1 A nd as they are speaking unto the people, there came to them the priests, and the magistrate of the temple, and the Sadducees --

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 grieved because of their teaching the people, and preaching in Jesus the rising again out of 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 a nd they laid hands upon them, and did put them in custody unto the morrow, for it was evening already;

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

4 a nd many of those hearing the word did believe, and the number of the men became, as it were, five thousand.

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 A nd it came to pass upon the morrow, there were gathered together of them the rulers, and elders, and scribes, to 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 a nd Annas the chief priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the chief priest,

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 having set them in the midst, they were inquiring, `In what power, or in what name did ye 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, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them: `Rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

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

9 i f we to-day are examined concerning the good deed to the ailing man, by whom he hath been saved,

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 b e it known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye did crucify, whom God did raise out of the dead, in him hath this one stood by before you whole.

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 ` This is the stone that was set at nought by you -- the builders, that became head of a 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 not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under the heaven that hath been given among men, in which it behoveth us to 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 A nd beholding the openness of Peter and John, and having perceived that they are men unlettered and plebeian, they were wondering -- they were taking knowledge also of them that with Jesus they had been --

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 seeing the man standing with them who hath been healed, they had nothing to say against,

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 a nd having commanded them to go away out of the sanhedrim, they took counsel with one another,

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

16 s aying, `What shall we do to these men? because that, indeed, a notable sign hath been done through them, to all those dwelling in Jerusalem manifest, and we are not able to deny;

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 that it may spread no further toward the people, let us strictly threaten them no more to speak in this name to any man.'

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 A nd having called them, they charged them not to speak at all, nor to teach, in 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 a nd Peter and John answering unto them said, `Whether it is righteous before God to hearken to you rather than to God, judge ye;

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

20 f or we cannot but speak what we did see and hear.'

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

21 A nd they having further threatened, let them go, finding nothing how they may punish them, because of the people, because all were glorifying God for that which hath been done,

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 above forty years of age was the man upon whom had been done this sign of the healing.

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 nd being let go, they went unto their own friends, and declared whatever the chief priests and the elders said unto 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 they having heard, with one accord did lift up the voice unto God, and said, `Lord, thou God, who didst make the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all that 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, through the mouth of David thy servant, did say, Why did nations rage, and peoples meditate vain 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 stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ;

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 gathered together of a truth against Thy holy child Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, were both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with nations 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 do whatever Thy hand and Thy counsel did determine before to come to pass.

to do everything You planned and said would happen.

29 ` And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings, and grant to Thy servants with all freedom to speak Thy word,

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

30 i n the stretching forth of Thy hand, for healing, and signs, and wonders, to come to pass through the name of Thy holy child 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 they having prayed, the place was shaken in which they were gathered together, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and were speaking the word of God with freedom,

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 a nd of the multitude of those who did believe the heart and the soul was one, and not one was saying that anything of the things he had was his own, but all things were to them in common.

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 power were the apostles giving the testimony to the rising again of the Lord Jesus, great grace also was on them all,

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

34 f or there was not any one among them who did lack, for as many as were possessors of fields, or houses, selling, were bringing the prices of the thing sold,

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 were laying them at the feet of the apostles, and distribution was being made to each according as any one had need.

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

36 A nd Joses, who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas -- which is, having been interpreted, Son of Comfort -- a Levite, of Cyprus by birth,

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 a field being his, having sold, brought the money and laid at the feet of the apostles.

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