Acts

1And as they were speaking to the people, the priests, and the officer of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

2Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead:

3And they laid hands upon them, and put them in hold till the next day; for it was now evening.

4But many of them who had heard the word, believed; and the number of the men was made five thousand.

5And it came to pass on the morrow, that their princes, and ancients, and scribes, were gathered together in Jerusalem;

6And Annas the high priest, and Caiphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest.

7And setting them in the midst, they asked: By what power, or by what name, have you done this?

8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them: Ye princes of the people, and ancients, hear:

9If we this day are examined concerning the good deed done to the infirm man, by what means he hath been made whole:

10Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the dead, even by him this man standeth here before you whole.

11This is the stone which was rejected by you the builders, which is become the head of the corner.

12Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved.

13Now seeing the constancy of Peter and of John, understanding that they were illiterate and ignorant men, they wondered; and they knew them that they had been with Jesus.

14Seeing the man also who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

15But they commanded them to go aside out of the council; and they conferred among themselves,

16Saying: What shall we do to these men? for indeed a known miracle hath been done by them, to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: it is manifest, and we cannot deny it.

17But that it may be no farther spread among the people, let us threaten them that they speak no more in this name to any man.

18And calling them, they charged them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19But Peter and John answering, said to them: If it be just in the sight of God, to hear you rather than God, judge ye.

20For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

21But they threatening, sent them away, not finding how they might punish them, because of the people; for all men glorified what had been done, in that which had come to pass.

22For the man was above forty years old, in whom that miraculous cure had been wrought.

23And being let go, they came to their own company, and related all that the chief priests and ancients had said to them.

24Who having heard it, with one accord lifted up their voice to God, and said: Lord, thou art he that didst make heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that are in them.

25Who, by the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of our father David, thy servant, hast said: Why did the Gentiles rage, and the people meditate vain things?

26The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes assembled together against the Lord and his Christ.

27For of a truth there assembled together in this city against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel,

28To do what thy hand and thy counsel decreed to be done.

29And now, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants, that with all confidence they may speak thy word,

30By stretching forth thy hand to cures, and signs, and wonders to be done by the name of thy holy Son Jesus.

31And when they had prayed, the place was moved wherein they were assembled; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with confidence.

32And the multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul: neither did any one say that aught of the things which he possessed, was his own; but all things were common unto them.

33And with great power did the apostles give testimony of the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord; and great grace was in them all.

34For neither was there any one needy among them. For as many as were owners of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the price of the things they sold,

35And laid it down before the feet of the apostles. And distribution was made to every one, according as he had need.

36And Joseph, who, by the apostles, was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, by interpretation, The son of consolation,) a Levite, a Cyprian born,

37Having land, sold it, and brought the price, and laid it at the feet of the apostles.

Peter and John before the Sanhedrin

1While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,

2greatly disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

3They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in custody until the next day.

4But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

5The next day the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem,

6along with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and many others from the high priest’s family.

7They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people!

9If we are being examined today about a kind service to a man who was lame, to determine how he was healed,

10then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

11This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected,which has become the cornerstone.’

12Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

The Name Forbidden

13When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.

14And seeing the man who had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say in response.

15So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrinand then conferred together.

16“What shall we do with these men?” they asked. “It is clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has occurred through them, and we cannot deny it.

17But to keep this message from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in this name.”

18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

19But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.

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

21After further threats they let them go. They could not find a way to punish them, because all the people were glorifying God for what had happened.

22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

The Believers’ Prayer

23On their release, Peter and John returned to their own people and reported everything that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

24When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to God with one accord. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them.

25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant,our father David: ‘Why do the nations rageand the peoples plot in vain?

26The kings of the earth take their standand the rulers gather togetheragainst the Lordand against His Anointed One.’

27In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed.

28They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen.

29And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness,

30as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”

31After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Sharing among Believers

32The multitude of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they owned.

33With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all.

34There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales,

35and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need.

36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (meaning Son of Encouragement),

37sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.