Acts 4
Christian Standard Bible
Peter and John Arrested
4 While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them,(A) 2 because they were annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.(B) 3 So they seized them and took them into custody until the next day since it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men[a] came to about five thousand.
Peter and John Face the Jewish Leadership
5 The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family.(C) 7 After they had Peter and John stand before them, they began to question them: “By what power or in what name have you done this?”
8 Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders:[b](D) 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man, by what means he 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 of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing here before you healthy.(E) 11 This Jesus is
12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”(G)
The Boldness of the Disciples
13 When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.(H) 14 And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 After they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign has been done through them, clear to everyone living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.(I) 17 But so that this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.” 18 So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19 Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide;(J) 20 for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”(K)
21 After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done.(L) 22 For this sign of healing had been performed on a man over forty years old.
Prayer for Boldness
23 After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.(M) 25 You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David your servant:[d]
Why do the Gentiles rage
and the peoples plot futile things?
26 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers assemble together
against the Lord and against his Messiah.[e](N)
27 “For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,(O) 28 to do whatever your hand and your will had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness,(P) 30 while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders(Q) are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.(R)
All Things in Common
32 Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.(S) 33 With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.(T) 34 For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold,(U) 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need.(V)
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas (which is translated Son of Encouragement),(W) 37 sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.(X)
Acts 4
International Standard Version
Peter and John are Tried before the Jewish Council
4 While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the Temple guards, and the Sadducees came to them. 2 They were greatly disturbed that Peter and John[a] were teaching the people and announcing that Jesus had been resurrected[b] from the dead. 3 So they arrested them and placed them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard their message believed, and the men grew to number about 5,000.
5 The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes met in Jerusalem 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John,[c] Alexander, and the rest of the high priest’s family. 7 They made Peter and John[d] stand in front of them and began asking, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
8 Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, told them, “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being questioned today for a good deed done for someone who was sick or to learn how this man was healed, 10 you and all the people of Israel must understand that this man stands healthy before you because of the name of Jesus from Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead. 11 He is
‘the stone that was rejected by you builders,
which has become the cornerstone.’[e]
12 There is no salvation by anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.”
13 Now when the Jewish leaders[f] saw the boldness of Peter and John and found out that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could not say anything against them. 15 So they ordered them to leave the Council[g] and began to discuss the matter among themselves. 16 They said, “What should we do with these men? For it’s obvious to everybody living in Jerusalem that an unmistakable sign has been done by them, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to keep it from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them never again to speak to anyone in this name.”
18 So they called Peter and John[h] back in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “You must decide whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than God, 20 for we cannot stop talking about what we’ve seen and heard.”
21 So they threatened Peter and John[i] even more and then let them go. They couldn’t find any way to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened, 22 since the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than 40 years old.
The Believers Pray for Boldness
23 After they were released, Peter and John[j] went to their fellow believers[k] and told them everything the high priests and the elders had said. 24 When they heard this, they all raised their voices to God and said, “Master, you made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. 25 You said by the Holy Spirit through the voice of our ancestor, your servant David,
‘Why do the unbelievers[l] rage,
and the people devise useless plots?
26 The kings of the earth take their stand,
and rulers meet together against the Lord[m]
and against his Messiah.’[n]
27 For in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate actually met together with unbelievers[o] and the people of Israel to oppose your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 28 to carry out everything that your hand and will had predetermined to take place. 29 Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow your servants to speak your word boldly 30 as you stretch out your hand to heal and to perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 When they had prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken, and all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak messages from[p] God boldly.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32 Now all the believers were one in heart and soul, and nobody called any of his possessions his own. Instead, they shared everything they owned. 33 With great power, the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was on them all, 34 since none of them needed anything, because everyone who had land or houses would sell them and bring the money received for the things sold 35 and lay it at the apostles’ feet. Then it was distributed to anyone who needed it. 36 One man,[q] Joseph, a descendant of Levi and a native of Cyprus, who was named Barnabas by the apostles (the name[r] means “a son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field that belonged to him, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Footnotes
- Acts 4:2 Lit. they
- Acts 4:2 Lit. that in the case of Jesus there had been a resurrection
- Acts 4:6 Other mss. read Jonathan
- Acts 4:7 Lit. them
- Acts 4:11 Or capstone; cf. Ps 118:22
- Acts 4:13 Lit. when they
- Acts 4:15 Or Sanhedrin
- Acts 4:18 Lit. called them
- Acts 4:21 Lit. threatened them
- Acts 4:23 Lit. released, they
- Acts 4:23 Lit. their own
- Acts 4:25 Lit. gentiles ; i.e. unbelieving non-Jews
- Acts 4:26 MT source citation reads Lord
- Acts 4:26 Or Christ; cf. Ps 2:1-2
- Acts 4:27 Lit. gentiles ; i.e. unbelieving non-Jews
- Acts 4:31 Lit. speak the word of
- Acts 4:36 Lit. Now
- Acts 4:36 Lit. which
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
