Acts 4
4
Peter and John Are Taken to the Sanhedrin
1Peter and John were speaking to the people. The priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came up to the apostles. 2They were very upset by what the apostles were teaching the people. The apostles were saying that people can be raised from the dead. They said this can happen because Jesus rose from the dead. 3So the temple authorities arrested Peter and John. It was already evening, so they put them in prison until the next day. 4But many who heard the message believed. The number of men who believed grew to about 5,000.
5The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas, the high priest, was there. So were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and other people in the high priest’s family. 7They had Peter and John brought to them. They wanted to question them. “By what power did you do this?” they asked. “And through whose name?”
8Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people! 9Are you asking us to explain our actions today? Do you want to know why we were kind to a man who couldn’t walk? Are you asking how he was healed? 10Then listen to this, you and all the people of Israel! You nailed Jesus Christ of Nazareth to the cross. But God raised him from the dead. It is through Jesus’ name that this man stands healed in front of you. 11Scripture says that Jesus is
“ ‘the stone you builders did not accept.
But it has become the most important stone of all.’ (Psalm 118:22)
12You can’t be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given people no other name under heaven that will save them.”
13The leaders saw how bold Peter and John were. They also realized that Peter and John were ordinary men with no training. This surprised the leaders. They realized that these men had been with Jesus. 14The leaders could see the man who had been healed. He was standing there with them. So there was nothing they could say. 15They ordered Peter and John to leave the Sanhedrin. Then they talked things over. 16“What can we do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed an unusual miracle. We can’t say it didn’t happen. 17We have to stop this thing. It must not spread any further among the people. We have to warn these men. They must never speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.”
18Once again the leaders called in Peter and John. They commanded them not to speak or teach at all in Jesus’ name. 19But Peter and John replied, “Which is right from God’s point of view? Should we listen to you? Or should we listen to God? You be the judges! 20There’s nothing else we can do. We have to speak about the things we’ve seen and heard.”
21The leaders warned them again. Then they let them go. They couldn’t decide how to punish Peter and John. They knew that all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22The man who had been healed by the miracle was over 40 years old.
The Believers Pray
23Peter and John were allowed to leave. They went back to their own people. They reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24The believers heard this. Then they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Lord and King,” they said, “you made the heavens, the earth and the sea. You made everything in them. 25Long ago you spoke by the Holy Spirit. You spoke through the mouth of our father David, who served you. You said,
“ ‘Why are the nations angry?
Why do the people make useless plans?
26The kings of the earth rise up.
The rulers of the earth gather together
against the Lord
and against his anointed king.’ (Psalm 2:1,2)
27In fact, Herod and Pontius Pilate met with the Gentiles in this city. They also met with the people of Israel. All of them made plans against your holy servant Jesus. He is the one you anointed. 28They did what your power and purpose had already decided should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider the bad things they say they are going to do. Help us to be very bold when we speak your word. 30Stretch out your hand to heal. Do signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They were bold when they spoke God’s word.
The Believers Share What They Own
32All the believers were agreed in heart and mind. They didn’t claim that anything they had was their own. Instead, they shared everything they owned. 33With great power the apostles continued their teaching. They were telling people that the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead. And God’s grace was working powerfully in all of them. 34So there were no needy persons among them. From time to time, those who owned land or houses sold them. They brought the money from the sales. 35They put it down at the apostles’ feet. It was then given out to anyone who needed it.
36Joseph was a Levite from Cyprus. The apostles called him Barnabas. The name Barnabas means Son of Help. 37Barnabas sold a field he owned. He brought the money from the sale. He put it down at the apostles’ feet.
Currently Selected:
Acts 4: NIrV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Acts 4
4
Peter and John Arrested
1While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them,#Mt 3:7; Lk 22:4; Ac 5:24 2because they were annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.#Ac 3:15; 17:18 3So they seized them and took them into custody until the next day since it was already evening. 4But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men#4:4 Or people came to about five thousand.
Peter and John Face the Jewish Leadership
5The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem 6with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family.#Mt 26:3; Lk 3:2; Jn 18:13 7After they had Peter and John stand before them, they began to question them: “By what power or in what name have you done this?”
8Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders:#4:8 Other mss add of Israel#Lk 23:13; Ac 4:5 9If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man, by what means he was healed, 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 and whom God raised from the dead — by him this man is standing here before you healthy.#Ac 2:24; 3:6 11This Jesus is
the stone rejected by you builders,
which has become the cornerstone. # 4:11 Ps 118:22 #
1Pt 2:7
12There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”#Mt 1:21; Ac 10:43; 1Tm 2:5
The Boldness of the Disciples
13When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.#Mt 11:25; Lk 22:8; Jn 7:15 14And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15After they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, 16saying, “What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign has been done through them, clear to everyone living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.#Jn 11:47; Ac 3:9–10 17But so that this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.” 18So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide;#Ac 4:13; 5:28 20for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”#Ac 22:15; 1Co 9:16; 1Jn 1:1,3
21After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done.#Mt 9:8; 21:26; Lk 20:6,19; 22:2; Ac 5:26 22For this sign of healing had been performed on a man over forty years old.
Prayer for Boldness
23After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.#Ex 20:11; 2Ch 2:12; Neh 9:6; Ps 102:25; 124:8; 134:3; 146:6; Is 37:16 25You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David your servant:#4:25 Other mss read through the mouth of David your servant
Why do the Gentiles rage
and the peoples plot futile things?
26 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers assemble together
against the Lord and against his Messiah. # 4:25–26 Ps 2:1–2 #
Ps 2:1–2; Dn 9:24–25; Lk 4:18; Ac 1:16; 10:38; Heb 1:9
27“For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,#Mt 14:1; 27:2; Lk 23:1,12 28to do whatever your hand and your will had predestined to take place. 29And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness,#Ac 9:27; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8; Php 1:14 30while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders#Jn 4:48; Ac 3:6 are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.#Ac 2:2,4; 16:26; Php 1:14
All Things in Common
32Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.#Ac 2:44; Php 1:27 33With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.#Lk 24:48; Ac 1:8,22 34For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold,#Mt 19:21; Ac 2:45 35and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need.#Ac 2:45; 4:37; 5:2; 6:1
36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas (which is translated Son of Encouragement),#Ac 9:27; 1Co 9:6 37sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.#Ac 4:35; 5:2
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers