1 WHILE they were speaking to the people, the priests and the commandant of the Temple and the Sadducees came upon them,

2 being offended because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in the case of Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3 They laid hands on them and placed them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

4 But many of those who had heard the message believed, and the number of the men grew to be about five thousand.

5 On the next day there was a gathering of their rulers and elders and scribes in Jerusalem,

6 with Annas the High Priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and all who were of high priestly race.

7 They placed the apostles in the midst and asked them, "By what power and in what name did you do this?"

8 Then Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,

9 if we must answer to-day regarding a benefit done to an infirm man, by what name he has been healed,

10 be it known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead \'97 by this name, this man stands here before you sound.

11 This is the stone which was despised by you the builders, and which has become the corner stone.

12 Nor is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

13 Observing the fearless outspokenness of Peter and John and perceiving that they were common, uneducated men, they were astonished, and they recognized them as former companions of Jesus.

14 Seeing the man who had been healed standing there with the apostles, they had nothing to say in opposition.

15 After ordering them to go out of the council, they conferred together,

16 saying, "What shall we do to these men? For that a notable miracle has been done by them is plain to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

17 But that it may not spread further among the people, let us sternly forbid them to speak any longer in this name to any one."

18 So, calling them in, they commanded them absolutely not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves.

20 We, for our part, cannot refrain from saying what we have seen and heard."

21 The Council after further threats set them at liberty, not finding any way to punish them on account of the people; for all were giving glory to God because of what had happened.

22 For the man upon whom this miracle of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.

23 The apostles upon being released came to their friends and told them all that the high priests and the elders had said.

24 They hearing it unitedly lifted up their prayer to God and said, "O Lord, thou who didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea and all things that are in them,

25 who through the Holy Spirit by the mouth of our father David, thy servant, didst say, 'Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine vain things?

26 The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers are gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ' \'97

27 for truly in this city Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered against thy holy servant Jesus,

28 to do all that thy hands and thy will had predetermined should take place \'97

29 now, Lord, look upon their threats and enable thy servants to speak thy message with all fearlessness,

30 while thou dost stretch out thine hand for healing and while signs and wonders are done through the name of thy holy servant Jesus."

31 After this prayer the place in which they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the message of God with courageous freedom.

32 The multitude of those who had believed was of one heart and one soul, and no one said that any part of his property was his own, but they had all things in common.

33 With great power the apostles continued to bear witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was upon them all.

34 Nor was any one in need among them, for all who were owners of lands or houses would sell them and bring the money for what had been sold

35 and lay it at the apostles' feet, and it would be distributed to each as he had need.

36 Joseph, to whom the apostles had given the name Barnabas, which means "Son of Encouragement," a Levite born in Cyprus,

37 being the owner of a farm, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.