1 A nd while they were talking to the people, the high priests and the military commander of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,

The religious leaders and the leader of the house of God and some of the religious group who believe no one will be raised from the dead came to Peter and John while they were talking to the people.

2 B eing vexed and indignant through and through because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

They were angry because Peter and John had been teaching the people and preaching that Jesus had been raised from the dead.

3 S o they laid hands on them (arrested them) and put them in prison until the following day, for it was already evening.

So they took them and put them in prison until the next day because it was evening.

4 B ut many of those who heard the message believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on Jesus as the Christ). And their number grew and came to about 5, 000.

But many of those who heard what Peter and John said put their trust in Christ. The group of followers was now about 5, 000 men. Peter Speaks to the Religious Leaders’ Court

5 T hen on the following day, their magistrates and elders and scribes were assembled in Jerusalem,

The next day the leaders of the court and the leaders of the people and the teachers of the Law came together in Jerusalem.

6 I ncluding Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and all others who belonged to the high priestly relationship.

Annas the head religious leader was there. Caiaphas and John and Alexander were there also and all who were in the family of the head religious leader.

7 A nd they set the men in their midst and repeatedly demanded, By what sort of power or by what kind of authority did you do this ?

They put the missionaries in front of them and asked, “By what power or in whose name have you done this?”

8 T hen Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and members of the council (the Sanhedrin),

Then Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said, “You who are leaders of the people,

9 I f we are being put on trial today and examined concerning a good deed done to benefit a feeble (helpless) cripple, by what means this man has been restored to health,

are you asking us today about the good work we did to a man who needed help? Are you asking how he was healed?

10 L et it be known and understood by all of you, and by the whole house of Israel, that in the name and through the power and authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified, Whom God raised from the dead, in Him and by means of Him this man is standing here before you well and sound in body.

You and all the Jews must know that it was by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the One you nailed to a cross and God raised from the dead. It is through Him that this man stands in front of you well and strong.

11 T his is the Stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the Head of the corner.

Christ is the Stone that was put aside by you workmen. But He has become the most important Stone in the building.

12 A nd there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved.

There is no way to be saved from the punishment of sin through anyone else. For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved.” Peter and John Are Free to Go but Are Told Not to Preach

13 N ow when they saw the boldness and unfettered eloquence of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and untrained in the schools, they marveled; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

They were surprised and wondered how easy it was for Peter and John to speak. They could tell they were men who had not gone to school. But they knew they had been with Jesus.

14 A nd since they saw the man who had been cured standing there beside them, they could not contradict the fact or say anything in opposition.

They were not able to argue about what Peter and John had said because the man who had been healed was standing with them.

15 B ut having ordered to go aside out of the council, they conferred (debated) among themselves,

The religious leaders told Peter and John to leave the court so the leaders could talk together.

16 S aying, What are we to do with these men? For that an extraordinary miracle has been performed by (through) them is plain to all the residents of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

They said, “What should we do with these men? Everyone living in Jerusalem knows a powerful work has been done by them. We cannot say that it did not happen.

17 B ut in order that it may not spread further among the people and the nation, let us warn and forbid them with a stern threat to speak any more to anyone in this name.

Let us tell them with strong words that they must not speak again to anyone in this name. This will keep the news from going out among the people.”

18 t hey summoned them and imperatively instructed them not to converse in any way or teach at all in or about the name of Jesus.

Then they called them in and told them they must not speak or teach anymore in the name of Jesus.

19 B ut Peter and John replied to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you and obey you rather than God, you must decide (judge).

Peter and John said, “If it is right to listen to you more than to God, you decide about that.

20 B ut we cannot help telling what we have seen and heard.

For we must tell what we have seen and heard.”

21 T hen when had further threatened them, they let them go, not seeing how they could secure a conviction against them because of the people; for everybody was praising and glorifying God for what had occurred.

After they had spoken more sharp words to them, they let them go. They could not beat them because the people were giving thanks to God for what had happened.

22 F or the man on whom this sign (miracle) of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

The man on whom this powerful work of healing had been done was more than forty years old. The Prayer of the Young Church

23 A fter they were permitted to go, returned to their own and told all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

As soon as the missionaries were free to go, they went back to their own group. They told them everything the religious leaders had said.

24 A nd when they heard it, lifted their voices together with one united mind to God and said, O Sovereign Lord, You are He Who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them,

When they heard it, they all prayed to God, saying, “Lord God, You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them.

25 W ho by the mouth of our forefather David, Your servant and child, said through the Holy Spirit, Why did the heathen (Gentiles) become wanton and insolent and rage, and the people imagine and study and plan vain (fruitless) things ?

You said through the Holy Spirit by the mouth of our father David, ‘Why are the nations so shaken up and the people planning foolish things?

26 T he kings of the earth took their stand in array and the rulers were assembled and combined together against the Lord and against His Anointed (Christ, the Messiah).

The kings of the earth stood in a line ready to fight, and the leaders were all against the Lord and against His Christ.’

27 F or in this city there actually met and plotted together against Your holy Child and Servant Jesus, Whom You consecrated by anointing, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and peoples of Israel,

You know that Herod and Pilate and the Jews and the people who are not Jews gathered together here against Jesus. He was Your Holy Son and the One You had chosen

28 T o carry out all that Your hand and Your will and purpose had predestined (predetermined) should occur.

to do everything You planned and said would happen.

29 A nd now, Lord, observe their threats and grant to Your bond servants to declare Your message fearlessly,

And now, Lord, listen to their sharp words. Make it easy for your servants to preach Your Word with power.

30 W hile You stretch out Your hand to cure and to perform signs and wonders through the authority and by the power of the name of Your holy Child and Servant Jesus.

May You heal and do powerful works and special things to see through the name of Jesus, Your Holy Son!” The Christians Are Filled with the Holy Spirit

31 A nd when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage.

When they had finished praying, the place where they were gathered was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. It was easy for them to speak the Word of God. The New Way of Life

32 N ow the company of believers was of one heart and soul, and not one of them claimed that anything which he possessed was his own, but everything they had was in common and for the use of all.

The many followers acted and thought the same way. None of them said that any of their things were their own, but they shared all things.

33 A nd with great strength and ability and power the apostles delivered their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace (loving-kindness and favor and goodwill) rested richly upon them all.

The missionaries told with much power how Jesus was raised from the dead. God’s favor was on them all.

34 N or was there a destitute or needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses proceeded to sell them, and one by one they brought (gave back) the amount received from the sales

No one was in need. All who owned houses or pieces of land sold them and brought the money from what was sold.

35 A nd laid it at the feet of the apostles (special messengers). Then distribution was made according as anyone had need.

They gave it to the missionaries. It was divided to each one as he had need.

36 N ow Joseph, a Levite and native of Cyprus who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles, which interpreted means Son of Encouragement,

Joseph was among them. The missionaries called him Barnabas. His name means Son of Comfort. He was from the family group of Levi and from the country of Cyprus.

37 S old a field which belonged to him and brought the sum of money and laid it at the feet of the apostles.

He had some land which he sold and brought the money to the missionaries.