2 ARST These men were very angry because these two men were teaching the people. They were telling the people that what God did for Jesus shows that God causes people to live again after they die. BSB BSB: greatly disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
3 ARST So these men arrested Peter and John and put them in jail. They did this because it was already evening, and the Jewish council would have to wait until the next day to question them. BSB BSB: They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in custody until the next day.
4 ARST However, many people who had heard Peter speak put their faith in Jesus. The number of men who believed in Jesus increased to about 5, 000. BSB BSB: But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
5 ARST The next day the high priest called the other chief priests, the teachers of the Jewish laws, and the other members of the Jewish council. They all assembled in one place in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: The next day the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem,
6 ARST Annas, the former high priest, was there. Caiaphas, the new high priest, was also there. And so were John and Alexander and other men who were related to the high priest. BSB BSB: along with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and many others from the high priest’s family.
7 ARST They commanded guards to bring Peter and John into the room, and then they asked Peter and John,“Who gave you the right or the ability to do this?” BSB BSB: They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 ARST As the Holy Spirit gave him power, Peter said to them in response,“You fellow Israelites who rule us and all of you elders, listen to me! BSB BSB: Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people!
9 ARST Today you are questioning us about a good deed we did for a man who could not walk. You want to know how he became able to walk. BSB BSB: If we are being examined today about a kind service to a man who was lame, to determine how he was healed,
10 ARST So we want this whole council and all the other Israelites to know what has happened. This man is able to stand before you because Jesus from Nazareth, the Messiah, healed him. You were responsible for the Romans executing Jesus by nailing him to a cross. But God brought Jesus back to life after they executed him. BSB BSB: then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
11 ARST Jesus the Messiah of Nazareth is the one of whom the Scriptures say,‘The stone that the builders threw away has become the most important stone in the building.’ And you are those builders{, because you rejected Jesus}. BSB BSB: This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
13 ARST The Jewish leaders recognized that Peter and John were not afraid of them. They also realized that these two men were ordinary people who had not studied in schools. So the leaders were amazed. They knew that these men had spent time with Jesus. BSB BSB: When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.
14 ARST They also saw the man who had become able to walk again standing there with Peter and John. So they were not able to say anything to contradict them. BSB BSB: And seeing the man who had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say in response.
15 ARST The Jewish leaders told guards to take Peter, John, and this man outside of the room where they were meeting. After they did so, the leaders talked with each other{ about Peter and John}. BSB BSB: So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.
16 ARST They said,“There is nothing that we can do to punish these two men! The news of the amazing miracle that they have done has spread widely in Jerusalem. So we cannot tell people that it did not happen! BSB BSB: “What shall we do with these men?” they asked. “It is clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has occurred through them, and we cannot deny it.
17 ARST However, we must not allow any more people to hear what they have been teaching about this Jesus. So we must tell these men that we will punish them if they continue to tell other people about the one who they say gave them the power to heal this man.” BSB BSB: But to keep this message from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in this name.”
18 ARST So the Jewish leaders told the guards to bring them into the room again. After the guards had done so, they told them both that they were completely forbidden to speak or teach about Jesus. BSB BSB: Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19 ARST But Peter and John told them in response,“In order to obey your command, we would have to disobey God{, who commanded us to tell everyone about Jesus}. We will let you decide whether you think God would want us to obey you instead of him. BSB BSB: But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.
20 ARST But as for us, we cannot obey you. We will not stop telling people about what we saw Jesus do and what we heard him teach.” BSB BSB: For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 ARST Then the Jewish leaders again told Peter and John not to disobey them. But then they let them go without punishing them. The leaders knew that throughout Jerusalem people were praising God for what had happened{ to the man who could not walk, and they did not want to upset the people}. BSB BSB: After further threats they let them go. They could not find a way to punish them, because all the people were glorifying God for what had happened.
22 ARST The people were praising God because{ this was a remarkable miracle}. The man whom Peter and John had healed by doing this miracle was over forty years old,{ and he had never before walked in his life}. BSB BSB: For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
23 ARST After Peter and John left the council, they met with the others who believed in Jesus and told them everything that the people on the ruling council had said to them. BSB BSB: On their release, Peter and John returned to their own people and reported everything that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24 ARST When the others who believed in Jesus heard this, they prayed together aloud to God,“O Lord! You made the sky, the earth, the oceans, and everything in them. BSB BSB: When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to God with one accord. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them.
25 ARST Your Holy Spirit caused our ancestor, King David, who served you, to write these words:‘Why did the people groups of the world become angry and why did they plan uselessly{ against God}? BSB BSB: You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
26 ARST The kings in the world prepared to fight, and the rulers joined with them to oppose the Lord God and the one whom he had chosen to be the Messiah.’ BSB BSB: The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’
28 ARST { But when they opposed Jesus,} they did no more than you allowed because it was what you had decided long ago would happen. BSB BSB: They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen.
29 ARST So now, Lord, listen to what they are saying about how they will punish us! Help us who serve you to speak about Jesus without being afraid at all! BSB BSB: And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness,
30 ARST Use your power to do great healings and many other miraculous deeds that will show the authority you have given to Jesus, your chosen Messiah!” BSB BSB: as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
31 ARST When the believers had finished praying, the place where they were meeting started to shake. The Holy Spirit gave them all power to tell people about Jesus as God had commanded, and they did that with great courage. BSB BSB: After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
33 ARST The Representatives continued to preach powerfully that God had caused the Lord Jesus to live again after he died. And God was helping all the believers very much. BSB BSB: With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all.
34 ARST Here is one way God was helping them. No one among the believers was lacking anything. This was because other believers who owned fields or houses would sell some of their property to help them. They would bring the proceeds from the sale BSB BSB: There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales,
35 ARST and they would give it to the Representatives, who would then give out the money to the believers who needed it. BSB BSB: and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need.
37 ARST Barnabas sold a field that belonged to him, and he brought the money to the Representatives{ for them to give to other believers}. BSB BSB: sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.