ACT 4
4
The Arrest of Peter and John
1 Now while they were addressing the people, the priests and the captain and commander of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,
2 being deeply annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3 They seized them and put them in custody in a prison until the next day, for it was already evening.
4 But many of those who heard the message believed and put their faith in Christ, and the count of the men grew to nearly five thousand.
5 It occurred that on the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were assembled in Jerusalem,
6 including Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and as many as were from the high-priestly family and lineage.
7 They made them stand in the midst of the assembly and began to question them, saying, "By what power or authority or by what name did you do this thing?"
8 Then Peter, filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders and leaders,
9 if we are being investigated this day with reference to a good work and act of kindness done to a disabled man, by what means and through what power this man has been healed,
10 let it be understood by all of you and by all the people of Israel, that by the name and authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised up from the dead—by Him and through His power this man is presented before you in complete health.
11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has been made the cornerstone of the building.*
12 And there is salvation and deliverance in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven which has been given among men by which we must be saved and delivered."
13 Now when they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were untrained men without formal rabbinical education, they were wondering. And they took note of them that they had spent time with Jesus.
14 But observing the man who had been healed standing together with them, they had nothing to reply in contradiction.
15 But when they had commanded them to go outside and depart from the Sanhedrin council, they began to converse with one another,
16 saying, "What shall we do to and with these men? For that an exceptional sign and miracle has been done through them is clear to all those who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
17 But so that it may not spread further among the people, let us threaten them to speak never again in this name to anyone at all."
18 When they had called them back in, they commanded them not to speak or to teach at all in the name of Jesus or under His authority.
19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to and obey you rather than God, you must judge for yourselves,
20 for we cannot refrain from speaking and testifying about what we have seen with our eyes and heard with our ears."
21 After they had further threatened them, they released them, finding no way or means to punish them because of the people and the public response, for all were glorifying and praising God for what had taken place.
22 For the man was more than forty years old upon whom this sign and miracle of healing had been performed.
Prayer for Boldness to Speak the Word of God
23 When they had been released, they left and came to their own fellows and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
24 When they heard it and received this report, they lifted their voices together with one accord to God and said, "Lord and Master, You are the One who created the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything and all things in them,
25 the One who through the mouth of our father David, Your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,
'Why did the nations become furious,
and the peoples plot empty schemes?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand,
and the rulers gathered themselves together,
against the Lord and against His Anointed One.'*
27 For certainly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed and consecrated, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
28 to do and accomplish all that Your hand and Your purpose and plan had predestined to be done.
29 And now, Lord, take notice of their threats, and grant Your servants the ability to speak Your word with all boldness,
30 while You extend Your hand to heal and restore, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."
31 When they had made their petition, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken physically, and they were all filled afresh with the Holy Spirit and continued to proclaim the word of God with fearless confidence.
Unity Among the Believers
32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul and mind, and no one said or claimed that anything that belonged to him was his own private property, but everything was common property and shared among them.
33 With great power and supernatural ability the apostles were giving and bearing their witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace and divine favour was upon them all.
34 For there was not even anyone needy or lacking among them, because as many as were owners of plots of land or houses were selling them and bringing the proceeds of what was sold
35 and placing it at the feet of the apostles in submission. And it was being distributed and given out to each person, just as anyone had need or requirement.
36 Now Joseph, who was called and surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which name is translated and interpreted as son of encouragement and consolation), a Levite by tribe, a Cypriot by nationality,
37 sold a field that was owned by him and brought the money, and he placed it at the feet of the apostles in humble submission.
Notes
11 Refers to Ps. 118:22
25-26 Quoted from Ps. 2:1-2
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ACT 4: AFINT
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Copyright © 2026 Michael Adeyemi Adegbola. This Scripture text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
