked. For it is obvious to everyone living in Jerusalem that an outstanding miracle has been performed through them, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so this does not spread any further among the people, we must threaten these men against ever speaking to anyone in this name again.
18 So they called them in and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right before God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; 20 we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 After they had threatened them further, they let them go. They couldn’t think of any acceptable way to punish them, because all the people were giving glory to God for what had been done, 22 and the man who had been miraculously healed was over forty years old.
23 After they were released, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and prayed,
“Lord, You are the One who made heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David Your servant:
‘Why do the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth take their stand,
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against His Anointed One’.
27 “For, in fact, it was in this city that both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose had predestined was to be done. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant to Your servants that they may speak Your word boldly. 30 Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
31 When they had 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.
32 Now the whole group of believers were one in heart and soul. No one said that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common. 33 With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for all who owned lands and houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each as anyone had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field which belonged to him, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.