Acts of Emissaries of Yeshua (Act) 5:17-42

But the cohen hagadol and his associates, who were members of the party of the Tz’dukim, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the emissaries and put them in the public jail. But during the night, an angel of ADONAI opened the doors of the prison, led them out and said, “Go, stand in the Temple court and keep telling the people all about this new life!” After hearing that, they entered the Temple area about dawn and began to teach. Now the cohen hagadol and his associates came and called a meeting of the Sanhedrin (that is, of Isra’el’s whole assembly of elders) and sent to the jail to have them brought. But the officers who went did not find them in the prison. So they returned and reported, “We found the jail securely locked and the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened it, we found no one inside!” When the captain of the Temple police and the head cohanim heard these things, they were puzzled and wondered what would happen next. Then someone came and reported to them, “Listen! The men you ordered put in prison are standing in the Temple court, teaching the people!” The captain and his officers went and brought them, but not with force; because they were afraid of being stoned by the people. They conducted them to the Sanhedrin, where the cohen hagadol demanded of them, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name! Look here! you have filled Yerushalayim with your teaching; moreover, you are determined to make us responsible for this man’s death!” Kefa and the other emissaries answered, “We must obey God, not men. The God of our fathers raised up Yeshua, whereas you men killed him by having him hanged on a stake. God has exalted this man at his right hand as Ruler and Savior, in order to enable Isra’el to do t’shuvah and have her sins forgiven. We are witnesses to these things; so is the Ruach HaKodesh, whom God has given to those who obey him.” On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were infuriated and wanted to put the emissaries to death. But one of the members of the Sanhedrin rose to his feet, a Parush named Gamli’el, a teacher of the Torah highly respected by all the people. He ordered the men put outside for a little while and then addressed the court: “Men of Isra’el, take care what you do to these people. Some time ago, there was a rebellion under Todah, who claimed to be somebody special; and a number of men, maybe four hundred, rallied behind him. But upon his being put to death, his whole following was broken up and came to nothing. After this, Y’hudah HaG’lili led another uprising, back at the time of the enrollment for the Roman tax; and he got some people to defect to him. But he was killed, and all his followers were scattered. So in the present case, my advice to you is not to interfere with these people, but to leave them alone. For if this idea or this movement has a human origin, it will collapse. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them; you might even find yourselves fighting God!” They heeded his advice. After summoning the emissaries and flogging them, they commanded them not to speak in the name of Yeshua, and let them go. The emissaries left the Sanhedrin overjoyed at having been considered worthy of suffering disgrace on account of him. And not for a single day, either in the Temple court or in private homes, did they stop teaching and proclaiming the Good News that Yeshua is the Messiah.