Acts 4–5

Peter and John Arrested

4Now as they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them, ^p2because they were provoked that they were teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead, using Jesus as the example. ^qr3So 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. ^st7After 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: ^uv9If 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. ^w11This Jesus is

the stone rejected by you builders,

which has become the cornerstone. ^xyz

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.” ^a

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. ^b14And 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! ^c17However, 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; ^d20for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” ^e

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; ^f22for 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. ^g25You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David Your servant: ^h

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. ^ij

²⁷“For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people ^kof Israel, assembled together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, ^l28to 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, ^m30while You stretch out Your hand for healing, signs, and wonders ⁿto 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. ^o

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. ^p33And the apostles were giving testimony with great power to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them. ^q34For 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, ^r35and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed for each person’s basic needs. ^st

³⁶Joseph, a Levite and a Cypriot by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas, which is translated Son of Encouragement, ^u37sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ^v

Lying to the Holy Spirit

5But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. ²However, he kept back part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a portion of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ^w

³Then Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart ^xto lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds from the field? ⁴Wasn’t it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God!” ⁵When he heard these words, Ananias dropped dead, and a great fear came on all who heard. ^y6The young men got up, wrapped his body, carried him out, and buried him. ^z

⁷There was an interval of about three hours; then his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸“Tell me,” Peter asked her, “did you sell the field for this price?”

“Yes,” she said, “for that price.”

⁹Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!” ^a

¹⁰Instantly she dropped dead at his feet. When the young men came in, they found her dead, carried her out, and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹Then great fear came on the whole church and on all who heard these things.

Apostolic Signs and Wonders

¹²Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. ^bBy common consent they would all meet in Solomon’s Colonnade. ^c13None of the rest dared to join them, but the people praised them highly. ^d14Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers—crowds of both men and women. ¹⁵As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow ^emight fall on some of them. ¹⁶In addition, a large group came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

In and Out of Prison

¹⁷Then the high priest took action. He and all his colleagues, those who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. ^f18So they arrested ^gthe apostles and put them in the city jail. ^h19But an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail during the night, brought them out, and said, ⁱ²⁰“Go and stand in the temple complex, and tell the people all about this life.” ^j21In obedience to this, they entered the temple complex at daybreak and began to teach.

The Apostles on Trial Again

When the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin—the full Senate of the sons of Israel—and sent orders to the jail to have them brought. ^k22But when the temple police got there, they did not find them in the jail, so they returned and reported, ²³“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing in front of the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” ²⁴As ^lthe commander of the temple police and the chief priests heard these things, they were baffled about them, as to what could come of this.

²⁵Someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple complex and teaching the people.” ²⁶Then the commander went with the temple police and brought them in without force, because they were afraid the people might stone them. ^m27After they brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked, ²⁸“Didn’t we strictly order you not to teach in this name? ⁿAnd look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to bring this man’s blood on us!” ^o

²⁹But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. ³⁰The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, ^pwhom you had murdered by hanging Him on a tree. ^q31God exalted this man to His right hand as ruler and Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. ^r32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit ^swhom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Gamaliel’s Advice

³³When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. ^t34A Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered the men ^uto be taken outside for a little while. ^v35He said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful about what you’re going to do to these men. ³⁶Not long ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about 400 men rallied to him. He was killed, and all his partisans were dispersed and came to nothing. ^w37After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and attracted a following. ^xThat man also perished, and all his partisans were scattered. ³⁸And now, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of men, it will be overthrown; ^y39but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.” So they were persuaded by him. ^z40After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. ^a41Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy…