The Name of Jesus Forbidden

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, ^(A)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 ^(B)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, ^(C)“What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a ^[a]notable miracle has been done through them is ^(D)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 (E)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, ^(F)“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. ^20 (G)For we cannot but speak the things which ^(H)we have seen and heard.” ²¹ So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, ^(I)because of the people, since they all ^(J)glorified God for ^(K)what had been done.

Imprisoned Apostles Freed

^17 (A)Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with ^[a]indignation, ^18 (B)and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. ¹⁹ But at night ^(C)an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, ²⁰ “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people ^(D)all the words of this life.”

²¹ And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. ^(E)But the high priest and those with him came and called the ^[b]council together, with all the ^[c]elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Apostles on Trial Again

²² But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, ²³ saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing ^[d]outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” ²⁴ Now when ^[e]the high priest, ^(F)the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. ²⁵ So one came and told them, ^[f]saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”

²⁶ Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, ^(G)for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. ²⁷ And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, ²⁸ saying, ^(H)“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, ^(I)and intend to bring this Man’s ^(J)blood on us!”

²⁹ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ^(K)“We ought to obey God rather than men.