Acts 4:3-28

New American Standard Bible

³ And they laid hands on them and ^(A)put them in prison until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴ But many of those who had heard the ^[a]message believed; and ^(B)the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

⁵ On the next day, their ^(C)rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; ⁶ and ^(D)Annas the high priest was there, and ^(E)Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent. ⁷ When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” ⁸ Then Peter, ^[b](F)filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “^[c](G)Rulers and elders of the people, ⁹ if we are ^[d]on trial today for ^(H)a benefit done to a sick man, as to ^[e]how this man has been made well, ¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that ^[f](I)by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom ^(J)God raised from the dead—^[g]by ^[h]this name this man stands here before you in good health. ^11 [i](K)He is the ^(L)stone which was ^(M)rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone. ¹² And there is salvation in ^(N)no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”

Threat and Release

¹³ Now as they observed the ^(O)confidence of ^(P)Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and ^(Q)began to recognize them ^[j]as having been with Jesus. ¹⁴ And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. ¹⁵ But when they had ordered them to leave the ^[k](R)Council, they began to confer with one another, ¹⁶ saying, “^(S)What are we to do with these men? For the fact that a ^(T)noteworthy ^[l]miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let’s warn them not to speak any longer to any person ^(U)in this name.” ¹⁸ And when they had summoned them, they ^(V)commanded them not to speak or teach at all ^[m]in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But ^(W)Peter and John answered and said to them, “^(X)Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, make your own judgment; ²⁰ for ^(Y)we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” ²¹ When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) ^(Z)on account of the people, because they were all ^(AA)glorifying God for what had happened; ²² for the man on whom this ^[n]miracle of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.

²³ When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported everything that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ And when they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind and said, “^[o]Lord, it is You who ^(AB)made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them, ²⁵ who ^(AC)by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,

²⁷ For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy ^[s](AG)servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both ^(AH)Herod and ^(AI)Pontius Pilate, along with ^(AJ)the ^[t]Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, ²⁸ to do whatever Your hand and ^(AK)purpose predestined to occur.