Acts 4
Young's Literal Translation
4 And as they are speaking unto the people, there came to them the priests, and the magistrate of the temple, and the Sadducees --
2 being grieved because of their teaching the people, and preaching in Jesus the rising again out of the dead --
3 and they laid hands upon them, and did put them in custody unto the morrow, for it was evening already;
4 and many of those hearing the word did believe, and the number of the men became, as it were, five thousand.
5 And it came to pass upon the morrow, there were gathered together of them the rulers, and elders, and scribes, to Jerusalem,
6 and Annas the chief priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the chief priest,
7 and having set them in the midst, they were inquiring, `In what power, or in what name did ye do this?'
8 Then Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them: `Rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
9 if we to-day are examined concerning the good deed to the ailing man, by whom he hath been saved,
10 be it known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye did crucify, whom God did raise out of the dead, in him hath this one stood by before you whole.
11 `This is the stone that was set at nought by you -- the builders, that became head of a corner;
12 and there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under the heaven that hath been given among men, in which it behoveth us to be saved.'
13 And beholding the openness of Peter and John, and having perceived that they are men unlettered and plebeian, they were wondering -- they were taking knowledge also of them that with Jesus they had been --
14 and seeing the man standing with them who hath been healed, they had nothing to say against [it],
15 and having commanded them to go away out of the sanhedrim, they took counsel with one another,
16 saying, `What shall we do to these men? because that, indeed, a notable sign hath been done through them, to all those dwelling in Jerusalem [is] manifest, and we are not able to deny [it];
17 but that it may spread no further toward the people, let us strictly threaten them no more to speak in this name to any man.'
18 And having called them, they charged them not to speak at all, nor to teach, in the name of Jesus,
19 and Peter and John answering unto them said, `Whether it is righteous before God to hearken to you rather than to God, judge ye;
20 for we cannot but speak what we did see and hear.'
21 And they having further threatened [them], let them go, finding nothing how they may punish them, because of the people, because all were glorifying God for that which hath been done,
22 for above forty years of age was the man upon whom had been done this sign of the healing.
23 And being let go, they went unto their own friends, and declared whatever the chief priests and the elders said unto them,
24 and they having heard, with one accord did lift up the voice unto God, and said, `Lord, thou [art] God, who didst make the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all that [are] in them,
25 who, through the mouth of David thy servant, did say, Why did nations rage, and peoples meditate vain things?
26 the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ;
27 for gathered together of a truth against Thy holy child Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, were both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with nations and peoples of Israel,
28 to do whatever Thy hand and Thy counsel did determine before to come to pass.
29 `And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings, and grant to Thy servants with all freedom to speak Thy word,
30 in the stretching forth of Thy hand, for healing, and signs, and wonders, to come to pass through the name of Thy holy child Jesus.'
31 And they having prayed, the place was shaken in which they were gathered together, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and were speaking the word of God with freedom,
32 and of the multitude of those who did believe the heart and the soul was one, and not one was saying that anything of the things he had was his own, but all things were to them in common.
33 And with great power were the apostles giving the testimony to the rising again of the Lord Jesus, great grace also was on them all,
34 for there was not any one among them who did lack, for as many as were possessors of fields, or houses, selling [them], were bringing the prices of the thing sold,
35 and were laying them at the feet of the apostles, and distribution was being made to each according as any one had need.
36 And Joses, who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas -- which is, having been interpreted, Son of Comfort -- a Levite, of Cyprus by birth,
37 a field being his, having sold [it], brought the money and laid [it] at the feet of the apostles.
Acts 4
New International Reader's Version
Peter and John Are Taken to the Sanhedrin
4 Peter and John were speaking to the people. The priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came up to the apostles. 2 They were very upset by what the apostles were teaching the people. The apostles were saying that people can be raised from the dead. They said this can happen because Jesus rose from the dead. 3 So the temple authorities arrested Peter and John. It was already evening, so they put them in prison until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed. The number of men who believed grew to about 5,000.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas, the high priest, was there. So were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and other people in the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought to them. They wanted to question them. “By what power did you do this?” they asked. “And through whose name?”
8 Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 Are you asking us to explain our actions today? Do you want to know why we were kind to a man who couldn’t walk? Are you asking how he was healed? 10 Then listen to this, you and all the people of Israel! You nailed Jesus Christ of Nazareth to the cross. But God raised him from the dead. It is through Jesus’ name that this man stands healed in front of you. 11 Scripture says that Jesus is
“ ‘the stone you builders did not accept.
But it has become the most important stone of all.’ (Psalm 118:22)
12 You can’t be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given people no other name under heaven that will save them.”
13 The leaders saw how bold Peter and John were. They also realized that Peter and John were ordinary men with no training. This surprised the leaders. They realized that these men had been with Jesus. 14 The leaders could see the man who had been healed. He was standing there with them. So there was nothing they could say. 15 They ordered Peter and John to leave the Sanhedrin. Then they talked things over. 16 “What can we do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed an unusual miracle. We can’t say it didn’t happen. 17 We have to stop this thing. It must not spread any further among the people. We have to warn these men. They must never speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.”
18 Once again the leaders called in Peter and John. They commanded them not to speak or teach at all in Jesus’ name. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right from God’s point of view? Should we listen to you? Or should we listen to God? You be the judges! 20 There’s nothing else we can do. We have to speak about the things we’ve seen and heard.”
21 The leaders warned them again. Then they let them go. They couldn’t decide how to punish Peter and John. They knew that all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 The man who had been healed by the miracle was over 40 years old.
The Believers Pray
23 Peter and John were allowed to leave. They went back to their own people. They reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 The believers heard this. Then they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Lord and King,” they said, “you made the heavens, the earth and the sea. You made everything in them. 25 Long ago you spoke by the Holy Spirit. You spoke through the mouth of our father David, who served you. You said,
“ ‘Why are the nations angry?
Why do the people make useless plans?
26 The kings of the earth rise up.
The rulers of the earth gather together
against the Lord
and against his anointed king.’ (Psalm 2:1,2)
27 In fact, Herod and Pontius Pilate met with the Gentiles in this city. They also met with the people of Israel. All of them made plans against your holy servant Jesus. He is the one you anointed. 28 They did what your power and purpose had already decided should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider the bad things they say they are going to do. Help us to be very bold when we speak your word. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal. Do signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They were bold when they spoke God’s word.
The Believers Share What They Own
32 All the believers were agreed in heart and mind. They didn’t claim that anything they had was their own. Instead, they shared everything they owned. 33 With great power the apostles continued their teaching. They were telling people that the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead. And God’s grace was working powerfully in all of them. 34 So there were no needy persons among them. From time to time, those who owned land or houses sold them. They brought the money from the sales. 35 They put it down at the apostles’ feet. It was then given out to anyone who needed it.
36 Joseph was a Levite from Cyprus. The apostles called him Barnabas. The name Barnabas means Son of Help. 37 Barnabas sold a field he owned. He brought the money from the sale. He put it down at the apostles’ feet.
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