Atos 4

¹ And while they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees, came upon them;

² being grieved that they taught the people, and announced, through Jesus, the resurrection from the dead.

³ And they laid hands on them, and committed them into custody to the next day; for it was now evening.

⁴ But many of those who had heard the word, believed: and the number of the men was about five thousand.

⁵ And the next day their rulers, elders, and scribes, gathered together at Jerusalem:

⁶ both Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas; also John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the high priest's kindred.

⁷ And having set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power, or in what name, have you done this?

⁸ Then Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people, and elders of Israel;

⁹ if we are this day examined about the benefit conferred on the impotent man, by what means he is healed;

¹⁰ be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that through the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God has raised from the dead: yes, by HIM this man stands before you hale.

¹¹ This is the stone which was set at nought by you builders, that is become the head of the corner:

¹² and there is salvation in no other; for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we can be saved.

¹³ Now, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and understood that they were illiterate men, and in private stations in life, they were astonished, and recollected their having been with Jesus.

¹⁴ And seeing the man that was cured standing with them, they had nothing to say against it.

¹⁵ But having ordered them to withdraw out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

¹⁶ saying, What shall we do with these men? for that indeed a signal miracle has been wrought by them, is manifest to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and we can not deny it.

¹⁷ Nevertheless, that it may not spread any further among the people, let us charge them, with the severest threats, to speak no more to any man in this name.

¹⁸ And having called them, they charged them neither to speak nor teach any more in the name of Jesus.

¹⁹ But Peter and John, answering them, said, Whether it be just in the sight of God, to obey you rather than God, judge you:

²⁰ for we can not but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

²¹ And having threatened them again, they dismissed them, on account of the people, finding nothing for which they might punish them; because all the people glorified God for that which was done;

²² for the man on whom this miracle of healing was wrought, was more than forty years old.

²³ And being dismissed, they came to their own company, and related all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

²⁴ And when they heard it, they lifted up their voice with one accord to God, and said, Lord, thou art the God who didst make heaven and earth; and the sea, and all things that are in them:

²⁵ «who didst say by the mouth of thy servant David,» 'Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?'

²⁶ «The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers combined together against the Lord, and against his anointed.»

²⁷ For of a truth, against thy holy Son Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the heathen, and the people of Israel,

²⁸ have combined to do what thy hand and thy counsel marked out before to be done.

²⁹ And now, O Lord, regard their threatenings; and give to thy servants to speak thy word with all freedom;

³⁰ whilst thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders are doing through the name of thy holy Son Jesus.

³¹ And while they were praying, the place in which they were assembled was shaken: and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with freedom.

³² Now the heart and soul of the multitude of believers was one: nor did any one call any of his possessions his own; but all things were common among them.

³³ And with great power did the Apostles give forth their testimony concerning the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great kindness was among them all.

³⁴ Neither was there one indigent person among them; for as many as were proprietors of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the price of the things they sold,

³⁵ and laid it down at the feet of the Apostles: and distribution was made to each according to his need.

³⁶ And Joses, who, by the Apostles, was surnamed Barnabas, (which being interpreted, signifies a Son of Exhortation,) a Levite, and by birth a Cyprian,

³⁷ having an estate, sold it, and brought the money and laid it down at the feet of the Apostles.