Acts 4

¹While they were still speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees confronted them. ²They were deeply indignant because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming, by the example of Jesus, the resurrection from among the dead. ³They seized them and put them in custody until the next morning, for it was already evening. ⁴But many of those who had heard the message believed, and the number of the men grew to about five thousand.

⁵The next day, their rulers, elders, and Torah-scholars assembled in Jerusalem, ⁶including Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and everyone else from the high-priestly lineage. ⁷They made the apostles stand in their midst and began to interrogate them: “By what sort of power or in what name did you do this?”

⁸Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers of the people and elders, ⁹if we are being examined today regarding an act of kindness toward a frail man—specifically, by what means he has been restored— ¹⁰let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: it is by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. By him, this man stands before you healthy. ¹¹This Jesus is ‘the stone that was treated as nothing by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’ ¹²There is no rescue in anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven given among humanity by which we must be saved.”

¹³When they observed the plain-spoken boldness of Peter and John and realized they were uneducated, ordinary men, they were astonished; they also began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. ¹⁴Since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there with them, they had nothing to say in response. ¹⁵So they ordered them to step outside the Sanhedrin and began to confer with one another.

¹⁶“What should we do with these men?” they asked. “For it is obvious to everyone living in Jerusalem that a well-known sign has occurred through them; we cannot deny it. ¹⁷But to keep this from spreading any further among the people, let us threaten them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

¹⁸After calling them back in, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is just in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; ²⁰for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” ²¹After threatening them further, they released them, finding no way to punish them because of the people—for everyone was glorifying God for what had happened. ²²For the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was over forty years old.

²³Upon their release, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴When they heard it, they raised their voices to God with one mind and said, “Sovereign Master, you are the one who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, ²⁵who said by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant: ‘Why did the nations rage, and the peoples plot in vain? ²⁶The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers assembled together against the Lord and against his Anointed.’

²⁷For in truth, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the nations and the peoples of Israel, assembled together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, ²⁸to do whatever your hand and your purpose had predestined to happen. ²⁹And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant your bondservants the ability to speak your word with all plain-spoken boldness, ³⁰while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders occur through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

³¹When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with plain-spoken boldness.

³²Now the entire group of those who believed was of one heart and soul, and not even one person claimed that any of their possessions was their own; instead, they held everything in common. ³³With great power, the apostles continued to give their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. ³⁴There was not a needy person among them, for everyone who owned plots of land or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sales, ³⁵and lay them at the feet of the apostles. It was then distributed to each according to their need.

³⁶Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”), ³⁷sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the feet of the apostles.