Psalm 34^[a][b]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane^(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

The Apostles Heal Many

¹² The apostles performed many signs and wonders^(A) among the people. And all the believers used to meet together^(B) in Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(C) 13} No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.^{(D) 14} Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.^{(E) 15} As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.^{(F) 16} Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.^(G)

The Apostles Persecuted

¹⁷ Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party^(H) of the Sadducees,^(I) were filled with jealousy. ¹⁸ They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.^{(J) 19} But during the night an angel^(K) of the Lord opened the doors of the jail^(L) and brought them out.^{(M) 20} “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”^(N)

²¹ At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.

When the high priest and his associates^(O) arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin^(P)—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. ²² But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there.^(Q) So they went back and reported, ²³ “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” ²⁴ On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests^(R) were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.

²⁵ Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” ²⁶ At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people^(S) would stone them.

¹⁶ For God so loved^(A) the world that he gave^(B) his one and only Son,^(C) that whoever believes^(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.^{(E) 17} For God did not send his Son into the world^(F) to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.^{(G) 18} Whoever believes in him is not condemned,^(H) but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.^{(I) 19} This is the verdict: Light^(J) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.^{(K) 20} Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.^{(L) 21} But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.