Acts:4
Seeker Overlay ON
*
While they were saying this to the people ,
the Priests ,
the Commander of the Temple Guard ,
and the Sadducees came upon them ,
*
highly incensed at their teaching the people and proclaiming in the case of Jesus the Resurrection from among the dead .
*
They arrested the two Apostles and lodged them in custody till the next day ;
for it was already evening .
*
But many of those who had listened to their preaching believed ;
and the number of the adult men had now grown to be about 5 ,
000 .
*
The next day a meeting was held in Jerusalem of their Rulers ,
Elders ,
and Scribes ,
*
with Annas the High Priest ,
Caiaphas ,
John ,
Alexander ,
and the other members of the high-priestly family .
*
So they made the Apostles stand in the centre ,
and demanded of them , »
By what power or in what name have you done this ?«
*
Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit ,
and he replied , »
Rulers and Elders of the people ,
*
if we to-day are under examination concerning the benefit conferred on a man helplessly lame ,
as to how this man has been cured ;
*
be it known to you all ,
and to all the people of Israel ,
that through the name of Jesus the Anointed ,
the Nazarene ,
whom crucified ,
but whom has raised from among the dead –
through that name this man stands here before you in perfect health .
*
This Jesus is
*
And in no other is the great salvation to be found ;
for ,
in fact ,
there is no second name under Heaven that has been given among men through which we are to be saved .«
*
As they looked on Peter and John so fearlessly outspoken –
and also discovered that they were illiterate persons ,
untrained in the schools –
they were surprised ;
and now they recognized them as having been with Jesus .
*
And seeing the man standing with them –
the man who had been cured –
they had no reply to make .
*
So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin while they conferred among themselves .
* »
What are we to do with these men ?«
they asked one another ;
for the fact that a remarkable miracle has been performed by them is well known to every one in Jerusalem ,
and we cannot deny it .
*
But to prevent the matter spreading any further among the people ,
let us stop them by threats from speaking in the future in this name to any one whatever .«
*
So they recalled the Apostles ,
and ordered them altogether to give up speaking or teaching in the name of Jesus .
*
But Peter and John replied , »
Judge whether it is right in God '
s sight to listen to you instead of listening to God .
*
As for us ,
what we have seen and heard we cannot help speaking about .«
*
The Court added further threats and then let them go ,
being quite unable to find any way of punishing them on account of the people ,
because all gave God the glory for the thing that had happened .
*
For the man was over forty years of age on whom this miracle of restoration to health had been performed .
*
After their release the two Apostles went to their friends ,
and told them all that the High Priests and Elders had said .
*
And they ,
upon hearing the story ,
all lifted up their voices to God and said , »
O Sovereign Lord ,
it is Thou who didst make Heaven and earth and sea ,
and all that is in them ,
*
and didst say through the Holy Spirit by the lips of our forefather David Thy servant ,
wmth @
Acts:4:26 " />
* »
They did indeed assemble in this city in hostility to Thy holy Servant Jesus whom Thou hadst anointed –
Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and also the tribes of Israel –«
*
to do all that Thy power and Thy will had predetermined should be done .
*
And now ,
Lord ,
listen to their threats ,
and enable Thy servants to proclaim Thy Message with fearless courage ,
*
whilst Thou stretchest out Thine arm to cure men ,
and to give signs and marvels through the name of Thy holy Servant Jesus .«
*
When they had prayed ,
the place in which they were assembled shook ,
and they were ,
one and all ,
filled with the Holy Spirit ,
and proceeded to tell God '
s Message with boldness .
*
Among all those who had embraced the faith there was but one heart and soul ,
so that none of them claimed any of his possessions as his own ,
but everything they had was common property ;
*
while the Apostles with great force of conviction delivered their testimony as to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus ;
and great grace was upon them all .
*
And ,
in fact ,
there was not a needy man among them ,
for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them ,
and brought the money which they realised ,
*
and gave it to the Apostles ,
and distribution was made to every one according to his wants .
*
In this way Joseph ,
whom the Apostles gave the name of Bar-nabas –
signifying `
Son of Encouragement '–
a Levite ,
a native of Cyprus ,
*
sold a farm which he had ,
and brought the money and gave it to the Apostles .