Acts 4

1While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came up to them,

2greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3They arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening.

4But many of those who had heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

5The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes gathered

6in Jerusalem, along with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who belonged to the high priest’s family.

7They had Peter and John stand in the middle and began to question them: “By what power or by 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 about a good deed done to a sick man, and by what means this man has been healed,

10let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead—by him this man stands before you healthy.

11This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

12Salvation is in no one else, since under heaven there is no other name given among people by which we must be saved.”

13When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated, ordinary men, they were amazed, and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

14And since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say in reply.

15So they ordered them to leave the council chamber and conferred with one another.

16They said, “What should we do with these men? It is obvious to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable sign has been done through them, and we cannot deny it.

17But to keep it from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.”

18So they called them in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

19But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,

20for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

21After threatening them further, they let them go. They could find no way to punish them because of the people, for everyone was praising God for what had happened.

22The man on whom this sign of healing had been done was more than forty years old.

23After they were released, 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 Lord, you made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them.

25Through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David your servant, you said, ‘Why did the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

26The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.’

27For in this very city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, truly gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,

28to do whatever your hand and your plan had decided beforehand should happen.

29And now, Lord, look at their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness,

30while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31When they had prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

32The whole group of those who believed were one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own; instead they had everything in common.

33With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

34There was not a needy person among them, because all who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money from the sale

35and lay it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each person as anyone had need.

36Joseph, a Levite and a native of Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement),

37sold a field he owned and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.