Acts 4
4
Peter and John Are Brought in Front of the Council
1The apostles were still talking to the people, when some priests, the captain of the temple guard, and some Sadducees arrived. 2These men were angry because the apostles were teaching the people that the dead would be raised from death, just as Jesus had been raised from death. 3It was already late in the afternoon, and they arrested Peter and John and put them in jail for the night. 4But a lot of people who had heard the message believed it. So by now there were about 5,000 followers of the Lord.
5The next morning the leaders, the elders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses met in Jerusalem. 6The high priest Annas was there, as well as Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other members of the high priest's family. 7They brought in Peter and John and made them stand in the middle while they questioned them. They asked, “By what power and in whose name have you done this?”
8Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and told the nation's leaders and the elders:
9You are questioning us today about a kind deed in which a man who could not walk was healed. 10But there is something we must tell you and everyone else in Israel. This man is standing here completely well because of the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth. You put Jesus to death on a cross, but God raised him to life. 11#Ps 118.22. He is the stone you builders thought was worthless, and now he is the most important stone of all. 12Only Jesus has the power to save! His name is the only one in all the world that can save anyone.
13The officials were amazed to see how brave Peter and John were, and they knew that these two apostles were only ordinary men and not well educated. The officials were certain these men had been with Jesus. 14But they could not deny what had happened. The man who had been healed was standing there with the apostles.
15The officials commanded them to leave the council room. Then the officials said to each other, 16“What can we do with these men? Everyone in Jerusalem knows about this miracle, and we cannot say it didn't happen. 17But to keep this thing from spreading, we will warn them never again to speak to anyone about the name of Jesus.” 18So they called the two apostles back in and told them they must never, for any reason, teach anything about the name of Jesus.
19Peter and John answered, “Do you think God wants us to obey you or to obey him? 20We cannot keep quiet about what we have seen and heard.”
21-22The officials could not find any reason to punish Peter and John. So they threatened them and let them go. The man who was healed by this miracle was more than 40 years old, and everyone was praising God for what had happened.
Peter and Others Pray for Courage
23As soon as Peter and John had been set free, they went back and told the others everything the chief priests and the leaders had said to them. 24#Ex 20.11; Ne 9.6; Ps 146.6. When the rest of the Lord's followers heard this, they prayed together and said:
Master, you created heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. 25#Ps 2.1,2 (LXX). And by the Holy Spirit you spoke to our ancestor David. He was your servant, and you told him to say:
“Why are all the Gentiles
so furious?
Why do people
make foolish plans?
26The kings of earth
prepare for war,
and the rulers
join together
against the Lord
and his Messiah.”
27 #
Lk 23.7-11;
Mt 27.1,2; Mk 15.1; Lk 23.1; Jn 18.28,29. Here in Jerusalem, Herod#4.27 Herod: Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great. and Pontius Pilate got together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel. Then they turned against your holy Servant#4.27 Servant: See the note at 3.13. Jesus, your chosen Messiah. 28They did what you in your power and wisdom had already decided would happen.
29Lord, listen to their threats! We are your servants. So make us brave enough to speak your message. 30Show your mighty power, as we heal people and work miracles and wonders in the name of your holy Servant#4.30 Servant: See the note at 3.13. Jesus.
31After they had prayed, the meeting place shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and bravely spoke God's message.
Sharing Possessions
32 #
Ac 2.44,45. The group of followers all felt the same way about everything. None of them claimed that their possessions were their own, and they shared everything they had with each other. 33In a powerful way the apostles told everyone that the Lord Jesus was now alive. God greatly blessed his followers,#4.33 God greatly blessed his followers: Or “Everyone highly respected his followers.” 34and no one went in need of anything. Everyone who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money 35to the apostles. Then they would give the money to anyone in need.
36-37Joseph was one of the followers who had sold a piece of property and brought the money to the apostles. He was a Levite from Cyprus, and the apostles called him Barnabas, which means “one who encourages others.”
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© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
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
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