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The Apostles and the Jewish High Council

¹While Peter and John were speaking to the people, some Jewish leaders came up to them. There were some priests, the captain of the soldiers that guarded the Templea, and some Sadduceesb. ²They were upset because of what Peter and John were teaching the people. By telling people about Jesus, the apostlesc were teaching that people will rise from death. ³The Jewish leaders arrested Peter and John and put them in jail. It was already night, so they kept them in jail until the next day. ⁴But many of the people who heard the apostles believed what they said. There were now about 5000 men in the group of believers.
⁵The next day the Jewish rulers, the older Jewish leaders, and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. ⁶Annas the high priestd, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander were there. Everyone from the high priest's family was there. ⁷They made Peter and John stand before all the people. They asked them over and over, "How did you make this crippled man well? What power did you use? By whose authority did you do this?"
⁸Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirite and said to them, "Rulers of the people and you older leaders, ⁹are you questioning us today about what we did to help this crippled man? Are you asking us what made him well? ¹⁰We want all of you and all the people of Israelf to know that this man was made well by the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth. You nailed Jesus to a cross, but God raised him from death. This man was crippled, but he is now well. He is able to stand here before you because of the power of Jesus! ¹¹Jesus is

'the stoneg that you builders thought was not important. But this stone has become the cornerstoneh.'

¹²Jesus is the only one who can save people. His name is the only power in the world that has been given to save anyone. We must be saved through him!"
¹³The Jewish leaders understood that Peter and John had no special training or education. But they also saw that they were not afraid to speak. So the leaders were amazed. They also realized that Peter and John had been with Jesus. ¹⁴They saw the crippled man standing there beside the apostles. They saw that he was healed, so they could say nothing against the apostles.
¹⁵The Jewish leaders told them to leave the council meeting. Then the leaders talked to each other about what they should do. ¹⁶They said, "What shall we do with these men? Everyone in Jerusalem knows about the miraclej they did as a sign from God. It's too obvious. We can't say it didn't happen. ¹⁷But we must make them afraid to talk to anyone again using that namek. Then this problem will not spread among the people."
¹⁸So the Jewish leaders called Peter and John in again. They told the apostles not to say anything or to teach anything in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹But Peter and John answered them, "What do you think is right? What would God want? Should we obey you or God? ²⁰We cannot be quiet. We must tell people about what we have seen and heard." ^21-²²The Jewish leaders could not find a way to punish the apostles, because all the people were praising God for what had been done. This miracle was a sign from God. The man who was healed was more than 40 years old. So the Jewish leaders warned the apostles again and let them go free.

Peter and John Return to the Believers ²³Peter and John left the meeting of Jewish leaders and went to their own group. They told the group everything that the leading priests and the older Jewish leaders had said to them. ²⁴When the believers heard this, they all prayed to God with one purpose. They said, "Master, you are the one who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in the world. ²⁵Our ancestor Davidl was your servant. With the help of the Holy Spirite he wrote these words:

'Why are the nations shouting?
Why are the people planning such useless things?
²⁶The kings of the earth prepare themselves to fight, and the rulers all come together against the Lord and against his Messiahm.'

²⁷That's what actually happened when Herodo, Pontius Pilatep, the other nations, and the people of Israelf all came together against Jesus here in Jerusalem. He is your holyq Servant, the one you made to be the Messiah. ²⁸These people who came together against Jesus made your plan happen. It was done because of your power and your will. ²⁹And now, Lord, listen to what they are saying. They are trying to make us afraid. We are your servants. Help us to say what you want us to say without fear. ³⁰Help us to be brave by showing us your power. Make sick people well. Cause miraculous signsr and wonderss to happen by the authorityt of Jesus, your holy servant."

³¹After the believers prayed, the place where they were meeting shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak God's messageu without fear.

The Believers Share ³²The whole group of believers was united in their thinking and in what they wanted. None of them said that the things they had were their own. Instead, they shared everything. ³³With great power the apostlesc were making it known to everyone that the Lord Jesus was raised from death. And God blessed all the believers very much. ³⁴None of them could say they needed anything. Everyone who owned fields or houses sold them. They brought the money they got ³⁵and gave it to the apostles. Then everyone was given whatever they needed.
³⁶One of the believers was named Joseph. The apostles called him Barnabas, a name that means "one who encourages others." He was a Levitev born in Cyprus. ³⁷Joseph sold a field he owned. He brought the money and gave it to the apostles.

^aTemple The permanent building in Jerusalem that replaced the portable “Holy Tent” that was used by the Israelites from the time of their wandering in the desert to the reign of King Solomon, when the first Temple was built. Like the Holy Tent, the Temple was the center of Israelite worship, although provision was made for it to be “a house of prayer for all nations” (Isa. 56:7).
^bSadducees A leading Jewish religious group. They accepted only the first five books of the Old Testament and believed that people will not live again after death.
^capostle A follower of Jesus chosen to represent him in a special way. During his earthly ministry, Jesus named twelve men as apostles. They had the specific responsibility and authority to represent him and proclaim his message throughout the world. Later, he appeared to Paul and gave him a similar commission, especially to non-Jewish people. Barnabas, Paul’s missionary companion, and James, the brother of Jesus, are also called apostles, as well as several others in the New Testament. Some of these occurrences of the word, however, have the more general sense of “messenger” or “representative.”
^dhigh priest The most important priest and leader of the Israelites or the Jews, God’s people under the “old agreement.” Under the “new agreement” the high priest for God’s people is Jesus Christ. Read Heb. 7:11-8:13.
^eHoly Spirit Also called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, and the Comforter. In union with God and Christ, he does God’s work among people in the world.
^fIsrael Another name for Jacob (see Gen. 32:24-28) and for the nation God chose to accomplish his plan of blessing the world through the Messiah (see “Messiah”). The people of Israel were the descendants of Jacob’s twelve sons. In the New Testament this name is sometimes used in a broader sense to mean all of God’s people.
^g4:11 stone A picture or symbol meaning Jesus.
^hcornerstone The first and most important stone of a building.
ⁱPsalm 118:22
^jmiracle An amazing act done by the power of God.
^k4:17 that name That is, Jesus’ name. The Jewish leaders avoided saying his name. See Luke 15:2.
^lDavid Israel’s greatest king, who ruled about 1000 years before Christ. Besides being a great military and political leader, he was a deeply spiritual man and a gifted musician, who wrote many of the Psalms. He made plans and arrangements for the building of the first Temple in Jerusalem (“the city of David”), which was actually completed by his son Solomon. The Scriptures said that a descendant of David would be God’s chosen messiah (king), who would establish an eternal kingdom. For that reason, Jesus is sometimes called “the Son of David.”
^mMessiah A Hebrew word that has the same meaning as the Greek word Christ (see “Christ”). It was a title for the kings of God’s people in the Old Testament and for the special king God promised to send as a “savior” to defeat evil and establish the reign of God. Many prophets made it clear that this new kingdom would be eternal; that is, not only would the promised Messiah bring about a time of justice and right living among God’s people here on earth, but also his kingdom would extend beyond this world to life forever with God. However, most Jews of the first century expected the Messiah to be a political ruler here on earth who would defeat the other nations and return the nation of Israel to a position of great glory and power. But God intended his Messiah to establish a new “Israel,” an eternal kingdom that would bless all the nations.
ⁿPsalm 2:1-2
^oHerod (1) Herod I (the Great), king of Judea and all of Palestine (40-4 b.c.), Mt. 2:1-22; Lk. 1:5; Acts 23:35. (2) Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, tetrarch (ruler) of Galilee and Perea (4 b.c.-39 a.d.), Mt. 14:1-6; Mk. 6:14-22; 8:15; Lk. 3:1, 19; 8:3; 9:7, 9; 13:31; 23:7-15; Acts 4:27; 13:1. (3) Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great, king of Palestine (37-44 a.d.), Acts 12:1, 6-21.
^pPilate, Pontius The Roman governor of Judea, 26-36 a.d. Read Lk. 23:1-3.
^qholy When referring to people or things, holy means set apart or chosen for a special use; especially, belonging to God or used only for him. It can also mean pure or perfect, worthy of God and fit for his service. When God is called holy, in addition to the idea of pure and perfect, it often means he is completely separate or different from and above everything else that exists. In the New Testament God’s people are holy because they have been made perfect and pure through Christ and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, keep themselves away from sin and live only for God.
^rmiraculous sign An amazing act that demonstrates the power of God.
^swonders Miracles that cause people to react with amazement and fear of God.
^t4:30 authority Literally, “name.”
^umessage See “Good News.”
^vLevite Any of the men from the tribe of Levi, who helped the Israelite priests in the Holy Tent (Tabernacle) and Temple. In later periods some Levites worked for the civil government.