Acts 4:18–33

^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.