Acts 4
4
Peter and John Arrested
1Now as they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them, # Mt 3:7; Lk 22:4; Ac 5:24 2because they were provoked that they were teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead, using Jesus as the example. # Lit proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead # Ac 3:15; 17:18 3So they seized them and put them in 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 came to about 5,000.
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 and Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family. # Or high-priestly class, or high-priestly clan # Mt 26:3; Lk 3:2; Jn 18:13 7After they had Peter and John stand before them, they asked the question: “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: # 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 the Nazarene — 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. # Lit the head of the corner # 1Pt 2:7 # Ps 118:22
12There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.” # Mt 1:21; Ac 10:43; 1Tm 2:5
The Name Forbidden
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 response. 15After they had ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, 16saying, “What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign, evident to all who live in Jerusalem, has been done through them, and we cannot deny it! # Jn 11:47; Ac 3:9-10 17However, so 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 preach or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19But Peter 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 40 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 all raised their voices 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: # Other mss read through the mouth of David Your servant
Why did the Gentiles rage
and the peoples plot futile things?
26The kings of the earth took their stand
and the rulers assembled together
against the Lord and against His Messiah. # Ps 2:1-2; Dn 9:24-25; Lk 4:18; Ac 1:16; 10:38; Heb 1:9 # Ps 2:1-2
27“For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people # Lit peoples 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 plan had predestined to take place. 29And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that Your slaves may speak Your message with complete boldness, # Ac 9:27; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8; Php 1:14 30while You stretch out Your hand for healing, signs, and wonders # Jn 4:48; Ac 3:6 to be 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 God’s message with boldness. # Ac 2:2,4; 16:26; Php 1:14
Believers Sharing
32Now the large group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common. # Ac 2:44; Php 1:27 33And the apostles were giving testimony with great power 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 the things that were sold, # Mt 19:21; Ac 2:45 35and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed for each person’s basic needs. # Lit person as anyone had need # Ac 2:45; 4:37; 5:2; 6:1
36Joseph, a Levite and a Cypriot 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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Acts 4: HCSB
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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
The Acts 4
4
1And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2being distressed on account of their teaching the people and preaching by Jesus the resurrection from among the dead; 3and they laid hands on them, and put them in ward till the morrow; for it was already evening. 4But many of those who had heard the word believed; and the number of the men had become about five thousand.
5And it came to pass on the morrow that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together at Jerusalem, 6and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the high priestly family; 7and having placed them in the midst they inquired, In what power or in what name have ye done this? 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, 9if we this day are called upon to answer as to the good deed done to the infirm man, how he has been healed, 10be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazaraean, whom ye have crucified, whom God has raised from among the dead, by him this man stands here before you sound in body. 11He is the stone which has been set at nought by you the builders, which is become the corner stone. 12And salvation is in none other, for neither is there another name under heaven which is given among men by which we must be saved. 13But seeing the boldness of Peter and John, and perceiving that they were unlettered and uninstructed men, they wondered; and they recognised them that they were with Jesus. 14And beholding the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to reply;
15but having commanded them to go out of the council they conferred with one another, 16saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed an evident sign has come to pass through their means is manifest to all that inhabit Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17But that it be not further spread among the people, let us threaten them severely no longer to speak to any man in this name. 18And having called them, they charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answering said to them, If it be righteous before God to listen to you rather than to God, judge ye; 20for as for us we cannot refrain from speaking of the things which we have seen and heard. 21But they, having further threatened them, let them go, finding no way how they might punish them, on account of the people, because all glorified God for what had taken place; 22for the man on whom this sign of healing had taken place was above forty years old.
23And having been let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24And they, having heard it, lifted up their voice with one accord to God, and said, Lord, thou art the God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them; 25who hast said by the mouth of thy servant David, Why have the nations raged haughtily and the peoples meditated vain things? 26The kings of the earth were there, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ. 27For in truth against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou hadst anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the nations, and peoples of Israel, have been gathered together in this city 28to do whatever thy hand and thy counsel had determined before should come to pass. 29And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings, and give to thy bondmen with all boldness to speak thy word, 30in that thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and that signs and wonders take place through the name of thy holy servant Jesus. 31And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God with boldness.
32And the heart and soul of the multitude of those that had believed were one, and not one said that anything of what he possessed was his own, but all things were common to them; 33and with great power did the apostles give witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34For neither was there any one in want among them; for as many as were owners of lands or houses, selling them, brought the price of what was sold 35and laid it at the feet of the apostles; and distribution was made to each according as any one might have need. 36And Joseph, who had been surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which is, being interpreted, Son of consolation), a Levite, Cyprian by birth, 37being possessed of land, having sold it, brought the money and laid it at the feet of the apostles.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.