1As Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came up to them.
2They were upset because Peter and John were teaching the people and announcing that, through Jesus, dead people would rise again.
3They arrested Peter and John and put them in jail overnight, since it was already evening.
4But many of the people who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
5The next morning, the rulers, elders, and spiritual leaders gathered in Jerusalem.
6Annas, the high priest, was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the high priest's relatives.
7They made Peter and John stand in front of them and asked, "By what power or in whose name did you do this?"
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "You rulers and elders of Israel,
9if we are being questioned today about a good deed done for a disabled man, and how he was healed,
10then let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: This man stands before you completely well because of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead.
11Jesus is 'the stone that you, the builders, considered worthless, which has now become the cornerstone.'
12Salvation is found in no one else, because there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved."
13When the council members saw how confident Peter and John were, and realized that they were ordinary men without formal training, they were amazed. They recognized that these men had been with Jesus.
14Since they saw the healed man standing right there with Peter and John, they couldn't argue against it.
15But they ordered Peter and John to leave the council meeting and began discussing among themselves,
16saying, "What should we do with these men? It's clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that an amazing miracle has been done through them, and we can't deny it.
17But to keep this from spreading any further among the people, let's threaten them and tell them never again to speak to anyone in this name."
18So they called them back in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19But Peter and John answered them, "You yourselves must decide if it is right in God's eyes to obey you rather than God,
20because we cannot stop talking about what we have seen and heard."
21After threatening them further, the council released them. They couldn't find a way to punish them because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
22The man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
23After being released, they went back to their own group and reported everything the chief priests and elders had told them.
24When they heard it, they all prayed to God together, saying, “Master, you are the God who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them.
25You said through your servant David, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plan useless things?
26The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’
27Indeed, Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the non-Jewish people and the people of Israel, gathered together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
28They did exactly what your power and plan had already determined would happen.
29And now, Lord, pay attention to their threats, and allow your servants to speak your message with complete boldness.
30Stretch out your hand to heal, and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke God’s message boldly.
32All the believers were united in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
33With great power, the apostles continued to tell everyone about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s great favor was on all of them.
34There were no needy people among them, because all who owned land or houses sold them and brought the money from the sale.
35They placed the money at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each person according to their need.
36Joseph, a Levite born in Cyprus, whom the apostles also called Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”),
37owned a field, sold it, and brought the money to the apostles.