Acts 4
1 [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.
Now as they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came at them,
2 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.
being upset because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3 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].
And they laid hands on them and put them in custody until the next day, because it was already evening.
4 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.
(However, many of those who heard the message believed; the number of the men came to be about five thousand.)
5 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.
So the next day an assembly of their rulers, both elders and scribes, occurred in Jerusalem,
6 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].
along with Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, John and Alexander, and as many as were of high-priestly descent.
7 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]?”
And having placed them in the middle [of the assembly] they started questioning: “By what power, or by what name did you do this?”
8 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]!
Then Peter, full of Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
9 Today you are questioning us concerning our doing something good for a man who was crippled, and you asked us how he was healed.
If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well,
10 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.
be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Natsorean, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
11 [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].
This is ‘the stone which was despised by you, the builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’
12 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]!”
Also, the salvation does not exist in anyone else, because there is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved.”
13 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.
Now upon observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving that they were uneducated and unskilled men, they marveled; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
14 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].
Further, seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
15 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].
So ordering them to go out from the council they began to confer among themselves,
16 [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!
saying: “What can we do to these men? Because, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
17 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].”
But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them to no longer speak to anyone in this name.”
18 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].
So summoning them they commanded them absolutely not to speak or teach in the name of ‘Jesus’.
19 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].
But in answer Peter and John said to them: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves;
20 [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].”
because we cannot help but speak the things we have seen and heard.”
21 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.
So threatening them some more they released them, not finding any way to punish them, because of the people, since they were all glorifying God over what had happened;
because the man on whom this miracle of healing had been performed was over forty years old.
23 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.
So upon being released they went to their own group and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24 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.
Well upon hearing it, with one mind they called out to God and said: “O Sovereign! You are God, the Maker of sky and earth and ocean, and all that is in them;
25 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].
You who said through the mouth of Your servant David: ‘Why did nations snort and peoples plot vain things?
26 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].
The kings of the earth took a stand, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against His Messiah.’
27 [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].
Well, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with Gentiles and peoples of Israel, were gathered together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed,
28 [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.”
to do whatever Your hand and Your counsel foreordained to happen.
29 “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]
As for the present, Lord, consider their threats, and grant to Your slaves to speak Your word with all boldness,
30 [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]!”
while You stretch out Your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may occur through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
31 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].
Well when they had prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God with boldness.
32 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.
Now the multitude of those who believed was of one heart and soul; indeed not one was saying that any of his belongings was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 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.
(Also the Apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power.) Yes, great grace was on them all,
34 [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]
because there were not any needy among them—as many as were owners of lands or houses were selling them and bringing the proceeds of the sold items
35 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.
and placing them at the Apostles' feet, and they were distributed to each according as anyone had need.
36 [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].
So Joses, who was named Barnabas by the Apostles (which is, being translated, ‘Son of encouragement’), a Levite of the country of Cyprus,
37 He sold one of his fields, and brought the money to the apostles [for them to distribute to other believers].
having a field, sold it, brought the money and placed it at the Apostles' feet.
