Acts 4:1–20

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