Acts 4

Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin

1#Lk 22:4; Ac 5:24As they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, 2#Ac 17:18being greatly troubled because they taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3#Ac 5:18And they seized them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4#Ac 2:41But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men grew to about five thousand.

5#Ac 4:8On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes 6#Lk 3:2; Mt 26:3were assembled at Jerusalem with Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John and Alexander, and all who were of the family of the high priest. 7#Mt 21:23; Ac 4:10When they had stood them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”

8#Ac 2:4Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9#Ac 3:7If we today are being examined concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, how this man has been healed, 10#Ac 3:6be it known to you all, 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 stands before you whole. 11#Isa 28:16; Ps 118:22–23He is

‘the stone you builders rejected,

which has become the cornerstone.’#Ps 118:22.

12#Mt 1:21; Jn 3:36There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

13#Jn 7:15; Mt 11:25When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were illiterate and uneducated men, they marveled. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14But seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against it. 15So when they had commanded them to go outside of the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, 16saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that an acknowledged miracle has been done through them is revealed to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17#Ac 5:28But lest it spread further among the people, let us threaten them that they no longer speak to anyone in this name.”

18#Ac 5:40Then they called them and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19#Ac 5:29But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20#Ac 22:15For we cannot help but declare what we have seen and heard.”

21#Ac 5:26; Mt 21:46When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people. For all glorified God for what was done, 22for the man on whom this miracle of healing was performed was over forty years old.

The Believers Pray for Boldness

23On being released, they went to their own people and reported what the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24#Ne 9:6When they heard this, they lifted their voices in unity to God and prayed, “Lord, You are God, who has made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25#Ac 1:16and who by the mouth of Your servant David said:

‘Why did the nations rage,

and the people devise vain things?

26#Lk 4:18; Ac 10:38 The kings of the earth came,

and the rulers were assembled together

against the Lord

and against His Christ.’

27#Mt 27:2; Ac 4:30Indeed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were assembled together against Your holy Son Jesus whom You have anointed, 28#Ac 2:23; Isa 46:10to do what Your hand and Your counsel had foreordained to be done. 29#Ac 4:13; 4:31Now, Lord, look on their threats and grant that Your servants may speak Your word with great boldness, 30#Ac 4:27; 3:6by stretching out Your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be performed in the name of Your holy Son Jesus.”

31#Ac 2:2; 2:4When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

All Things in Common

32#2Ch 30:12; Php 1:27All the believers were of one heart and one soul, and no one said that what he possessed was his own. But to them all things were in common. 33#Ac 1:8; 1:22With great power the apostles testified to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all. 34#Ac 2:45There was no one among them who lacked, for all those who were owners of land or houses sold them, and brought the income from what was sold, 35#Ac 5:2; 2:45and placed it at the apostles’ feet. And it was distributed to each according to his need.

36#1Co 9:6; Mk 3:17Joseph, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means, Son of Encouragement), a Levite from the land of Cyprus, 37sold a field he owned, and brought the money and placed it at the apostles’ feet.

Currently Selected:

Acts 4: MEV

Highlight

Copy

Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in

Military Bible Association

Learn More About Modern English Version

Acts 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:

Highlight

Copy

Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in

Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®

Learn More About New International Reader’s Version