1Mientras Pedro y Juan hablaban a la gente, se presentaron los sacerdotes, el capitán de la guardia del templo y los saduceos.2Estaban muy disgustados porque los apóstoles enseñaban a la gente y proclamaban la resurrección, que se había hecho evidente en el caso de Jesús.3Prendieron a Pedro y a Juan y, como ya anochecía, los metieron en la cárcel hasta el día siguiente.4Pero muchos de los que oyeron el mensaje creyeron, y el número de estos, contando solo a los hombres, llegaba a unos cinco mil.5Al día siguiente se reunieron en Jerusalén los gobernantes, los ancianos y los maestros de la ley.6Allí estaban el sumo sacerdote Anás, Caifás, Juan, Alejandro y los otros miembros de la familia del sumo sacerdote.7Hicieron que Pedro y Juan comparecieran ante ellos y comenzaron a interrogarlos: ―¿Con qué poder, o en nombre de quién, hicisteis esto?8Pedro, lleno del Espíritu Santo, les respondió: ―Gobernantes del pueblo y ancianos:9Hoy se nos procesa por haber favorecido a un inválido, ¡y se nos pregunta cómo fue sanado!10Sabed, pues, todos vosotros y todo el pueblo de Israel que este hombre está aquí delante de vosotros, sano gracias al nombre de Jesucristo de Nazaret, crucificado por vosotros, pero resucitado por Dios.11Jesucristo es »“la piedra que desechasteis vosotros los constructores, y que ha llegado a ser la piedra angular”. (Ps 118,22)12De hecho, en ningún otro hay salvación, porque no hay bajo el cielo otro nombre dado a los hombres mediante el cual podamos ser salvos».13Los gobernantes, al ver la osadía con que hablaban Pedro y Juan, y al darse cuenta de que eran gente sin estudios ni preparación, quedaron asombrados y reconocieron que habían estado con Jesús.14Además, como vieron que los acompañaba el hombre que había sido sanado, no tenían nada que alegar.15Así que les mandaron que se retiraran del Consejo, y se pusieron a deliberar entre sí:16«¿Qué vamos a hacer con estos sujetos? Es un hecho que por medio de ellos ha ocurrido un milagro evidente; todos los que viven en Jerusalén lo saben, y no podemos negarlo.17Pero, para evitar que este asunto siga divulgándose entre la gente, vamos a amenazarlos para que no vuelvan a hablar de ese nombre a nadie».18Los llamaron y les ordenaron terminantemente que dejaran de hablar y enseñar acerca del nombre de Jesús.19Pero Pedro y Juan replicaron: ―¿Es justo delante de Dios obedeceros a vosotros en vez de obedecerlo a él? ¡Juzgadlo vosotros mismos!20Nosotros no podemos dejar de hablar de lo que hemos visto y oído.21Después de nuevas amenazas, los dejaron irse. Por causa de la gente, no hallaban manera de castigarlos: todos alababan a Dios por lo que había sucedido,22pues el hombre que había sido milagrosamente sanado tenía más de cuarenta años.
La oración de los creyentes
23Al quedar libres, Pedro y Juan volvieron a los suyos y les relataron todo lo que les habían dicho los jefes de los sacerdotes y los ancianos.24Cuando lo oyeron, alzaron unánimes la voz en oración a Dios: «Soberano Señor, creador del cielo y de la tierra, del mar y de todo lo que hay en ellos,25tú, por medio del Espíritu Santo, dijiste por boca de nuestro padre David, tu siervo: »“¿Por qué se sublevan las naciones y en vano conspiran los pueblos?26Los reyes de la tierra se rebelan y los gobernantes se confabulan contra el Señor y contra su ungido”.[1] (Ps 2,1)27En efecto, en esta ciudad se reunieron Herodes y Poncio Pilato, con los gentiles y con el pueblo[2] de Israel, contra tu santo siervo Jesús, a quien ungiste28para hacer lo que de antemano tu poder y tu voluntad habían determinado que sucediera.29Ahora, Señor, toma en cuenta sus amenazas y concede a tus siervos el proclamar tu palabra sin temor alguno.30Por eso, extiende tu mano para sanar y hacer señales y prodigios mediante el nombre de tu santo siervo Jesús».31Después de haber orado, tembló el lugar en que estaban reunidos; todos fueron llenos del Espíritu Santo, y proclamaban la palabra de Dios sin temor alguno.
Los creyentes comparten sus bienes
32Todos los creyentes eran de un solo sentir y pensar. Nadie consideraba suya ninguna de sus posesiones, sino que las compartían.33Los apóstoles, a su vez, con gran poder seguían dando testimonio de la resurrección del Señor Jesús. La gracia de Dios se derramaba abundantemente sobre todos ellos,34pues no había ningún necesitado en la comunidad. Quienes poseían casas o terrenos los vendían, llevaban el dinero de las ventas35y lo entregaban a los apóstoles para que se distribuyera a cada uno según su necesidad.36José, un levita natural de Chipre, a quien los apóstoles llamaban Bernabé (que significa: Consolador[3]),37vendió un terreno que poseía, llevó el dinero y lo puso a disposición de los apóstoles.
Apostelgeschichte 4
English Standard Version
Peter and John Before the Council
1And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, (1Chr 9,11; Neh 11,11; Mt 22,23; Lk 22,4; Lk 22,52; Apg 5,24; Apg 5,26)2greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. (Apg 3,15; Apg 17,18)3And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. (Lk 21,12)4But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. (Apg 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; Lk 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; Apg 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, (Apg 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. (Apg 2,24; Apg 3,6)11This Jesus[1] is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.[2] (Ps 118,22; Mk 9,12; Lk 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.” (Lk 24,47; Joh 4,22; Joh 20,31; Apg 10,43; Apg 13,26; Apg 28,28; Gal 1,7; 1Tim 2,5; Hebr 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. (Lk 21,15; Apg 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; Apg 3,9; Apg 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.” (Apg 5,28; Apg 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, (Apg 5,29)20for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Am 3,8; Joh 15,27; Apg 22,15; 1Kor 9,16; 1Joh 1,1; 1Joh 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; Mk 11,32; Lk 20,6; Lk 20,19; Lk 22,2; Apg 3,7; Apg 5,13; Apg 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, (2Mo 20,11; 2Chr 2,12; Neh 9,6; Ps 102,25; Ps 124,8; Ps 134,3; Ps 146,6; Apg 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]— (Dan 9,24; Lk 4,18; Apg 4,5; Apg 10,38; Hebr 1,9; Offb 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; Lk 23,7; Apg 4,26; Apg 4,30)28to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. (Jes 46,10; Apg 2,23)29And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, (2Kön 19,16; Apg 4,13; Apg 4,31; Apg 9,27; Apg 9,29; Apg 13,46; Apg 14,3; Apg 18,26; Apg 19,8; Apg 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; Spr 31,20; Jes 1,25; Zef 1,4; Mt 7,22; Mk 9,39; Mk 16,17; Apg 3,6; Apg 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; Apg 2,2; Apg 2,4; Apg 16,26; Phil 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. (2Chr 30,12; Hes 11,19; Apg 2,44; Phil 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. (Apg 1,8; Apg 1,22; Apg 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 (Apg 2,45; 2Kor 8,14)35and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Apg 4,37; Apg 5,2; Apg 6,1)36Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, (Mk 3,17)37sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (Apg 4,35)