Acts 4
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 4
1 While they were still speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees[a] confronted them, 2 disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.(A) 3 They laid hands on them and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard the word came to believe and [the] number of men grew to [about] five thousand.
Before the Sanhedrin. 5 On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes were assembled in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly class. 7 They brought them into their presence and questioned them, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders:(B) 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, 10 then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. 11 (C)He is ‘the stone rejected by you,[b] the builders, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 [c](D)There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”
13 Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, they were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus. 14 Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them, they could say nothing in reply. 15 So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, and conferred with one another, saying, 16 “What are we to do with these men? Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign was done through them, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it may not be spread any further among the people, let us give them a stern warning never again to speak to anyone in this name.”(E)
18 So they called them back and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 Peter and John, however, said to them in reply, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges.(F) 20 It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” 21 After threatening them further, they released them, finding no way to punish them, on account of the people who were all praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing had been done was over forty years old.
Prayer of the Community. 23 After their release they went back to their own people and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them. 24 And when they heard it, they raised their voices to God with one accord and said, “Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them, 25 you said by the holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant:
‘Why did the Gentiles rage(G)
and the peoples entertain folly?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand
and the princes gathered together
against the Lord and against his anointed.’
27 Indeed they gathered in this city against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, Herod[d] and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,(H) 28 to do what your hand and [your] will had long ago planned to take place. 29 And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30 as you stretch forth [your] hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 [e]As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.(I)
Life in the Christian Community.[f] 32 The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. 34 (J)There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, 35 and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.
36 (K)Thus Joseph, also named by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), a Levite, a Cypriot by birth, 37 sold a piece of property that he owned, then brought the money and put it at the feet of the apostles.
Footnotes
- 4:1 The priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees: the priests performed the temple liturgy; the temple guard was composed of Levites, whose captain ranked next after the high priest. The Sadducees, a party within Judaism at this time, rejected those doctrines, including bodily resurrection, which they believed alien to the ancient Mosaic religion. The Sadducees were drawn from priestly families and from the lay aristocracy.
- 4:11 Early Christianity applied this citation from Ps 118:22 to Jesus; cf. Mk 12:10; 1 Pt 2:7.
- 4:12 In the Roman world of Luke’s day, salvation was often attributed to the emperor who was hailed as “savior” and “god.” Luke, in the words of Peter, denies that deliverance comes through anyone other than Jesus.
- 4:27 Herod: Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee and Perea from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39, who executed John the Baptist and before whom Jesus was arraigned; cf. Lk 23:6–12.
- 4:31 The place…shook: the earthquake is used as a sign of the divine presence in Ex 19:18; Is 6:4. Here the shaking of the building symbolizes God’s favorable response to the prayer. Luke may have had as an additional reason for using the symbol in this sense the fact that it was familiar in the Hellenistic world. Ovid and Virgil also employ it.
- 4:32–37 This is the second summary characterizing the Jerusalem community (see note on Acts 2:42–47). It emphasizes the system of the distribution of goods and introduces Barnabas, who appears later in Acts as the friend and companion of Paul, and who, as noted here (Acts 4:37), endeared himself to the community by a donation of money through the sale of property. This sharing of material possessions continues a practice that Luke describes during the historical ministry of Jesus (Lk 8:3) and is in accord with the sayings of Jesus in Luke’s gospel (Lk 12:33; 16:9, 11, 13).
Acts 4
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
The Jewish Leaders Jail Peter And John For Proclaiming The Resurrection
4 And while they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple [guard] and the Sadducees suddenly-came-upon them, 2 being greatly-disturbed because of their teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead in[a] Jesus. 3 And they put their hands on them, and put them in jail[b] until the next day. For it was already evening. 4 But many of the ones having heard the word believed. And the number of the men became about five thousand.
Peter Responds: Jesus, Whom You Crucified And God Raised, Healed This Man
5 And it came about on the next day that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem— 6 and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And having stood them in the middle, they were inquiring, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people, and elders: 9 If we are being examined today for a good-deed to a weak[c] man, by what means[d] this one has been restored, 10 let it be known to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene— Whom you crucified, Whom God raised from the dead— by this One[e] this one stands before you healthy. 11 This One is the stone— the One having been treated-with-contempt[f] by you, the builders; the One having become the head[g] of the corner. 12 And there is no salvation in[h] any other, for neither is there another name under heaven having been given among people by which we must be saved”.
The Jewish Leaders Ponder What To Do In View of This Undeniable Miracle
13 Now observing the boldness of Peter and John, and having understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling. And they were recognizing them, that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man standing there with them, the one having been cured, they were having nothing to speak-against it. 15 But having ordered them to go outside of the council [chamber], they were conferring with one another, 16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For that a known sign has taken place through them is evident to all the ones dwelling-in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it— 17 but in order that it may not spread further to the people, let us threaten them to no longer be speaking on the basis of this name to any of mankind”.
They Command Peter And John Not To Speak Or Teach About Jesus. But They Refuse
18 And having called them, they commanded them not to be speaking[i] nor teaching at all on the basis of the name of Jesus. 19 But having responded, Peter and John said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen-to you rather than God, you judge. 20 For we are not able to not be speaking the things which we saw and heard”. 21 And the ones, having threatened further, released them, finding nothing as to how they might punish them, because of the people— because they were all glorifying God for the thing having taken place. 22 For the man was more than forty years old upon whom this sign of healing had taken place.
Peter And John Are Released. The Believers Rejoice And Ask God For More Boldness
23 And having been released, they went to their own people and reported all-that the chief priests and the elders said to them. 24 And the ones having heard it lifted their voice to God with-one-accord and said, “Master, You are the One having made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them; 25 the One having said by the Holy Spirit from the mouth of our father David, Your servant [in Ps 2:1-2], ‘Why did the Gentiles[j] rage[k], and the peoples plot futile things? 26 The kings of the earth took-their-stand, and the rulers were gathered-together at the same[l] place against the Lord, and against His Anointed-One’. 27 For in accordance with [Your] truth, both Herod and Pontius Pilate together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel were gathered-together in this city against Your holy servant Jesus Whom You anointed, 28 to do all-that Your hand and Your purpose predestined to take place. 29 And as to the things now, Lord— look-upon[m] their threats. And grant to Your slaves to speak Your word with all boldness 30 while[n] You are stretching-out Your hand for healing, and signs[o] and wonders are taking place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus”. 31 And they having prayed, the place in which they had been gathered-together was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they were speaking the word of God with boldness.
The Believers Sell Property To Help Any In Need Among Them
32 Now the heart and soul of the multitude of the ones having believed was one. And not even one of them was saying that any of the things belonging to him were his own, but all things were common[p] to them. 33 And with great power, the apostles were rendering[q] their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all— 34 for there was not even someone in-need among them. For all-who were owners of lands or houses, selling them, were bringing the proceeds of the things being sold 35 and laying it at the feet of the apostles. And it was being distributed to each one as anyone was having a need.
Barnabas Sells a Field And Brings The Money To The Apostles
36 Now Joseph— the one having been called Barnabas by the apostles (which being translated is “son of [r] encouragement[s]”), a Levite, a Cyprian by nationality, 37 a field belonging to him— having made-a-sale, brought the money and laid it at the feet of the apostles.
Footnotes
- Acts 4:2 That is, by-means-of Jesus; or, in-the-case-of Jesus.
- Acts 4:3 Or, custody.
- Acts 4:9 Or, feeble.
- Acts 4:9 Or, name. ‘Means’ includes the power and the name.
- Acts 4:10 Or, name.
- Acts 4:11 Or, despised.
- Acts 4:11 That is, the cornerstone of the foundation; or, the capstone of the arch. Peter is quoting Ps 118:22.
- Acts 4:12 Or, by-means-of.
- Acts 4:18 Or, uttering-a-word, producing-a-sound.
- Acts 4:25 Or, nations.
- Acts 4:25 Or, behave arrogantly, act haughtily.
- Acts 4:26 at the same place. This corresponds to ‘in this city’ in v 27.
- Acts 4:29 That is, concern Yourself with.
- Acts 4:30 That is, during Your stretching-out; or, by Your stretching-out.
- Acts 4:30 Or, and that signs and wonders might be.
- Acts 4:32 Or, shared.
- Acts 4:33 Or, duly-giving.
- Acts 4:36 That is, characterized by.
- Acts 4:36 Or, exhortation.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
