Acts 4–5

Peter and John Arrested

4Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the ^aSadducees came upon them, ²being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. ³And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Addressing the Sanhedrin

⁵And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, ⁶as well as ^bAnnas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. ⁷And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, ^c“By what power or by what name have you done this?”

^8dThen Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: ⁹If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, ¹⁰let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, ^ethat by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, ^fwhom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. ¹¹This is the ^g‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ ^12hNor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The Name of Jesus Forbidden

¹³Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, ⁱand perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. ¹⁴And seeing the man who had been healed ^jstanding with them, they could say nothing against it. ¹⁵But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, ¹⁶saying, ^k“What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a ¹notable miracle has been done through them is ^levident ²to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”

^18mSo they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹But Peter and John answered and said to them, ⁿ“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. ^20oFor we cannot but speak the things which ^pwe have seen and heard.” ²¹So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, ^qbecause of the people, since they all ^rglorified God for ^swhat had been done. ²²For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

Prayer for Boldness

²³And being let go, ^tthey went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. ²⁴So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, ^uYou are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ²⁵who ³by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

^v‘Why did the nations rage,

And the people plot vain things?

²⁶The kings of the earth took their stand,

And the rulers were gathered together

Against the Lord and against His Christ.’

²⁷“For ^wtruly against ^xYour holy Servant Jesus, ^ywhom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together ^28zto do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. ²⁹Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants ^athat with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰by stretching out Your hand to heal, ^band that signs and wonders may be done ^cthrough the name of ^dYour holy Servant Jesus.”

³¹And when they had prayed, ^ethe place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, ^fand they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Sharing in All Things

³²Now the multitude of those who believed ^gwere of one heart and one soul; ^hneither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. ³³And with ⁱgreat power the apostles gave ^jwitness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And ^kgreat grace was upon them all. ³⁴Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; ^lfor all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, ^35mand laid them at the apostles’ feet; ⁿand they distributed to each as anyone had need.

³⁶And ⁴Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of ⁵Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, ^37ohaving land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Lying to the Holy Spirit

5But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. ²And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ^3aBut Peter said, “Ananias, why has ^bSatan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? ⁴While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

⁵Then Ananias, hearing these words, ^cfell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. ⁶And the young men arose and ^dwrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.

⁷Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?”

She said, “Yes, for so much.”

⁹Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together ^eto 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.” ^10fThen immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. ^11gSo great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.

Continuing Power in the Church

¹²And ^hthrough the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. ⁱAnd they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. ¹³Yet ^jnone of the rest dared join them, ^kbut the people esteemed them highly. ¹⁴And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, ¹⁵so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, ^lthat at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. ¹⁶Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing ^msick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Imprisoned Apostles Freed

¹⁷ⁿThen the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with ¹indignation, ^18oand laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. ¹⁹But at night ^pan angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, ²⁰“Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people ^qall the words of this life.”

²¹And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. ^rBut the high priest and those with him came and called the ²council together, with all the ³elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Apostles on Trial Again

²²But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, ²³saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing ⁴outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” ²⁴Now when ⁵the high priest, ^sthe captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. ²⁵So one came and told them, ⁶saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”

²⁶Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, ^tfor they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. ²⁷And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, ²⁸saying, ^u“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, ^vand intend to bring this Man’s ^wblood on us!”

²⁹But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ^x“We ought to obey God rather than men. ^30yThe God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by ^zhanging on a tree. ^31aHim God has exalted to His right hand to be ^bPrince and ^cSavior, ^dto give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³²And ^ewe are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit ^fwhom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Gamaliel’s Advice

³³When they heard this, they were ^gfurious ⁷and plotted to kill them. ³⁴Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named ^hGamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. ³⁵And he said to them: “Men of Israel, ⁸take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. ³⁶For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, ⁹joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. ³⁷After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. ³⁸And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; ³⁹ⁱbut if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found ^jto fight against God.”

⁴⁰And they agreed with him, and when they had ^kcalled for the apostles ^land beaten them, they commanded that they should not…