Peter and John Arrested

And while[a] they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees approached them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them and put them[b] in custody until the next day, because it was already evening. But many of those who listened to the message believed, and the number of the men was approximately five thousand.

Peter and John on Trial Before the Sanhedrin

And it happened that on the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes came together in Jerusalem, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all those who were from the high priest’s family. And they made them stand in their[c] midst and[d] began to ask,[e] “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a sick man—by what means[f] this man was healed— 10 let it be known to all of you 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 him this man stands before you healthy! 11 This one[g] is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone.[h] 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among people by which we must be saved.”

13 Now when they[i] saw the boldness of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were astonished, and recognized them, that they had been with Jesus. 14 And because they[j] saw the man who had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say in return. 15 But after they[k] had ordered them to go outside the Sanhedrin,[l] they began to confer[m] with one another, 16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For that a remarkable sign has taken place through them is evident to all those who live in Jerusalem, and we are not able to deny it![n] 17 But in order that it may not spread much further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more in this name to anyone at all.”[o] 18 And they called them back and[p] commanded them[q] not to speak or to teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and[r] said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than God, you decide! 20 For we are not able to refrain from speaking about the things that we have seen and heard.” 21 So after[s] threatening them[t] further, they released them, finding no way to punish them on account of the people, because they were all praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 4:1 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were speaking”)
  2. Acts 4:3 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  3. Acts 4:7 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  4. Acts 4:7 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“stand”) has been translated as a finite verb
  5. Acts 4:7 *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to ask”)
  6. Acts 4:9 Or “through whom”
  7. Acts 4:11 “This one” refers to Jesus
  8. Acts 4:11 Literally “the head of the corner”; this verse is an allusion to Ps 118:22
  9. Acts 4:13 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
  10. Acts 4:14 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as causal
  11. Acts 4:15 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had ordered”) which is understood as temporal
  12. Acts 4:15 Or “council”
  13. Acts 4:15 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to confer”)
  14. Acts 4:16 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  15. Acts 4:17 Literally “to no man”
  16. Acts 4:18 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“called”) has been translated as a finite verb
  17. Acts 4:18 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  18. Acts 4:19 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  19. Acts 4:21 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“threatening … further”) which is understood as temporal
  20. Acts 4:21 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin

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. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.(C) They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail(D) until the next day. But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew(E) to about five thousand.

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

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,(H) said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!(I) 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. 11 Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,
    which has become the cornerstone.’[a](M)

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”(N)

13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John(O) and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men,(P) they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.(Q) 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin(R) and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?”(S) they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign,(T) and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.(U) 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him?(V) You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking(W) about what we have seen and heard.”(X)

21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people(Y) were praising God(Z) for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 4:11 Psalm 118:22