Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin

4 The priests and the captain of the temple guard^(A) and the Sadducees^(B) came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. ² They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.^{(C) 3} They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail^(D) until the next day. ⁴ But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew^(E) to about five thousand.

⁵ The next day the rulers,^(F) the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. ⁶ Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas,^(G) John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. ⁷ They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,^(H) said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!^{(I) 9} If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame^(J) and are being asked how he was healed, ¹⁰ then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,^(K) whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead,^(L) that this man stands before you healed.

The Apostles Persecuted

¹⁷ Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party^(A) of the Sadducees,^(B) were filled with jealousy. ¹⁸ They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.^{(C) 19} But during the night an angel^(D) of the Lord opened the doors of the jail^(E) and brought them out.^{(F) 20} “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”^(G)

²¹ At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.

When the high priest and his associates^(H) arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin^(I)—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. ²² But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there.^(J) So they went back and reported, ²³ “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” ²⁴ On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests^(K) were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.

²⁵ Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.”