Acts 4

1 And as they are speaking to the people, there came to them the priests, and the magistrate of the temple, and the Sadducees—

[Meanwhile, in the temple courtyard, there were some] priests, the officer who was in charge of the temple police, and [also some] [SYN] Sadducee [sect members]. These men came to Peter and John while the two of them were speaking to the people.

2 being grieved because of their teaching the people, and preaching in Jesus the resurrection out of the dead—

These men were very angry, because the [two] apostles were teaching the people [about Jesus]. What they were telling the people was that because ([God caused Jesus to become alive again/God raised] Jesus [from the dead]), [God] would cause other people who had died to become alive again.

3 and they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was evening already;

So those officials seized Peter and John. Then they put them in jail. [They had to wait] until the next day [to question Peter and John], because it was already evening [and it was contrary to their Jewish law to question people at night].

4 and many of those hearing the word believed, and the number of the men became, as it were, five thousand.

However, many people who had heard the message [from Peter] believed [in Jesus]. (OR, But many people had [already] believed [in Jesus, because] they had heard the message [from Peter].) So the number of men [who believed in Jesus] increased to about five 5,000.

5 And it came to pass the next day, there were gathered together of them the rulers, and elders, and scribes, to Jerusalem,

The next day [the supreme priest summoned] the [other] chief priests, the teachers of the [Jewish] laws, and the other members [of the Jewish Council, and they] gathered together [in one place] in Jerusalem.

6 and Annas the chief priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the chief priest,

Annas, [the former] supreme priest, Caiaphas [who was the new supreme priest], [two other former supreme priests whose names were] John and Alexander, and other men who were related to the supreme priest [were there].

7 and having set them in the midst, they were inquiring, “In what power, or in what name did you do this?”

They [commanded guards to] bring Peter and John into the courtroom [MTY] and have them stand in front of them. [Then one of] the leaders questioned [the two of] them, saying, “Who [do you two claim] gave you the power [to heal this man]? And who authorized [MTY] you to do this [DOU]?”

8 Then Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

So as the Holy Spirit completely controlled Peter, he said to them, “You [fellow Israelites] who rule us and [all of you other] elders, [listen]!

9 if we are examined today concerning the good deed to the ailing man, by whom he has been saved,

Today you are questioning us concerning our doing something good for a man who was crippled, and you asked us how he was healed.

10 be it known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised out of the dead, in Him has this one stood by before you whole.

So [we(exc) want] you and all [of our other] fellow Israelites to know this: It is because Jesus the Messiah [MTY] from Nazareth healed this man that he is able to stand here. [God considers that] it was you who nailed Jesus to a cross, but God caused him to become alive again.

11 This is the stone that was set at nothing by you—the builders, that became head of a corner;

[In the Psalms this was written about the Messiah: ] He is [like] [MET] the stone that was rejected by the builders {that the builders rejected}. But that stone became the most important stone in the building [that they were building]. [Jesus is that stone, and] you [are those builders who threw away the stone that was the most important one].

12 and there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under Heaven that has been given among men, in which it is required of us to be saved.”

So he alone can save us [MTY]. [God] has sent only one person [MTY] into the world who can save us [from the guilt of our sins, and that person is Jesus]!”

13 And beholding the openness of Peter and John, and having perceived that they are illiterate men and commoners, they were wondering—they were also taking knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus—

The [Jewish leaders] realized that Peter and John (were not afraid [of them]/spoke boldly). They also learned that the two men were ordinary people who had not studied in schools. So the leaders were amazed, and they realized that these men had associated with Jesus.

14 and seeing the man standing with them who has been healed, they had nothing to say against [it],

They also saw the man who had been healed standing there with [the two of] them, so they were not able to say anything [to oppose Peter and John].

15 and having commanded them to go away out of the Sanhedrin, they took counsel with one another,

So the [Jewish leaders] commanded [guards] to take Peter, John, and the man outside of the room [where those leaders were meeting. After they did so], the leaders talked with each other [about Peter and John].

16 saying, “What will we do to these men? Because that, indeed, a notable sign has been done through them [is] apparent to all those dwelling in Jerusalem, and we are not able to deny [it];

[Being frustrated, one after another], they said, “(There is really nothing that we can do to [punish] these [two] men!/How can we [(inc)] do anything to [punish] these [two] men?) [RHQ] Almost everyone [HYP] who is living in Jerusalem knows that they have done an amazing miracle, so we cannot tell people that it did not happen!

17 but that it may spread no further toward the people, let us strictly threaten them to no longer speak in this Name to any man.”

However, [we] must not allow other people to hear about [this miracle]. So we must tell these men that [we will punish them if they] continue to tell other people about this [MTY] man [who they say gave them the power to do it].”

18 And having called them, they charged them not to speak at all, nor to teach, in the Name of Jesus,

So the Jewish leaders [commanded guards] to bring the two apostles [into that room again. After they did so], they [commanded] them both that they should never speak about Jesus, and they should not teach [anyone about him] [MTY] [again].

19 and Peter and John answering to them said, “Whether it is righteous before God to listen to you rather than to God, judge;

But Peter and John replied, “Would God think that it is right [for us two] to obey you and not [to obey] him? [We(exc) will let] you decide [which of those you think is proper].

20 for we cannot but speak what we saw and heard.”

[But as for us, we cannot obey you]. We will not stop telling people about the things that we [(exc)] have seen [Jesus do] and what we have heard [him teach].”

21 And they having further threatened [them], let them go, finding no way how they may punish them, because of the people, because all were glorifying God for that which has been done,

Then the [Jewish leaders] again told [Peter and John] not to disobey them. But all the people [there] were praising God about what had happened [to the lame man. The leaders knew that only God could have enabled Peter and John] to miraculously heal the man, because the man was more than 40 years old [and he was lame when his mother bore him. They also knew that the people would become angry if they punished the two apostles]. So, because they could not decide how to punish Peter and John, [they finally] let them go.

22 for above forty years of age was the man on whom had been done this sign of the healing.

23 And being let go, they went to their own friends, and declared whatever the chief priests and the elders said to them,

After Peter and John had been released, they went to the other believers and reported all that the chief priests and [other Jewish] elders had said to them.

24 and they having heard, lifted up the voice to God with one accord and said, “LORD, You [are] God, who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all that [are] in them,

When they heard that, they [all] agreed as they prayed to God, and [one of] them prayed, “O Lord! You [(sg)] made the sky, the earth and the oceans, and everything in them.

25 who, through the mouth of Your servant David, said, Why did nations rage, and peoples meditate vain things?

The Holy Spirit caused our ancestor, [King] David [MTY], who served you, to write these words: [It is ridiculous] [RHQ] that the non-Jews became angry and the Israelite people planned uselessly [to oppose God].

26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the LORD and against His Christ;

The kings of the world prepared to fight [God’s Ruler], and the [other] rulers assembled together [with them] to oppose the Lord [God] and the one whom he had appointed [to be the Messiah].

27 for gathered together of a truth against Your holy child Jesus, whom You anointed, were both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with nations and peoples of Israel,

[Lord, we know that what you(sg) said long ago was true], because [King] Herod and the [governor], Pontius Pilate, and many other people, both non-Jews and Israelites, assembled together [here] in this city. [They] planned [to kill] Jesus, who devotedly served you [and] whom you appointed [MTY] [to be the Messiah].

28 to do whatever Your hand and Your counsel determined before to come to pass.

[Because] you [(sg)] are all-powerful, those people did [only] what you [SYN] allowed [them to do]. It was what you decided long ago would happen.”

29 And now, LORD, look on their threatenings, and grant to Your servants to speak Your word with all freedom,

“So now, Lord, listen to what they are saying about punishing us! Help us who serve you [(sg)] to very boldly speak messages from you [(sg) about Jesus]

30 in the stretching forth of Your hand, for healing, and signs, and wonders, to come to pass through the Name of Your holy child Jesus.”

[Also], by your power [MTY] miraculously heal [sick people] and do other amazing miracles [SYN] that show people your power! Ask Jesus, who always serves you, [to give us the authority] [MTY] [to do such miracles]!”

31 And they having prayed, the place was shaken in which they were gathered together, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and were speaking the word of God with freedom,

When the believers had finished praying, the place where they were meeting shook. All of them were (completely controlled/empowered) by the Holy Spirit {the Holy Spirit (completely controlled/empowered) all of them}, with the result that they began to speak boldly the words that God [told them to speak].

32 and of the multitude of those who believed, the heart and the soul were one, and not one was saying that anything of the things he had was his own, but all things were in common to them.

The group of people who had believed [in Jesus] were completely agreed about what they thought and what they wanted/desired. Not one of them claimed that he [alone] owned anything. Instead, they shared with one another everything that they had.

33 And with great power the apostles were giving the testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, great grace was also on them all,

The apostles continued to tell others, very powerfully, [that God] had (caused the Lord Jesus to become alive again/raised the Lord Jesus from the dead). [People knew that God] was graciously helping all the believers.

34 for there was not anyone among them who lacked, for as many as were possessors of fields, or houses, selling [them], were bringing the prices of the thing sold,

[Some of] the believers who owned land or houses would occasionally sell [some of] their property. Then they would bring [the money for what they sold]

35 and were laying them at the feet of the apostles, and distribution was being made to each according as anyone had need.

and they would present it to the apostles [MTY]. Then [the apostles] would give money to any [believer] who needed [it]. So no one among the believers was lacking anything.

36 And Joses, who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas—which is, having been interpreted, Son of Comfort—a Levite, of Cyprus by birth,

[For example, there was] Joseph. [He was] a descendant of Levi [and he was born] on Cyprus [Island]. The apostles called him Barnabas; [in the Jewish language] that name means a person who [IDM] always encourages [others].

37 a field being his, having sold [it], brought the money and laid [it] at the feet of the apostles.

He sold one of his fields, and brought the money to the apostles [for them to distribute to other believers].