¹ AND as they were thus speaking, the priests, and the captain of the temple-guard, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

² worn down with vexation, because they taught the people, and preached by Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

³ And they laid hands on them, and committed them to prison till the next day: for it was then evening.

⁴ But many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

⁵ Now it came to pass that the next morning, their rulers, and elders, and scribes, were assembled at Jerusalem,

⁶ and Annas the high-priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were the high-priest’s relations.

⁷ And placing them in the midst, they interrogated them, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this thing?

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

⁹ if we are this day examined relative to the good deed done to the infirm man, by what means he was restored;

¹⁰ be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarean, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him doth this man stand here sound in your presence.

¹¹ This is the stone which, though set at nought by you builders, is become the head of the corner¹.

1. Psalm cxviii. 22.

¹² And there is no salvation in any other person: for there is no other name under heaven given unto men, whereby we must be saved.

¹³ Attentively regarding then the noble confidence of Peter and John, and perceiving that they were men unlettered, and destitute of education, they were astonished; and they recollected them, that they had been with Jesus.

¹⁴ But seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they had not a word to reply in contradiction.

¹⁵ But bidding them retire out of the council-chamber, they conferred among themselves,

¹⁶ saying, What shall we do with these men? for that an acknowledged miracle hath been wrought by them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

¹⁷ But that it be no farther spread among the people, we will menace them with threats, no more to speak in this name to any man.

¹⁸ So calling them in, they charged them not to speak in any manner, nor to teach, in the name of Jesus.

¹⁹ But Peter and John, answering them, said, If it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather than God, be yourselves the judges.

²⁰ For we cannot refrain from speaking the things which we have seen and heard.

²¹ Then they with many additional threatenings dismissed them, finding no pretext how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for what had been done.

²² For the man was more than forty years of age, upon whom this miracle of healing was performed.

²³ But they being dismissed, came unto their own friends, and told them all things which the high-priests and elders had said.

²⁴ Now when they heard it, they lifted up their united voice to God, and said, Lord, thou art the God which made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all things which are in them:

²⁵ who by the mouth of David thy servant saidst, Why do the heathen so furiously rage, and the people meditate vain things?

²⁶ The kings of the earth rose up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah¹.

1. Psalm ii. 1, 2.

²⁷ For they have been in truth collected together against thy holy Son Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, even Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the heathen, and the people of Israel,

²⁸ to do all that thy hand and thy counsel predestined should come to pass.

²⁹ And as to the present transactions, Lord, look upon their threatnings: and grant thy servants power with all boldness to speak thy word,

³⁰ by stretching out thy hand for healing; and that signs and miracles may be performed by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

³¹ And while they were praying, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

³² And in the multitude of those that believed there was one heart and soul: and not one person said, that any part of his substance was his peculiar property; but all things were in common among them.

³³ And with great power bore the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

³⁴ Neither was there any person in want among them: for as many as were possessors of fields or houses disposed of them, and brought the prices of the things sold,

³⁵ and laid them at the apostles’ feet: and a distribution was made to every one according as he had need.

³⁶ And Joses, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles, (which is, being interpreted, A son of consolation,) a Levite, a Cyprian by birth,

³⁷ having a field belonging to him, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.