18 And when they had summoned them, they acommanded them not to speak or teach at all 1in the name of Jesus.

19 But aPeter and John answered and said to them, “bWhether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge;

20 for awe cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

21 When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) aon account of the people, because they were all bglorifying God for what had happened;

22 for the man was more than forty years old on whom this 1miracle of healing had been performed.

23 When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O 1Lord, it is You who amade the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

25 who aby the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,

‘bWhy did the 1Gentiles rage,

And the peoples devise futile things?

26 ‘aThe kings of the earth 1took their stand,

And the rulers were gathered together

Against the Lord and against His 2bChrist.’

27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy 1aservant Jesus, whom You anointed, both bHerod and cPontius Pilate, along with dthe 2Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,

28 to do whatever Your hand and aYour purpose predestined to occur.

29 “And 1now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may aspeak Your word with all bconfidence,

30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and 1asigns and wonders take place through the name of Your holy 2bservant Jesus.”

31 And when they had prayed, the aplace where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all bfilled with the Holy Spirit and began to cspeak the word of God with dboldness.