1And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, (1Ch 9:11; Ne 11:11; Mt 22:23; Lu 22:4; Lu 22:52; Ac 5:24; Ac 5:26)2greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. (Ac 3:15; Ac 17:18)3And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. (Lu 21:12)4But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. (Ac 2:41)5On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem,6with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. (Mt 26:3; Lu 3:2; Joh 18:13; Joh 18:24)7And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” (Mt 21:23; Ac 4:10)8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, (Mt 10:20)9if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, (Ac 3:7)10let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. (Ac 2:24; Ac 3:6)11This Jesus[1] is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.[2] (Ps 118:22; Mr 9:12; Lu 23:11)12And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men[3] by which we must be saved.” (Lu 24:47; Joh 4:22; Joh 20:31; Ac 10:43; Ac 13:26; Ac 28:28; Ga 1:7; 1Ti 2:5; Heb 2:3; Jud 1:3)13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. (Joh 7:15)14But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. (Lu 21:15; Ac 3:11)15But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another,16saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. (Joh 11:47; Joh 12:19; Ac 3:9; Ac 4:21)17But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” (Ac 5:28; Ac 5:40)18So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.19But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, (Ac 5:29)20for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Am 3:8; Joh 15:27; Ac 22:15; 1Co 9:16; 1Jo 1:1; 1Jo 1:3)21And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. (Mt 21:26; Mt 21:46; Mr 11:32; Lu 20:6; Lu 20:19; Lu 22:2; Ac 3:7; Ac 5:13; Ac 5:26)22For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.
The Believers Pray for Boldness
23When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.24And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, (Ex 20:11; 2Ch 2:12; Ne 9:6; Ps 102:25; Ps 124:8; Ps 134:3; Ps 146:6; Ac 1:14)25who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,[4] said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? (Ps 2:1)26The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’[5]— (Da 9:24; Lu 4:18; Ac 4:5; Ac 10:38; Heb 1:9; Re 11:15)27for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, (Mt 20:19; Mt 26:3; Mt 27:2; Lu 23:7; Ac 4:26; Ac 4:30)28to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. (Isa 46:10; Ac 2:23)29And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, (2Ki 19:16; Ac 4:13; Ac 4:31; Ac 9:27; Ac 9:29; Ac 13:46; Ac 14:3; Ac 18:26; Ac 19:8; Ac 28:31; Eph 6:19)30while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Ps 138:7; Pr 31:20; Isa 1:25; Zep 1:4; Mt 7:22; Mr 9:39; Mr 16:17; Ac 3:6; Ac 4:27)31And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Ps 77:18; Ac 2:2; Ac 2:4; Ac 16:26; Php 1:14)
They Had Everything in Common
32Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. (2Ch 30:12; Eze 11:19; Ac 2:44; Php 1:27)33And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. (Ac 1:8; Ac 1:22; Ac 11:23)34There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold (Ac 2:45; 2Co 8:14)35and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Ac 4:37; Ac 5:2; Ac 6:1)36Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, (Mr 3:17)37sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (Ac 4:35)
Acts 4
New International Version
Peter and John before the Sanhedrin
1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.3They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.4But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.5The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family.7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: ‘By what power or what name did you do this?’8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: ‘Rulers and elders of the people!9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed,10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.11Jesus is ‘ “the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.” (Ps 118:22)12Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.’13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.16‘What are we going to do with these men?’ they asked. ‘Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.’18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.19But Peter and John replied, ‘Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!20As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
The believers pray
23On 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.24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. ‘Sovereign Lord,’ they said, ‘you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘ “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?26The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.[1]” (Ps 2:1; Ps 2:2)27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’31After they 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.
The believers share their possessions
32All 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.33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all34that there was no needy person among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales35and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’),37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.