Peter and John Arrested

4 Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the ^(A)Sadducees came upon them, ² being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. ³ And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴ However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Addressing the Sanhedrin

⁵ And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, ⁶ as well as ^(B)Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. ⁷ And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, ^(C)“By what power or by what name have you done this?”

^8 (D)Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: ⁹ If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, ¹⁰ let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, ^(E)that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, ^(F)whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. ¹¹ This is the ^(G)‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ ^12 (H)Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The Name of Jesus Forbidden

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, ^(I)and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ And seeing the man who had been healed ^(J)standing with them, they could say nothing against it. ¹⁵ But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, ¹⁶ saying, ^(K)“What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a ^[a]notable miracle has been done through them is ^(L)evident^[b] to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”

^18 (M)So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But 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. ^20 (O)For we cannot but speak the things which ^(P)we have seen and heard.” ²¹ So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, ^(Q)because of the people, since they all ^(R)glorified God for ^(S)what had been done. ²² For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

Prayer for Boldness^(T)

²³ And being let go, ^(U)they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. ²⁴ So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, ^(V)You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ²⁵ who ^[c]by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

²⁷ “For ^(X)truly against ^(Y)Your holy Servant Jesus, ^(Z)whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together ^28 (AA)to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. ²⁹ Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants ^(AB)that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, ^(AC)and that signs and wonders may be done ^(AD)through the name of ^(AE)Your holy Servant Jesus.”

³¹ And when they had prayed, ^(AF)the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, ^(AG)and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Sharing in All Things

³² Now the multitude of those who believed ^(AH)were of one heart and one soul; ^(AI)neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. ³³ And with ^(AJ)great power the apostles gave ^(AK)witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And ^(AL)great grace was upon them all. ³⁴ Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; ^(AM)for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, ^35 (AN)and laid them at the apostles’ feet; ^(AO)and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

³⁶ And ^[d]Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of ^[e]Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, ^37 (AP)having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ^(A)

¹³ When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ^(B)“Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

¹⁴ So they said, ^(C)“Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or ^(D)one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ He said to them, “But who do ^(E)you say that I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered and said, ^(F)“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, ^(G)for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but ^(H)My Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸ And I also say to you that ^(I)you are Peter, and ^(J)on this rock I will build My church, and ^(K)the gates of Hades shall not ^[a]prevail against it. ^19 (L)And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth ^[b]will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

^20 (M)Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

Only One Gospel

⁶ I marvel that you are turning away so soon ^(A)from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ^7 (B)which is not another; but there are some ^(C)who trouble you and want to ^(D)pervert^[a] the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if ^(E)we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be ^[b]accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you ^(F)than what you have received, let him be accursed.

¹⁰ For ^(G)do I now ^(H)persuade men, or God? Or ^(I)do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Living Sacrifices to God

12 I ^(A)beseech^[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies ^(B)a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your ^[b]reasonable service. ² And ^(C)do not be conformed to this world, but ^(D)be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may ^(E)prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

³ For I say, ^(F)through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, ^(G)not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt ^(H)to each one a measure of faith.