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.
As Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came to 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.
greatly annoyed 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].
So they arrested them and took them into custody until the next day, for 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.
But many who heard the word believed, and the number of men who believed came to 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.
On the next day, the rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together 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, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were members of the high-priestly family.
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]?”
After making Peter and John stand before them, they began to question them: “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, filled with the 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 disabled man and by what means he has been healed,
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.
let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead.
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 Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the 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]!”
There is salvation in no other, for there is no other name 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.
When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and when they realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and 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].
But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say in opposition.
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 they ordered Peter and John to step out from the Sanhedrin while they conferred with one another,
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 should we do with these men? For it is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done through them, 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 may not spread any further among the people, we will strictly warn them to speak no more in this name to any of the people.”
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].
Then they called them in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all 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 Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge.
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].”
For we cannot help but speak about what 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 after threatening Peter and John further, they released them, finding no way to punish them, because all the people were glorifying God for what had happened.
For the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than 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.
After being released, Peter and John went to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the 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.
When they heard this, they lifted up their voices with one accord to God and said, “Master, yoʋ are God, who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, 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].
It is yoʋ who said through the mouth of yoʋr servant David, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot foolish 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 stand up, and the rulers are gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed.’
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].
For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together against yoʋr holy servant Jesus, whom yoʋ 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 yoʋr hand and yoʋr plan had foreordained to take place.
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]
And now, Lord, take note of their threats and grant it to yoʋr servants to speak yoʋr 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]!”
as yoʋ stretch out yoʋr hand to heal and to perform signs and wonders through the name of yoʋr 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].
After they prayed, the place where they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking 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 hearts and souls of the multitude of believers were one, and no one was saying that any of their belongings was his own, but everything they owned was held 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.
With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon 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]
There was no one needy among them, for all who owned plots of land or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold.
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.
They laid the money at the feet of the apostles, and the proceeds were distributed to anyone who 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].
Joses, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”), a Levite and Cypriot by birth,
37 He sold one of his fields, and brought the money to the apostles [for them to distribute to other believers].
also sold a field he owned and then brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.
