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.

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.” ²⁶ At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people^(L) would stone them.

²⁷ The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin^(M) to be questioned by the high priest. ²⁸ “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,”^(N) he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”^(O)

²⁹ Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!^{(P) 30} The God of our ancestors^(Q) raised Jesus from the dead^(R)—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.^{(S) 31} God exalted him to his own right hand^(T) as Prince and Savior^(U) that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.^{(V) 32} We are witnesses of these things,^(W) and so is the Holy Spirit,^(X) whom God has given to those who obey him.”

³³ When they heard this, they were furious^(Y) and wanted to put them to death.