1While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came up to them.
2They were angry because the apostles were teaching the people and preaching through Jesus that the dead rise again.
3So they seized them and put them in prison until the next day, for it was already evening.
4But many of those who heard the word believed. The number of the men was about five thousand.
5The next day their rulers, elders and scribes met in Jerusalem,
6with Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and all who belonged to the high priest's family.
7They made the apostles stand in front of them and asked, "By what power, or by what name, have you done this?"
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "You rulers of the people and elders of Israel,"
9today we are being questioned about a good deed done to a crippled man, and how he was made well.
10So let this be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel. 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 here before you healthy.
11This is the stone that you builders treated as worthless, and it has become the head of the corner.
12"There is salvation in no one else. There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved."
13When they saw how bold Peter and John were, and understood that they were untrained, ordinary men, they were amazed. And they recognised that these men had been with Jesus.
14They also saw the man who had been healed standing with them, so they could say nothing against it.
15So they ordered them to go outside the council, and talked it over among themselves.
16They said, "What shall we do with these men? Everyone living in Jerusalem can see that a remarkable miracle has been done by them, and we cannot deny it."
17"But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us warn them sternly to speak to no one any more in this name."
18So they called them in and commanded them not to speak at all, nor to teach, 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."
20"For we cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard."
21So they threatened them again and 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 miracle of healing was done was more than forty years old.
23When they were let go, they went to their own friends and reported everything the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24When they heard it, they lifted up their voices to God together and said, "Lord, you are God. You made heaven and earth and the sea, and everything in them."
25You said by the mouth of your servant David, 'Why did the nations rage, and the peoples make useless plans?
26The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ.'
27For it is true: in this city Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, gathered together against your holy child Jesus, whom you anointed,
28to do whatever your hand and your plan had decided beforehand should happen.
29And now, Lord, look at their threats. Give your servants power to speak your word with all boldness,
30"while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done by the name of your holy child Jesus."
31When they had prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
32All the many people who believed were of one heart and one soul. No one said that anything he owned was his own, but they shared everything they had.
33With great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all.
34There was no one among them in need. All who owned land or houses sold them and brought the money from what was sold,
35and laid it at the apostles' feet. It was then shared out to each person as he needed.
36Joses, a Levite from the country of Cyprus, was given the name Barnabas by the apostles (which means, The son of comfort).
37He had a field. He sold it, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.