Acts 4

1 And while they were speaking these words to the people, the priests and the Sadducees and the rulers of the temple rose up against them;

While they were saying this to the people, the Priests, the Commander of the Temple Guard, and the Sadducees came upon them,

2 being angry with them, that they taught the people, and preached a resurrection from the dead by the Messiah.

highly incensed at their teaching the people and proclaiming in the case of Jesus the Resurrection from among the dead.

3 And they laid hands on them, and kept them until the next day; because evening was drawing near.

They arrested the two Apostles and lodged them in custody till the next day; for it was already evening.

4 And many who had heard the word, believed; and they were, in number, about five thousand men.

But many of those who had listened to their preaching believed; and the number of the adult men had now grown to be about 5,000.

5 And the next day, the rulers and the Elders and the Scribes assembled;

The next day a meeting was held in Jerusalem of their Rulers, Elders, and Scribes,

6 and also Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and they who were of the kindred of the high priests.

with Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the other members of the high-priestly family.

7 And when they had set them in the midst, they interrogated them: By what power or what name, have ye done this?

So they made the Apostles stand in the centre, and demanded of them, "By what power or in what name have you done this?"

8 Then Simon Cephas was filled with the Holy Spirit, and said to them: Ye rulers of the people, and Elders of the house of Israel, hear ye.

Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he replied, "Rulers and Elders of the people,

9 If we are judged by you this day, respecting the good deed done to the infirm man, by what means he was healed;

if we to-day are under examination concerning the benefit conferred on a man helplessly lame, as to how this man has been cured;

10 be it known to you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Messiah the Nazarean, whom ye crucified, and whom God hath raised from the dead, lo, by him, doth this man stand here before you recovered.

be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that through the name of Jesus the Anointed, the Nazarene, whom you crucified, but whom God has raised from among the dead-- through that name this man stands here before you in perfect health.

11 This is the stone, which ye builders rejected; and it hath become the head of the corner.

This Jesus is the Stone treated with contempt by you the builders, but it has been made the Cornerstone.

12 Neither is there deliverance in any other; for there is not another name under heaven, which is given to men, whereby to live.

And in no other is the great salvation to be found; for, in fact, there is no second name under Heaven that has been given among men through which we are to be saved."

13 And when they heard the speech of Simon and John, which they pronounced confidently, they reflected that these were unlearned and plebeian men, and they were surprised at them, and recognized them as having been conversant with Jesus.

As they looked on Peter and John so fearlessly outspoken--and also discovered that they were illiterate persons, untrained in the schools--they were surprised; and now they recognized them as having been with Jesus.

14 And they saw that the lame man, who had been healed, stood near them; and they could say nothing to confront them.

And seeing the man standing with them--the man who had been cured--they had no reply to make.

15 Then they commanded to remove them from the presence of the council; and said one to another:

So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin while they conferred among themselves.

16 What shall we do to these men? For lo, that a manifest sign hath been wrought by them, is known to all that reside at Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

"What are we to do with these men?" they asked one another; for the fact that a remarkable miracle has been performed by them is well known to every one in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

17 But that the fame of it spread no further, let us interdict their speaking any more to any man in this name.

But to prevent the matter spreading any further among the people, let us stop them by threats from speaking in the future in this name to any one whatever."

18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak nor to teach at all in the name of Jesus.

So they recalled the Apostles, and ordered them altogether to give up speaking or teaching in the name of Jesus.

19 Simon Cephas and John answered, and said to them: Whether it be right before God, that we hearken to you more than to God, judge ye.

But Peter and John replied, "Judge whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you instead of listening to God.

20 For we cannot but speak that which we have seen and heard.

As for us, what we have seen and heard we cannot help speaking about."

21 And they threatened them, and dismissed them. For they found no ground for punishing them, because of the people: for every one praised God for what had been done;

The Court added further threats and then let them go, being quite unable to find any way of punishing them on account of the people, because all gave God the glory for the thing that had happened.

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

For the man was over forty years of age on whom this miracle of restoration to health had been performed.

23 And when they were dismissed, they went to their brethren, and told them all that the priests and Elders had said.

After their release the two Apostles went to their friends, and told them all that the High Priests and Elders had said.

24 And they, when they heard it, unitedly lifted up their voice to God and said: Lord, thou art God, who hast made heaven, and earth, and seas, and every thing in them.

And they, upon hearing the story, all lifted up their voices to God and said, "O Sovereign Lord, it is Thou who didst make Heaven and earth and sea, and all that is in them,

25 And it is thou who hast said, by the Holy Spirit in the mouth of David thy servant: Why do the nations rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

and didst say through the Holy Spirit by the lips of our forefather David Thy servant, "'Why have the nations stamped and raged, and the peoples formed futile plans?

26 The kings of the earth and the potentates stood up, and they consulted together, against the Lord, and against his anointed.

The kings of the earth came near, and the rulers assembled together against the Lord and against His Anointed.'"

27 For, in reality, against thy holy Son Jesus whom thou hast anointed, Herod and Pilate, with the Gentiles and the congregation of Israel, have been combined together in this city,

"They did indeed assemble in this city in hostility to Thy holy Servant Jesus whom Thou hadst anointed--Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and also the tribes of Israel--

28 to do whatever thy hand and thy pleasure previously marked out to be done.

to do all that Thy power and Thy will had predetermined should be done.

29 And also now, Lord, behold and see their menaces: and grant to thy servants, that they may proclaim thy word boldly,

And now, Lord, listen to their threats, and enable Thy servants to proclaim Thy Message with fearless courage,

30 while thou extendest thy hand for cures and prodigies, to be done in the name of thy holy Son Jesus.

whilst Thou stretchest out Thine arm to cure men, and to give signs and marvels through the name of Thy holy Servant Jesus."

31 And when they had prayed and made supplications, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God boldly.

When they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled shook, and they were, one and all, filled with the Holy Spirit, and proceeded to tell God's Message with boldness.

32 And in the assembly of the persons that believed, there was one soul, and one mind: and no one of them said, of the property he possessed, that it was his own; but whatever was theirs, it was the community's.

Among all those who had embraced the faith there was but one heart and soul, so that none of them claimed any of his possessions as his own, but everything they had was common property;

33 And with great power, the legates testified to the resurrection of Jesus Messiah: and great grace was with them all.

while the Apostles with great force of conviction delivered their testimony as to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all.

34 And no one among them was destitute; for those who possessed lands or houses, sold, and brought the price of what was sold,

And, in fact, there was not a needy man among them, for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the money which they realised,

35 and placed it at the feet of the legates; and distribution was made to every one, as he had need.

and gave it to the Apostles, and distribution was made to every one according to his wants.

36 And Joseph, who by the legates was surnamed Barnabas, (which is interpreted Son of Consolation, ) a Levite of the country of Cyprus,

In this way Joseph, whom the Apostles gave the name of Bar-nabas--signifying 'Son of Encouragement' --a Levite, a native of Cyprus,

37 had a field: and he sold it, and brought the price of it, and laid it before the feet of the legates.

sold a farm which he had, and brought the money and gave it to the Apostles.