Acts 4
1 While they were saying this to the people, the Priests, the Commander of the Temple Guard, and the Sadducees came upon them,
[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 highly incensed at their teaching the people and proclaiming in the case of Jesus the Resurrection from among 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 They arrested the two Apostles and lodged them in custody till the next day; for it was already evening.
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 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.
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 The next day a meeting was held in Jerusalem of their Rulers, Elders, and Scribes,
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 with Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the other members of the high-priestly family.
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 So they made the Apostles stand in the centre, and demanded of them, "By what power or in what name have you done 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 was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he replied, "Rulers and Elders of the people,
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 to-day are under examination concerning the benefit conferred on a man helplessly lame, as to how this man has been cured;
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 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.
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 Jesus is the Stone treated with contempt by you the builders, but it has been made the Cornerstone.
[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 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."
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 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.
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--the man who had been cured--they had no reply to make.
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 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin while they conferred among themselves.
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 "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.
[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 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."
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 So they recalled the Apostles, and ordered them altogether to give up speaking or teaching 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 But Peter and John replied, "Judge whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you instead of listening to God.
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 As for us, what we have seen and heard we cannot help speaking about."
[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 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.
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 the man was over forty years of age on whom this miracle of restoration to health had been performed.
23 After their release the two Apostles went to their friends, and told them all that the High Priests and Elders had said.
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, 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,
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 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?
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 came near, and the rulers assembled together against the Lord and against His Anointed.'"
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 "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--
[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 all that Thy power and Thy will had predetermined should be done.
[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, listen to their threats, and enable Thy servants to proclaim Thy Message with fearless courage,
“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 whilst Thou stretchest out Thine arm to cure men, and to give signs and marvels through the name of Thy holy Servant 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 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.
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 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;
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 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.
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 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,
[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 gave it to the Apostles, and distribution was made to every one according to his wants.
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 In this way Joseph, whom the Apostles gave the name of Bar-nabas--signifying 'Son of Encouragement' --a Levite, a native of Cyprus,
[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 sold a farm which he had, and brought the money and gave it to the Apostles.
He sold one of his fields, and brought the money to the apostles [for them to distribute to other believers].
