Knox Bible

1

Before they had finished speaking to the crowd, they were interrupted by the chief priests, the temple superintendent, and the Sadducees.

2

These, indignant at their teaching the multitude and proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus from the dead,

3

laid hands on them, and put them in prison (for it was already evening) until the next day.

4

(Meanwhile, many of those who had listened to their preaching had joined the believers, so that their numbers had now risen to five thousand men.)

5

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

6

the high priest Annas was there, and Caiphas, and John, and Alexander, and all those who belonged to the high-priestly family.✻

7

And they had Peter and John brought into their presence, and asked them, By what power, in whose name, have such men as you done this?

8

Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, and said to them, Rulers of the people, elders of Israel, listen to me.✻

9

If it is over kindness done to a cripple, and the means by which he has been restored, that we are called in question,

10

here is news for you and for the whole people of Israel. You crucified Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, and God raised him from the dead; it is through his name that this man stands before you restored.

11

He is that stone, rejected by you, the builders, that has become the chief stone at the corner.✻

12

Salvation is not to be found elsewhere; this alone of all the names under heaven has been appointed to men as the one by which we must needs be saved.

13

Seeing the boldness of Peter and John, and discovering that they were simple men, without learning, they were astonished, and recognized them now as having been in Jesus’ company.

14

They could find no answer to make, with the man who had been healed standing there beside them;

15

so they ordered them out of the council-chamber, and conferred together.

16

What are we to do with these men? they asked. It is commonly known among all the people of Jerusalem that a notable miracle has been done by their means, and we are powerless to deny it.

17

But the news must not spread any further; we must deter them by threats from preaching to anybody in this man’s name again.

18

So they called them in, and warned them not to utter a word or give any teaching in the name of Jesus.

19

At this, Peter and John answered them, Judge for yourselves whether it would be right for us, in the sight of God, to listen to your voice instead of God’s.

20

It is impossible for us to refrain from speaking of what we have seen and heard.

21

And they, after threatening them further, let them go; they could find no means of punishing them, because all the people were exclaiming at the astonishing circumstances of what had befallen;✻

22

the man in whom this miracle of healing had taken place was more than forty years old.

23

Now that they were set free, they went back to their company, and told them all the chief priests and elders had said.

24

And they, when they heard it, uttered prayer to God with one accord; Ruler of all, thou art the maker of heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them.

25

Thou hast said through thy Holy Spirit, by the lips of thy servant David, our father, What means this turmoil among the nations; why do the peoples cherish vain dreams?

26

See how the kings of the earth stand in array, how its rulers make common cause, against the Lord and his Christ.✻

27

True enough, in this city of ours, Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel to aid them, made common cause against thy holy servant Jesus,

28

so accomplishing all that thy power and wisdom had decreed.

29

Look down upon their threats, Lord, now as of old; enable thy servants to preach thy word confidently,

30

by stretching out thy hand to heal; and let signs and miracles be performed in the name of Jesus, thy holy Son.

31

When they had finished praying, the place in which they had gathered rocked to and fro, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to preach the word of God with confidence.

32

There was one heart and soul in all the company of believers; none of them called any of his possessions his own, everything was shared in common.

33

Great was the power with which the apostles testified to the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and great was the grace that rested on them all.

34

None of them was destitute; all those who owned farms or houses used to sell them, and bring the price of what they had sold

35

to lay it at the apostles’ feet, so that each could have what share of it he needed.

36

There was a Levite called Joseph, a Cypriot by birth, to whom the apostles gave the fresh name of Barnabas, which means, the man of encouragement;

37

he had an estate, which he sold, and brought the purchase-money to lay it at the apostles’ feet.