Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹⁷ Some Sadducees were with the high priest. They all became very jealous.

¹⁸ They caught the apostles and put them in prison.

¹⁹ But that night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out.

²⁰ `Go,' said the angel. `Stand in the temple and tell the people all about this new life.'

²¹ When the apostles heard that, they went into the temple early in the morning and taught the people there. The high priest and his men came. They called a meeting of the court and all the leaders of the Jews. Then they sent men to the prison to bring the apostles out.

²² When the men came to the prison, they did not find the apostles there. Then they went back and told the high priest and those with him.

²³ They said, `The prison was locked very well. And the police were guarding the doors. But when we opened the doors, no one was inside.'

²⁴ When the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard this, they did not know what to think. `We wonder what will come from all this,' they thought.

²⁵ Just then someone came and told them, `The men you put in prison are standing in the temple teaching the people.'

²⁶ Then the captain went with the men and brought the apostles quietly. They did not bring them by force because they were afraid the people would kill them with stones.